The Washington times., 1910-03-29
NESTERNER LIKELY
CHOICE FOR BENCH
Bowers and Van Devanter
Mentioned Prominently
for Brewers Seat.

Lloyd W. Bowers. solicitor for the
Department Of Justice. and Judge
Willis Van Devanter. Of the Eighth
! judicial circuit, are the two men most
prominently mentioned in Washington
today as the probable successor 10 the
position on the United States Supreme
Court bench made vacant by the death
of Mr.. Justice Brewer.
II is the general conviction that this
appointments must go To the West, be
cause, as the personnel OF the court
now stands, there is no strictly West
ern man on 1T. Judge LurtOn, OF Ten
nessee, may be regarded as the wes--
ernmost man.
At this time the center Of pOpula-
| ton OF the country is regarded as in
Indiana, and IL is thought that the
/ census VIII put - IN the western part
| or Indiana. Geographically, therefore,
| II would seem to the political prophets
that the new man on the Supreme
Bench must come out Of the West.
Other Names Mentioned.
In support Of this opinion is the num-
Der Of available judges in the West
Besides Bowers and Van Devanter,
there are mentioned Walter II. San
! born. presiding Judge Of the Eigth
judicial circuit and Chief Justice Horace
T. DeCmer. of Iowa In addition 10
these also. the names OF Luke f. Wright
| and Secretary of War Dickinson have
been brought tD the tTUnJ. with long
list Of lesser lights.
Bat the almost general belief is that
the choice VIII ultimately lie between
Bowers and Van Devanter
In support OF Bowers, they was a re-
port in circulation today tuat ne had
| been induced To take the compare lively
| insignificant position Of Solicitor Cen
| eral on the President $ promise that.
when the opportunity arose there would
/ be great promotion in store for him.
Z he IS ftOm Chicago. and Is, therefore.
I geographically within the condition
/ which must he met 10y the President
/ His ability as a lawyer L. regarded as
/ OF the highest.
Van Devanter, From Wyoming.
/ Judge Van Dcvantcr was member OF
/ the court which decided the STANDARD
/ On case m favor OF the Government
/ contention that il was d0ing buSine-
| llle-aly. ana TO- this reason ne has a
/ wide and strong popular following
This case is now before the Supreme
court but tire selection Of Justice
Brewer successor viii iu all probability
/ roiue too late. uudeI any circumstances.
Tor time To- affect the appointment ol
/ Van D-yanter or TO raise the question
I of whether he should participate iu the
anal decision OF the Supreme Court on
/ iHe rulin- ae helped 90 make in The
lower rpUTt
Van Reyt. ter ls from wyoming. and.
even moro than Bowers n.s the geo
-LaPHl.dl rec luuemcuis OF the situation
IAeFs vas, OF course. ug iutimation
I from the White House tria- as ro VITO
! might 1ll the vacancy, and % -oIlop.S.
4 ae matter pf respect 10 the memory
| OF Justice Brewer. thar CFndidslcs
| should not he put iE the hcId ar such AM
/ early date
Will Scrutin:ze Field.
When "a comes TO the matter cf de-
Gliding whether Bowers or Van Devar-
I TOT has the better show for ,re n,sc.
% is difficult Go get the trend OF ouiu-
| ion IN the cltv's Off7cialdom but II
would seen that Bowers TODAY fs re-
saTdcu as the StrUugest probab ability
Nost of tho opinions expressed toda--
are founded ou what the prcs4derr
Thought when the last vacancy was 10
/ %, filed. and Justice L.urtou finally Wa
selected. At that time. TO was known.
Bowers and Van Dcvanter were heiu-
seriously considered by Mr.. Taft
! II goes without saving that the PreSf-
dent IS gong 20 look over the field ~
/ an tho ayaiiaDles with care before ma lz-
ing a dec sion.
! Othc~ names which have baev men
toned as worthy OF the President
scrutiny a-e those Of HAMS TAYLOR and
I Judge John Clinton GRAY. Of the New
| York cour, cf appeals. Judge Gray has
/ a strong champion % Senator Root
,