The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-02-10
Bar Association Endorse Him as
Candidate for Supreme
Court Bench.
THEN MADE IT UNANIMOUS
Judge CoOper's Supporters Made
a Fight, but Rallied Only
Eight on Ballot.
1rrom wednesday.a AdvertI.er.l

dorsed Hon. A. G. NJ. Robertson, second
federal Judge of the United States Dis
trict Court OK Hawaii, for the position
of chief justice of the Supreme Court
of Hawaii he being the choice Of
thirty-fo1r of the forty-two members
of the bar present.
Immediately after the meeting the
following cable message was sent to
President Taft, Attorneys General Wick.
ersham and Delegate Ralanianaoie:
Meeting Of Bar Association, Hawaii
an Islands, unanimously recommend
appointment of A. G. NJ. Robertson,
present United States Judge, Hawaii,
as successor to Chief Justice Hartwell,
Supreme Court, Hawaii, resigned.
FRANK THOMPSON,
Acting President.
The endorsement of Judge Robertson
to succeed Chief Justice Hartwell,
whose resignation is effective at the
end OF the present. month, was popular
among the lawyers, and although the
name of Circuit Judge Cooper was men
toned in a number of speeches and sew
eral declared openly in his favor, yet
! JuG COIut VI bub StCIcb DdllOb ulSCiOotu
! the fact that Mr.. Robertson had an
overwhelmingly majority. Upon the
motion of United States District At
torney Breckons, who had seconded the
nomination of Judge Cooper, the en-
dorsement of Judge Robertson was
made unanimous.
As the vote went Judge Cooper is
not the second choice of the associa-
| tion, motion to so declare the one
receiving the next highest vote, being
defeated. 1t was stated by some of
those who openly espoused the cause of
Judge Robertson, that to declare Judge
Cooper the second choice before the
vote were counted and in case he were
to receive a minority of votes, would
not be the expression of many. for sec
ond choice. For such, they stated, they
would prefer to specifically select some
one.
Big Meeting.
The meeting was one of the largest
ever held by the association, the very
large attendanc indicating that all re-
garded the selection of nominee for
the chief justiceship as of prime i'm
portance. +. E. Thompson, the vice
president, presided in the absence of d.
l.. Wilmington, the president. He rlled
the meeting well, using a twelve-foot
measure to command silence, attention,
respect and to declare divers and sun
dry constant takers out of order. AS
rule his word went and he managed
to keep the wordy members of the as
sociation to the subject in hand. Sew
eral breakaways were given but short
rope.
Mr.. Thompson stated that the meet
ing was a special one, called only for
the purpose of selecting a candidate
for the chief justiceship. Before the
members could nominate any one,
George A. Davis got the floor and want
ed the association to 60 on record in
planning some testimonial to Chief JUS
tiee Hartwell on his retirement. Mr..
Davis suggestion was good one, so
the chairman declared, but the sugges-
tion was out of order.
The motion of I. NJ. Harrison that
the nominee receiving the highest num-
ber of votes be declard the unanimous
selection of the association, did not re-
ceive a second.
Judge Robertson Nominated.
Judge Wilder then got the floor and
nominated Judge Robertson. He stated
that he was a practising lawyer who
believed that the better the man Sc
lected for the chief justiceship, the
better for all concerned. He spoke
about iniqlitous litigation into which
clients are sometimes involved through
some kind of judges on the bench, and
he believed the best should be had, In
his opinion Judge Robertson was the
best qualified of all the lawyers in
sight for the chief justiceship.
Judge Robertson s name was greeted
with applause.
Mr.. Wilder, continuing, stated that
he believed he could say without con-
tradiction that Judge Robertson, from
lawyers standpoint, has no superior
in the Territory, being thoroughly
grounded in law. He expressed the
opinion that the position of chief JUS
tice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii
was the highest in the land, even those
of the Governor, and Delegate not
reaching it. He believed in the office
seeking the man and not the man the
Office.
lie said he made this statement with
out disparagement to any one, although
he said this might have particular
reference to Judge Cooper. 1t was not
a case of personal friendship to be
considered, but one of considering the
candidate from the standpoint of abil.
ity. He believed Judge Robertson was
best qualified of all local lawyers to
sit as chief justice.
! The nomination was seconded by S,
NJ. Ballou.
A Few Digressions.
, Attorney Lightfoot presented an
amendment that a committee be ap.
pointed to canvass for candidates aud
I. present the names at later meeting.
This suggestion aroused a bedlam OF
suggestions and protests, while the chair
ruled thar Lightfoot was out of order.
He did this after slamming the meas.
ure on the desk several times, during
which Davis had to be called 10 order
: more than once, causing Davis 10 finally
ttke his seat maiterinR something about
Frank Thompson being "the new