The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-10-15
SENATOR ROOT J.
IS SLATED FOR
CHEF JUSTICE
In Case Of Republican Success
in New York He Will Be
Appointed
GREAT JUR|ST IS WELL IS
GREAT man OF AFFAIRS

S@@-..sNssS.OA.0 2S00Os4-
tial at the Present Time in the Su.
preme Court-Roosevelt Approves
the Plan and His Successor
Washington. Oct. 15.-For chief = 4
tice Of the United States supreme
court. Elihu Root; for United States
senator from New York to succeed
Mr.. Root. Representative William s.
Bennett.
Unless all signs fail, these two an
pointments, one by President Taft.
the other by the governor OF New
York, will follow shortly after cleo
tion day, should the Republicans carry
the state Of New York. Senator Root
is probably the one man in the coun-
try whose appointment as chief JUS
t1ce OF the supreme court would meet
with the unanimous approval of all the
associate justices, and President Taft
has been made aware Of the high re-
gard In which the senator is held by
the members of the highest tribunal.
He has been informed that all the as
sociate justices consider Senator Root
the possessor Of one of the greatest
legal minds In the country. This in
formation has reached President Taft
at Beverly. The great forensic fight
made by Senator Root in the fisheries
cases at The Hague attracted to him
worldwide attention. His opponents
at The Hague frankly declared that
he had shown himself to be one of
the worlds leading legal lights.
President Taft, It has become known
n washington. has not committed
nimseif to any man In connection with
the chief justiceship. The report of
the Informal attitude Of the associate
Justices themselves, however, fol-
f!ows closely on the news of the FIVE
sno0rg conference between Senator
Root and President Taft At Beverly,
sitter that conference Senat tor Root
declared that, like all good citizens
!, aes was. deeply interested in the SUI
pfeme court, but he would not affirm
or deny that the conference had to do
with discussion as to his own avail
ability for the chief justiceship.
Lawyer and Man Of Affairs.
While Senator Root is 65 years old,
and 1t had been reported that there
was an understanding between the
President and the members of the
senate judiciary committee following
the appointment Of Justice Lurton
that sixty years would henceforth be
the age limit, such an agreement, IL
agreement there was would scarcely
hold good in the case Of Senator Root.
The senate almost to man would ap-
prove Of the selection of the junior
senator from New York. This fact,
coupled, with the information that the
appointment would be particularly ac-
ceptable. to the associate justices, is
said to have weighed considerably
with President Taft.
The declaration has also been made
that. inasmuch as Associate Justice
Hughes was selected from New York,
the president would hardly care to 70
to that state for another ,appointee.
It 10 known, however, that the presi-
dent does not consider himself bound
by any geographical or other obliga-
tions in making selections of the men
best fitted for the supreme court
bench. It Is one of his greatest am
billions to make his administration
stand out for the character of his
judicial appointments.
Senator Root, like most other law
yers, considers the chief justiceship
second only to the presidency in inn
portahce. His friends believe that he
would be peculiarly fitted to the post,
which would round out his distin-
guished career. AS one Of the great
est lawyers in the country, he fills
all the requirements of legal erudition.
Having been secretary of war, secre-
tary of state, and United States sena-
tor. he is eminently qualified as q
builder, and constructionist.
1t has been understood that the
president wanted no mere legal book
worm for the post. He has said that
he wanted man Of AFFAIRS" as much
as man Of great legal mind-a man
who will look to the future of the
country as we'll as interpret the law.
Approved by Col Roosevelt
While no definite tender of the chief
justiceship has as yet been made to
Senator Root, he knows, 1t is said,
that his appointment is extremely
probable. The appointment, It is said,
may be dependent on the outcome Of
the New York election. sIf Demo-
cratic legislature should be carried
In with the election Of Dix as gover-
nor, Senator Root, In the interests Of
his party, would not care to leave
the appointment Of his successor in
the senate to Democratic governor,
with Democratic legislature waiting
to confirm that choice. ~
Should New York be carried by the
Republicans, however. Senator Root
would probably feel free to accept the
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