The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-10-14
Will Render Decisions in Cases InUoluing In
dustrial and Business Life of the Nation---
Taft Will Make No Recess Appointments,
Thus Leaving Two Places Vacant
Corporation Cases Will Not Be Re
argued Until After Christmas
Must Wait Until Vacancies Are
Filled--Oth Business Bulky

Washington, D. c., Oct, THE su-
preme court of the United States will
convene next Monday at noon for one
of the most important sessions in its
history. During the coming eight
months it will have to pass upon cases
profoundly involving the Industrial
and business life of the nation. and
this fact adds Importance to the pend
| ing changes in the personnel of the
great court occasioned by the death
of Chief Justice Fuller and Associate
Justice Brewer and the expected re-
tirement of Associate Justice Moody.
Governor Charles E. Hughes of New
York has been confirmed in the place
of Justice Brewer, and there appears
excellent reasons to expect that he
will be named in place of the chief
justice, although Associate Justice
Harlan, the senior surviving member
of the court, has been much spoken of
for promotion to the chief-justiceship.
In any event, including Justice Hughes
there will be three new men on this
bench during the coming session.
President Taft has said that he will
make no recess appointments to the
court; this means that the chief JUS
tices and the place of Justice Moody
probably will remain vacant until the
Irregular session of congress begins in
December.
1t also means undoubtedly that the
three great corporation cases upon
which the expectancy of the business
world is centered will not come up
for reargument at least until after the
Christmas recess of the court Of
these cases two, the Standard Oil case
and the so-called Tobacco Trust case.
were set for re-argument on Novem-
Der IA. The series of corporation-tax
cases were merely restored to the cal
endar for re-argument In ordinary
circumstance this would throw them
over for year or more The general
expectation is that none of the three
cases will be taken up until all the
vacancies in the court have been filled,
and that then the corporation tax
cases will be advanced, and with the
other two cases mentioned, will be
set for dates relatively early in 1911.
| Aside from these celebrated cases,
| a tremendous amount of work awaits
the court at the beginning of it's ses-
sion. Upwards of forty cases, many
of large import, have been assigned
for argument next Tuesday, or as soon
thereafter as possible. Ordinarily,
each justice delivers about 30 opin-
ions during year; hence if one mem
Der were to undertake to cover all of
next Tuesdays docket he would not
be through with it until far into 1912.
Unbroken custom reserves the first
day, Monday, theoretically at least, to
paying the respects of the court to
the president of the United States. Be
fore the time of Cleveland, it is said,
the court had practically never failed
to adjourn Immediately upon conven-
ing on the second Monday in October,
to go in body to the White House.
Once or twice Cleveland was away
from the city, and Roosevelt even more
frequently. Nevertheless the call of
the docket of cases to be argued has
never been taken up on the opening
day. Even if the president is not in
town, the court adjourns after receiv-
ing motions, until the following day.
This year, President Taft will be at
Beverly; the fact will be announced
by Justice Harlan presiding, and the
lcourt will adjourn. Largely on ac-
count Of there not being a full bench
last term many important cases were
set for argument, out of their turn, for
Tuesday. The continuing vacancies
may cause the further postponement
of several of them. The death of So
licitor General Bowers may also result
in the postponement of a number of
government cases.
The first big case set for argument
is the dispute between the state of
West Virginia and the commonwealth
of Virginia as to the amount of money
the former owes the latter by reason of
the formation of separate governments.
Charles E. Littlefeld, special master
of the court, last spring reported that
the amount varied from about $3,000,-
600 to about s9,000,O00 according to
the basis that might be accepted for a
settlement Some of the most promin-
ent lawyers in the country will appear
before the court to argue on excep-
tions to the report, which will be pre-.