Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-09
PEPPER MEASURES UP TO
THE HIGHEST STANDARDS
And His Appointment to the Senate Is
One Of the Highest Political
ExpedIencv

4
~ the Governor appointed to the Senate
today, is the intellectual equal Of the ablest
Senator now in office. The present Sena-
tors may know more about the detail of
procedure in the making Of laws. but not
much. Mr.. Pepper can quickly master these
little matters and begin TO function as the
representative of the vast interests of this
state
He will enter the Senate with much of
the same kind of prestige that distinguished
Elihu Root when he took his seat In that
body. Mr. Root began at once to take an
active part in the business Of the Senate,
and no one had the audacity to insist that
he should sit silent until he had learned
from the lesser men what TO do and how
to do It.
Mr. Pepper is one Of the leading lawyers
of Pennsylvania as Mr.. Root was one of
the leading lawyers of New York. He has
national reputation won by distinguished
service at the bar, and by his able legal
writings that arc in the libraries Of every
up to date lawyer. lie was ono of the most
active members Of the Constitutional Com
mission appointed by Governor Sproul to
Of the State. For several years he wns a
lecturer in the Law School of the Univer-
sity of PENNSYLVANIA. And he is one of the
most prominent Episcopal laymcn in the
country. He has been a delegate TO the
general conventions Of that Church and has
taken an active part in their deliberations.
During the war he dcvotcd his time and
his energies to such work as a man of his
years and training could best do in order to
assist in organizing victory. This war scrv-
ice was but n manifestation of his public
spirit, for he has always believed that it is
the duty of n citizen to take an active part
in whatever is for the general good
Mr.. Pepper has not been n politician in
the narrow meaning Of tho term. That is.
he has not been n ward leader and he has
never sought to get control of handful Of
votes which he could "dclvcr' on election
day in fulfllmcnt of deal with other men
who controlled votes.
But in the broader sense he has always
been n politician. lIe has Interested him
self in the principles Of government and
In the policies Of the Republican Party.
While the Senate was considering the
active opponent of its ratification and was
one of the organizers of the League to Pre-
serve American Independence. lie debated
the issue with Senator Hitchcock in the
Metropolitan Opera House in this city and
with another Senator IN indianapolis.
Although his views on this subject were
contrary to those held by this newspaper
and by many other Republicans he had
right to them and to do his utmost to bring
about their adoption. lie did his own think
ing and reached his own conclusions This
is of tn" first Importance in man who Is
to hold public office.
When Mr.. Pepper takes his seat in Wash
ngton he will continue to think for him.
self and to exert himself TO persuade others
TO agree with him. His experience as a
lawyer has qualified him to state his case
with precision and to marshal his argu-
m"utS in the most convincing manner.
Take him all in all hc will be worthy
successor to tho most distinguished of the
mon who have represented this State in
Washington. The appointment is like
breath Of fresh air in crowded room.
From the point Of State politics it is the
wisest thing that could have been done. 1t
shows Governor Sproul las tho vision to
see what the State needs and the courage to
do the right thing. The standard set by
the appointment is 80 high that all talk OF
| lesser men for the Senate should soon cease
| Mr.. Pepper may carry no votes in his vest
| pocket as Representative Ware Processes to
! do, but where there is one man who would
| vote for Ware on his merits there are q