The Alaska daily empire., 1921-05-20
CHIEF JUSTICE WHITE.

Chief Justice Edward Douglas White who died yesterday, measured fully up the standard of the great who have occupied that office usually regarded the most imposing judicial position ever created by any government. His fame great lawyer firmly established with those of the legal profession before he chosen be Senator from Louisiana at the age of 46. He had served in the Confederate Army and distinction as a student before his admission to the bar At the age of 49, while member of the United States Senate President Cleveland appointed him be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. The President had purposed to select New York for the position because the vacancy was made through the death of New Yorker-Justice Blatchford-ani Senator White nominated only after the Senate had refused to confirm the nominations of Judge Wheeler H. Peckham and William B. HornbIower, through the opposition of Senator Daxid B. Hill The nomina tion of Senator White immediately confirmed and he resigned from the Senate to go the bench Almost immediately he took high rank among the Justices aHis opinions regarded as sound and their scholarly dction and clarity attracted the at tention of the layity well those of the legal profession Upon the death of Chief Justice Melville w. Fuller in 1910 he was promoted to the Chief Justceship by President Taft, in which position he added to his laurels judge 1t was the first time in the history of the country when President named Chief Justice of, the Supreme Court from the op position political party Frequently Presidents have appointed Justices the opposing party and one Chief Justice, Salmon P. Chase, appointed by President Lincoln, changed from the Republican back to the Democratic Party after his elevation to the position, but Chief Justice White is entitled to the distinction of being the only case where President named Chief Justice from another party than the to which he belonged
 Chief Justice White served 27 years on the su- preme Court bench, sixteen years an Associate Justice and eleven as Chief Justice. He was the only Associate Justice to be promoted to the Chief Jus tceship. John Ruedge of South Carolina who served than hiofJ
 ciate Justice of the Supreme Court, of the frs: Court selected by President Washington but he re- signed in l79l, after serving two years. When the nrst Chiei Justice, John Jay, resigned in 1795 alter SIX years of service former Associate Justice Rutledge was appointed Chief Justice Chief Justice Rutledge quickly tired of service on the bench and for the second time resigned in less than year from the date of his appointment to be succeeded by Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut who after four years was succeeded by the great Chief Justice John Marshall. whom President John Adams appointed in 1900 From that time on no man ever resigned from the Chief Justiceship
 The average term of a Chief Justice of the United State Supreme Court has been little less than if teen years It has been twenty years if we except the three appointed by President Washington all of whom resigned
 The nine Chief Justices of the United States supreme Court constitute a chain of men which ranks With the greatest in history, They include John Jay or New York, appointed by Washington in 17s9. 1ohh hutiedge of South Carolina, appointed by Wash ington in 1795; Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut appointed by Washington in 1795 John Marshall ot virginia, appointed by Adams in 1900: Roger K Ianey, of Maryland. appointed by Jackson in 1S3s oaiihoh r. Chase, of Ohio, appointed by Lincoln in lS64i Morrison R. Waite, of Ohio, appointed by Grant III 1913; Melville w. Fuller of Illinois, appointed by Cleveland in 1888. and Edward D White an pointed by Taft in 1910
 All or them were great men and great lawyers Jay, Marshall, Fancy, Fuller and White achieved unusual distinction as lawyers and jurists d