Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-04
FEDERAL JUDGE
WILL PROBABLY
Be NAMED Soon
Belief Prevails That Success
8or to Late w. H, Pope VIII
Be Selected Within Few
Weeks Work PiIing Up,

That q successor to the late Judge.
william II. Pope as Judge of the Unit
ca states district court for the district
of New Mexico will be named within
the next few weeks, possible before
the Christmas holidays, is the general
belief among those who have kept in
formed regarding the appointment
Who the appoiutee will be is matter
that cannot be foretold at this time,
but the best opinion is that the race
has narrowed down to District Attor-
ney Summers Burkhart, of Albuquer-
que and Judge Colin d. Neblett OF
silver city, with the chances favoring
Burkhart. Both men are recognized
as OF the highest personal and profess
sional standing.
Several months have elapsed since
the death of Judge Pope, and the
business Of the court has been accum-
ulating rapidly. Judge j. G. Pollock,
Of Topeka. presided at the recent term
of court in Santa Fe and dispatched
the most pressing business before the
court but the need of a Judge to take
permanent charge of the affairs or
the court and clear up the docket is
urgent. and for that reason the belief
prevails that President Wilson VIII
send to the senate the name of Judge
Pope's successor shortly after the con-
/ vening of congress today so that con-
| fnmation may be had at the short
session Of chat body, which expires
March 4, next.
Many Applicants.
The field Of applicants for the APP
pointment is large. Besides Mr., Burk-
hart and Judge Neblett those most
! frequently heard Of in connection with
! the appointment are Judge Granville
In. Richardson and Judge Tomlinson
Fort of Roswell, u L. Buckley, OF
Ration; ]. G. Fitch, Of Socorro; VIII
liam G. Hayden, Chester A. Hunker
and John Veeder, of Las Vegas; and
r. l.. Young, Of Las Cruces.
The applicant who has the endorse
mont Of Senator-elect A. A. Jones and
Democratic State Chairman Arthur
SeIigman. it is believed, is practically
assured of the appointment, and it is
considered more than a probability
that these two leaders will get to-
gether on the same man in order to
preserve party unity and harmony
Neither Mr. Seligman nor Senator
Jones has given any intimation as tc
who will be endorsed, or who has the
best chance, but the local endorse
ments Of District Attorney Burkhari
land udup NpbIptt are such as to leaC
those in a position to know to express
the opinion that the appointment OF
one OF the two is probablye.
For District Attorney.
Tn the event of Mr. Burkharts APP
pointment there will be another lively
scramble for the succession to the Of
flee which he now holds. The distric
attorneyship is one of the latest anC
iuiciest Of federal plums, and It Il
likely that there willNbe an even larger
field of candidates for this app9inmen
than for the judgeship.
Just who would have the inside
track in such a race it is impossible a
this time even to guess. The matter
has not gotten that far along, for il
the nature of things there are no ap
plicants for the post of district attor
ney while Mr. Burkhart still occupies
that post. As soon as it becomes GER
d tain that the present incumbent of tn,
b office will be elevated to the bench
| if such should be the case, it is safe t
b say that a brisk contest for the ap
pointment will begin.