Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-13
|JUDGESH|P PROBLEM
Federal Vacancy in South
Carolina Worries Taft.
CANDIDATES ARE NUMEROUS
Several Prominent Lawyers Of Both
Parties Strongly Backed.
UNCLE JOE" AT WHITE HOUSE
Senator John Sharp Williams Makes
First Call-Arizona Stumbling
Block Discussed.
CANDIDATES ARE NUMEROUS
JOE" AT WHITE HOUSE

| President Taft again has encountered
familiar problem-whether he viii
! appoint a democrat or a republican a:
United States federal Judge in a state
| where nearly all the lawyers Of prom
| inence are democrats. The vacancy
this time is in South Carolina, Judge
Brawley, the present Judge, having in
dictated his purpose to retire.
President Taft has been seeing candi
dates and the friends of candidates fol
| some time. And there are plenty OF
each. Today the President had a con
ference with ex-Gov. Martin F. Ansel
who was accompanied to the executive
offices by Representative Aiken. Mr.
Ansel probably is the most prominent
man mentioned and has the backing OF
judges, solicitors and lawyers gener.
ally. He is personally well known tc
the President and unquestionably will
be seriously considered by the Presi-
dent.
Judge Brawley is understood to favor
Ham" Smith. a Charleston lawyer of
standing. while Calvin Hemphill. former
ly editor OF the Charleston News and
Courier. now editing the Times Dispatch
at Richmond, favOrs Lawyer Hughes,
also of Charleston. Both are democrats.
D. w. Henderson, an able lawyer of
Aiken, is also a candidate, and there
are various other democrats In the back
ground.
Republican Strongly Backed.
The most strongly backed republican
candidate Is B. A. Hagood. q Charles.
ton lawyer. popular among democratic
lawyers in the state. Ernest Cochran
United States district attorney, a re-
publican, Is supporting Hagood, al
thong he is talked Of himself for the
position.
President Taft has insisted since the
beginning of his administration that in
judicial appointments he will utterly dis
man to be found. regardless of his
politics. In following this policy he has
twice appointed democrats as federal
district judges in southern states-Henry
g. Common for the eastern district of
North Carolina nearly two years ago and
last year Representative Russell of Texas
as judge of the eastern district Of that
state: In each instance republicans kick
ed vigorously, but the President picked
his men with the law as his standard. In
South Carolina republican lawyers are
exceedingly scarce,
The South Carolina republicans have
been the first in the country to officially
indorse the President for denomination
In session yesterday the republican state
committee passed warm resolutions favor
ing the President as the republican nomi-
nee next year and pledging the organiza-
ton to support him. The action Of the
t1illes. Other southern republican leaders
have made 1t known that they favor the
denomination Of the President.
Uncle Joe" Cannon entered the White
"a
ushered into the Presidents offices for
conference which lasted nearly an hour.
1t was the. first visit of Mr.. Cannon as
a plain representative Of the people OF
Illinois. When some one called him
'.Mr. Speaker" he turned sharply to await
the inquiry directed to him. Leaving
the President he hurried into the auto
mobile of a friend and was rushed to the
Capitol. He said he didn't have any news
for reporters. Mr. Cannon talked to the
President about prospective legislation at
this session.
Senator Williams a Caller.
Senator John Sharp Williams of Mis-
sissippi made his first call on the Presi-
dent as senator. II just came to recog-
nize the White House. said the senator.
Senator Simmons Of North Carolina also
paid call Of courtesy. Representative
Page Of North Carolina introduced to the
President II. b. Warner, editor Of South
ern Good Roads. Mr.. Warner wanted the
President to find some way Of aiding in
the good roads movement in the south.
President Taft has written a letter to
Representative Flood Of Virginia, chair
man of the House committee on terri
tories, saying that after consideration he
doubts the wisdom Of his approving an
amendment to the act enabling New Mex
leo and Arizona to come into statehood
under certain conditions, by which the
Presidents approval Of the constitutions
of the two states will not be necessary
before they can be admitted. Mr. Floods
proposed amendment would leave to Con-
gress the entire authority for approving
the constitutions Of the two states and
relieve the President Of the necessity for
having to act along with Congress The
President states in his letter to Mr.. Flood
that IL he should sign the amendment it
really would amount to his giving affirma-
tive approval to the constitution Of Ari-
zona, which he considers defective, owing
to its judiciary recall features.
Representative Hamilton, former chair
man of the House committee on terri
tories, conferred with President Taft to-
day about the Arizona stumbling block.
Mr.. Hamilton has a scheme by which
Arizona, before gaining statehood will
have to vote on the question Of the recall
Of judges