Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-21
JUSTICE HUGHES, REASONS
Why He Cannot Consent to Allow Use
of His Name.

Lake Placid. n. Y, June 20.-Basing
what he has to say upon a personal
interview had with United States Su-
preme Court Justice Charles E.
Hughes, Rabbi Stephen S Wise of
New York, who is a close friend of
the justice and whose summer camp
here is near the Hughes camp, to-
day. issued to representative of The
Associated Press signed statement
setting forth the real reasons he
SAYS. why Justice Hughes cannot al
low his name to be considered by the
Republican convention at Chicago In
his statement Rabbi Wise says that
1T appears that Justice Hughes has
succeeded in doing the extraordinary
thing of viewing the whole question
in an unpersonal and detached way
and has reached his decision with
out regret and repining"
His No is the reasoned and un-
alterable decision of an unhending
conscience, a decision as honoring to
him as has been every hour of his
noteworthy public career" the state
ment continues.
THE decision is not to be recalled
II extraordinary circumstances arise
or unforeseen contingencies come to
pass, but 1t will be re-affirmed as
final and irrevocable even in the
event of the Chicago convention now
assembled. nominating Justice Hughes
for the Presidency. l may say that
he would decline the nomination if
rendered him. Why The supreme
court must not be dragged into poll
4 grn Of
should not be available though he be
nominally eligible for election TO of
fee. The moment he assumes the jul
dicial office he ceases to be parti-
san and knows. or should know, no
partisan obligation. The moment he
accepts party nomination one or
more things happen and happen ex-
plicably
First, a political party may UNDER
take to capitalize the judicial decisions
of its candidate than which nothing
could be more deeply violative of the
spirit of the judicial institution His
decisions would moreover become sub
ject to the partisan and passionate re-
view of partisan strife. Worst of all,
it is not inconceiyable that If men are
to step from the bench to elective Of
flee, decisions may ultimately be rem
dered with a view to the contingency
of such public and necessarily parti-
san view.
Such situation would be certain
to lessen the independence of the jul
dicial as it would be inevitably impair
the nations confidence in the I'M
swerving integrity of the courts. OF
what real and permanent value were
the decisions of judge, today, who
on the morrow may choose or be chos-
en- to sue fer the favor and suffrage
than the outcome of the present po-
liticai contests. however. large it
looms at the present is the perpetual
ing of the organic institutions or SOW
ereignty of the Republic One such in
stitution. coordinate with the execu-
tive and legislative, is the judicial
The people rightly believe in the in
tegrity and incorruptibllity of the SUI
preme bench. The justices of the SUI
preme court of the United States are
privileged by virtue of their office to
render service of the highest order to
the nation. The performance of that
service and the maintenance of the
| dignity of that office depend in larg-
est part upon the will of the members
of that court to suffer no personal
ambition for elective office however
great their gifts and though their fit
ness be in every other respect beyond
question, to influence their judgment
of the nation to the supreme as a
tribunal which, without personal aims
and above private ambitions seeks to
interpret the law upon the bases OF
the constitution of the United States
! Rabbi Wise said that in answer to
the final question:
Do you not conceive that an ex-
traordinary crisis might make it your
| duty to accept the nomination for
President, in order to render great
public serviee%" Justice Hughes re-
piled:
| "Unhesitating and unequivocally ]
say that as justice of the supreme
court, l am rendering public service
and may continue to do so for some
years, but the supreme court must not
be dragged into politics, and no mar
| is as essential to his country's wei
being as is the unstained integrity oil
the courts
-