The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-20
HOOKS CHANCES GOOD
kansas Judge seems Likely to Reach
the Supreme Bench.

Washington, Dec. 20 - Informa ton
! from reliable sources is to the effect
that President Taft practically has de-
ternined to appoint Judge William G.
Hook of Kansas, now on the bench of
the Eighth United States circuit, to
the vacancy in the United States su-
preme court caused by the death Of
Associate Justice John NJ. Harlan.
| The matter is not definitely decided,
however, and there is a chance that the
appointment may go to Charles Nagel,
secretary of commerce and labor It
is understood that Attorney General
Wickersham has Endorsed the candf-
dacy of Secretary Nagel, and is max
ing great effort to gain his colleagues
promotion to the supreme bench.
President Taft has distinct fond
ness for Judge Hook. whom he knows
: personally and eSteemS highly. More
over, the president has made a per-
sonal study of the more important
the Eighth circuit and is in accord
with them. The president was much
pleased with the opinion written by the
Kansas jurist in the Standard Oil case,
and liked even better Judge Hooks
dissenting opinion in the Hartman
merger case.
Dissent in Merger Case.
1t will be recalled that the Hartman
merger suit was decided by the circuit
court adversely to the government, but
by a divided bench. In the Standard
Oil case the four circuit judges were
unanimous. In the railroad merger
case Judges Sanborn and Adams de-
cided against the government, and JUS
tive Van Devanter of the supreme
court, who as a member of the Eighth
circuit bench, had heard the case, con-
CURED with them. judge Hook dis
sented, and it is understood here that
it is largely because of that dissent
that the administration decided to APP
peal the case to the supreme court.
When the case comes up for argument
before the supreme court February 10,
it is expected that the government viii
follow rather closely the line Of Judge
Hooks dissenting opinion.
Once before Judge Hook was very near |
in the end the appointment went to Jus |
tfce Van Devanter. then a colleague of /
Judge Hook on the Eighth circuit bench.
Kansans Are United.
Now. all the former influence in behalf /
Of Judge Hook has exerted itself with
creased activity and there is the added
factor of his dissenting opinion in the
Hartman merger case Moreover some |
Roadway has been made in overcoming !
the single point on which the president
was unsatisfied year ago. Not only are
the Kansas regulars, like Senator Curtis |
and Representative Anthony and Repre-
Campbell. standing firmly be-
hind their candidate, but there is a very
wide and influential recommendation of
the Kansas jurist from distinguished law
yers of the Eighth circuit and from.
prominent men in other professions and
business. Altogether, a very hard effort
has been made to convince the president
that Judge Hook is the man for the place
and it has found the president a willing
listener.
But opposed to this is the unquestion-
ably strong influence of Attorney Cen
eral Wickersham with the adninistra-
ton.
Judge Hook was born in Pennsylvania
in September, 1857, and is now 81 years
Of age. He was educated at Leaven-
worth, Kan, where he has made his
home since his boyhood, and was grad
uated from the St. Louis Law school in
1873. He was appointed district judge for
the Kansas district in 1899 and four years
later was promoted to the circuit bench.