The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-06-30
PRESIDENT WILSON
STATES HIS REASONS
FOR APPOINTING
BRANDE|S

the reasons aCtuaClnB nlm III mdkluB
the nomination of Mr.. Brandeis for
associate justice of the Supreme court,
the president sent the following let
ter:
The White House,
Washington, May s. 1915.
My Dear Senator: | am very much
obliged to you for giving me an oppor-
tunity to make clear to the judiciary
committee my reasons for nominating
Mr.. Louis D. Brandeis to fill the va
cancy in the Supreme court Of the
United States created by the death OF
Mr.. Justice Lamar. for l am profoundly
interested in the confirmation Of the
appointment by the senate.
There is probably no more important
duty imposed upon the president in
connection with the general admins
tration Of the government than that
Of naming members Of the Supreme
court, and need hardly tell you that I
named Mr.. Brandeis as a member of
that great tribunal only because l knew
him to be singularly qualified by learn
ing, by gifts. and by character for the
position.
Many charges have been made
against Mr.. Brandeis. The report Of
your subcommittee has already made 1t
plain to you and to the country at
large how unfounded those charges
were. They threw a great deal more
light upon the character and motives
Of those with whom they originated
than upon the qualifications Of Mr..
Brandeis. l myself looked into them
three years ago, when | desired to
make Mr.. Brandeis a member of my
cabinet, and found that they proceed
ed for the most part from those who
hated Mr.. Brandeis because he had re-
fused to be serviceable to them in the
promotion of their own selfish inter
ests. and from those whom they had
%prejudiced and misled. The propagan.
da in this matter has been very ex.
traordinary and very distressing to
those who love fairness and value the
dignity Of the great professions.
perceived from the first that the
charges were intrinsically incredible
by anyone who had really known Mr..
Brandeis. l have known him. | have
tested him by seeking his advice upo'
some of the most difficult and perpleA
ing public questions about which II
was necessary for me to form a judg.
ment. have dealt with him in mat,
ters where nice questions of honor and
fair play. as well as large questions OF
justice and the public benefit were in.
volved.
In every matter in which have
made test of his judgment and point
Of view | have received from him coun
sci s~ingularly enlightening, singularly
clear-sighted and judicial, and. above
all. full Of moral stimulation. He Is 9
friend of all just men and a lover o.
the right; and he knows more than
how to talk about the right-he knows
how to set 1t forward in the face o.
its enemies. ] knew, from direct per
sonal knowledge Of the man. what
was doing when | named him for the
highest and most responsible tribuna
Of the nation.
Lauds His Ability.
OF his extraordinary ability as a law
yer no man who is competent to Judge
:an speak with anything but the high
est admiration. You will remembeI
that in the opinion of the late Chic
Justice Fuller he was the ablRst maj
who ever appeared before the Supreme
court of the United States. HE II
also" the chief justice added. "abso
lutely fearless in the discharge of hi
duties"
Those who have resorted to him 70
assistance in settling great industrial
disputes can testify to his fairness AM
love of justice. In the troublesom
controversies between the carmen
workers and manufacturers Of New
York city, for example, he gave a trul.
remarkable proof of his judicial ten
pcI ducAI, anu udu Wudt Luubt uhV
been the great satisfaction Of render
ing decisions which both sides wer
willing to accept as disinterested' an
even-handed.
Mr.. Brandeis has rendered man
notable, services to the city and stat
with which his professional life ha
been identified. He successfully d
rected the difficult campaign which r,
suited in obtaining cheaper gas for tn
city of Boston. 1t was chiefly unde
his guidance and through his effort
that legislation was secured in Mass
chusetts which. authorized saving
banks to issue insurance policies fo
small sums at much reduced rateI
And some gentlemen who tried yer
hard to obtain control by the Bosto
Elevated Railway company of the sui
ways of the city for a period of 9
years a probably testify as to hi
ability as the peoples advocate whe
public interests call for an effectiv
champion. He rendered these service
without compensation, and sarnet
whether he got 1t or not, the gratitud