Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-08
Friends Say Taft
Is WellQualified
For Chief Justice
Successful Experience as
Philippine Governor and as
Judge in Ohio Cited by
Acquaintance.
By HOLLAND.

Mr.. Taft will not be embarrassed
by money difficulties as was one Of
his predecessors who served as chlei
justice of the supreme court. The
estate left by that chief justice was
reported to be insolvent. 1t was
also the understanding that he had
extended all of the fortune he had
accumulated by the practice OF law
about 100000, in order to meet his
expenses while serving as chief
Justice. His salary was only $lO,S0O
Mr.. Taft as chief justice will receive
$1,000 more, for congress increased
the salary of the justice OF the su-
preme court.
Mr.. Taft will lose the salary which
he has received for about eight years
for his services as professor at Yale
university. But that will be more
than made good by the annuity to
him of $4,000 a year which Andrew
Carnegie made. Taft has lived since
he retired from the presidency in a
modest manner. His income must
have been considerable and it is un-
derstood it has been wisely invested.
Therefore his income, including his
salary while chief justice, will be
ample.
States Share Equal Honors.
When the senate confirmed the nomi-
nation Of Mr.. Taft for chief justice. Con-
necticut ranked with Ohio in the number
Of citizens who had been called to the
chair of chief justice OF the supreme
court. Governor Chase Of Ohio and Nor
rison R. Waite of the isame state were
predecessor and successor as chief Justice.
Oliver Ellsworth OF Connecticut served for
short time in that important post and
now after more than 100 years Taft. who
has been for eight years citizen OF
Connecticut, takes the chair occupied by
Oliver Ellsworth
These, however, are only incidental
considerations, although they have been
mentioned many times since Mr.. Tart 9
nomination as chief Justice was confirmed
by the senate. However, other comments
than these have been made by lawyers
who have been inspired to speak because
Of the intimation made by two senators
who opposed the confirmation OF Mr.. Tart
on the ground that he has not the quali-
fications, as they said. for service as chief
justice, not having practiced law for a
long time and not having had prolonged
experience upon the bench In Ohio.
Admired As Lawyer.
Mr.. Taft is spoken by those who know
him and who have had some knowledge
of his career as being as we'll qualified to
serve as chief Justice as any other dis
tinguished lawyer upon whom President
Harding's choice might have been fixed.
His successful experience while governor
of the Philippines was greatly aided by
his mastery Of law. He has profound un-
derstandng of the common law. He han
died with consummate skill, which entailed
accurate and profound legal knowledge,
the troublesome problems which the dis
position Of the so-called friars landhold-
ings in the Philippines had created.
Students who have listened to his lee
lures at Yale have always been impressed
by the revelation which he made OF his
mastery of the principles of law. The
personal friends of Charles e. Hughes in
New York City have reported Mr.. Hughes
as having said that Taft possesses one
of the profoundest as we'll as most acute
intellects which he had ever discovered
in any other man.
When He Was Judge.
There were two incidents associated with
his service as judge in Ohio to which
those who have knowledge Of them have
referred since Mr.. Taft's appointment
One was an important and complicated
litigation. One Of the parties associated
In that litigation was Myron T. Herrick
afterwards governor of Ohio and soon
to take up the duties of ambassador to
France. Another was Washington e. Con-
nor of New York. The litigation was
somewhat prolonged. Many complicated
points were involved. After the evidence