The Carbon County news., 1930-02-06
FAILING HEALTH BRINGS TO
CLOSE PUBLIC CAREER OF
FORMER u. S. PRESIDENT
DECISION PRESENTED TO PRES.
HOOVER by SON OF JURIST:
SELECTION is SURPRISE

eu Charles Evans Hughes 10 succeed
him, according to an Associated Press
dispatch in the Great Falls Tribune.
Despite his failing health, the sud
den voluntary ending of the public
career of Mr.. Taft with its span of
40 years came as a public surprise,
but little more so than did the selee-
tion Of the former secretary of state
as his successor.
The resignation of the only man TO
be both president and chief justice
was presented to the president just
before noon by son, Robert A. Taft.
He had brought it. to. Washington
from Asheville, where Mr. Taft had
been resting for three weeks after a
recurrence of an old organic ailmenta
Accepting the resignation with re-
luetance, Mr., Hoover determined to
name a successor as speedily as. pos
sible so that there might be the min
imum delay in handling the business
of the court.
Hughes Accepts Office
He located Mr.. Hughes in New
York by long distance telephone. of
fered him the post, and there was a
prompt acceptance.
The nomination Immediately was
prepared and transmitted to the SEN
ate soon after a p. m. Prompt con-
firmation is looked for with the ex-
pectation that Mr.. Hughes will take
his place as chief justice within the
very near future.
From the moment of the announce
ment of the resignation of Mr.. Taft
until the nomination of Mr.. Hughes
was sent to the senate, the belief had
been fairly general in both official
and supreme court circles that Assoc
late Justice Harlon Fiske would be
elevated to the highest judicial post
IN the country.
By speedily filing the post, the
chief executive cut short speculation
as to Mr.. Taft's probable successor.
Hughes and Stone already were be-
ing mentioned prominently, as well
rs former President Coolidge ami
Senator Borah of Idaho.
Will Create Another Vacancy
Appointment of Mr., Hughes as
chief justice vii create another va
cancy in the federal service. His son,
Charles Evans Hughes, Jr., will re-
sign as solicitor general of the Unit
ed States, since this official argues
the more important cases for the
government before the supreme
court.
In New York Mr.. Hughes said he
would accept the nomination to be
chief justice. He said he would re-
sign as a justice of the permanent
court of international arbitration.
Weighted alike by serious Illness
and his rs years of age, William
Howard Taft was returned to Wash
ington Monday night from Asheville,
his physicians having decided that it
would be safer to get him back to
Washington,
Mr.. Taft is 'very weak and is not
improving, said DR.. Francis Hagner
Of this city, at Asheville Monday,
"and as he is not improving we feel
that it would be safer to get him back
to Washington"
On Doctors Advice
The physician explained that the
former president had decided to re-
sign as chief justice because we
feel it would be safer for him to do
So" Friends of Mr.. Taft said that
worries of the court were on the
mind of the aged jurist and it was
thought best to relieve him of those
as quickly as might be.
Although apparently very i'll, Mr..
Taft was able to walk from his auto
mobile to the Pullman car on which
he is coming home. He was assisted,
however, by his physician and a
nurse. He took hold of the railing
and pulled himself up the steps, but
it was plain that it was a great eff
fort for him to do so:
The resignation of Mr.. Taft was
prepared at Asheville by the chief
justice himself during the past few
days and is comparatively brief,
legalistic document. He quoted the
law governing the retirement of fed
eral judges and pointed out that his
combined service as circuit judge and
chief justice brought him within the
act.
There was some question among
certain senators as to whether such
was the case, but at the White House
it was tsated that Mr.. Taft auto
matieally went to the judicial retired
list with the acceptance of his resign
alton by the president.