New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-21

ktow White Became a Justice
Little has been said about the GU
rious political impasse which made
possible Justice Whites appointment
to the Supreme Court. Mr.. White
was elected United States Senator
from Louisiana, to succeed James B.
Eustis, and took his seat on March
d, 1891. He soon won his way to the
front on the Democratic side as a
forceful speaker and man Of posi-
tive opinions and high character.
President Cleveland's second term
began ON March 4, 1893. There was
an extra session to force through q
repeal of the silver purchase clauses
OF the Sherman act of 1890. AT the
regular session the Democratic ma
jority in Congress proceeded to re-
peal the Mckinley tariff law and SUBJ
stitute the Wilson tariff law. The
Mckinley tariff law had abolished the
duty on sugar and granted subsidy
to domestic producers. The Demo-
Gratis in the House, under William L.
Wilson'S leadership, struck off the
bounty, but refused to restore a
duty,
Senator White therefore became
allied with the Gorman-Brice group
in the Senate, who opposed the Will
son bill and sought to reimpose
duties on sugar, coal, iron ore and
other products, which the House had
put on the free list. His standing at
home and in the Senate made it diff
ficult to sustain against him the
charges of party disloyalty and per-
sonal intrigue which the Democratic
radicals were bringing against Cor
man, Brice and the others--often re-
ferred to as "the Senators from
Havemeyer." So far as Louisiana
was concerned, ex-Secretary Whit
ney, who conducted Mr.. Cleveland's
third campaign, had promised Sena-
tor Gibson prior to the 1892 election
that if Mr.. Cleveland were elected
the Louisiana sugar interests would
be taken care of.
David B. Hill and Edward Muir
ply jr. were the Senators from New
York. They were anti Cleveland
and co0perated with German. Asso-
ciate Justice Samuel Blatchford had
died in July, 1898. Mr.. Cleveland
was anxious to have a New Yorker
fill the vacant seat. He first nom
mated William B. Hornblower. But
Hornblower was Hills political and
personal enemy. The Senate Judi
ciary Committee sustained Hill when
the latter vetoed confirmation. Then
Mr.. Cleveland sent in the name of
Wheeler II. Peckham. He was
equally obnoxious to Hill, and the
Senate was equally unwilling to con-
| firm him. The deadlock over these
nominations lasted many weeks and
stirred up violent fractional ami
mosities.
Mr.. Cleveland saw that he was
beaten and decided to retreat. He
sought, however, to weaken the Sem
ate opposition to the Wilson tariff
bill by ending the judicial contro-
versy and at the same time by trans
ferring to another sphere one of thc
most commanding figures in the anti
Wilson bill group. The Louisiana
Senator was summoned to the White
House. He is said to have remarked
at the time that it would probably
be his last visit there during the
Cleveland Administration. To his
utter establishment Mr.. Cleveland
offered him the associate justiceship.
Mr.. White was confirmed at once
and resigned. His place was taken
by Newton c. Blanchard, who con-
tinued to act with the German "re-
visionists." But Mr.. White through
his assumption of the judicial robes
at least escaped the bombastic vi
tuperation Of the Presidents subse-
quent letter to Representative Catch
ings. Presumably he was not in
tended to be included among the
malefactors who, as the President
lamented, had "blasted the councils
Of the brave in their hour of might"
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