▁Republican ▁pres idents . ▁He ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁and ▁received ▁commission ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁ ▁Clar ke ▁soon ▁v ind ic ated ▁their ▁hopes ▁in ▁him , ▁establish ing ▁himself ▁as ▁an ▁effective ▁judge . ▁Though ▁considered ▁too ▁formal ▁and ▁al o of ▁by ▁the ▁att or ne ys ▁before ▁him , ▁he ▁clean ed ▁up ▁the ▁back log ged ▁do cket ▁and ▁won ▁their ▁respect ▁for ▁his ▁ability . ▁His ▁work ▁was ▁of ▁the ▁highest ▁quality , ▁with ▁only ▁five ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 6 2 ▁su its ▁tried ▁before ▁him ▁revers ed , ▁and ▁none ▁of ▁these ▁for ▁errors ▁in ▁the ▁ad mission ▁of ▁evidence . ▁Clar ke ▁himself ▁enjoyed ▁his ▁time ▁at ▁the ▁district ▁level , ▁finding ▁his ▁duties ▁not ▁too ▁on er ous ▁and ▁the ▁variety ▁of ▁cases ▁before ▁him ▁stim ulating . ▁ ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁a ▁vac ancy ▁arose ▁on ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁when ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁Charles ▁Evans ▁Hugh es ▁res igned ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁Republican ▁nom ination ▁for ▁President . ▁Wilson ▁wanted ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁seat ▁by ▁appoint ing ▁his ▁Att orney ▁General , ▁Thomas ▁W . ▁Gregory , ▁but ▁Gregory ▁dem ur red ▁and ▁suggested ▁Clar ke ▁instead . ▁After ▁having ▁Newton ▁Baker ▁( Wil son ' s ▁Secretary ▁of ▁War ▁and ▁a ▁close ▁friend ▁of ▁Clar ke ' s ) ▁speak ▁with ▁Clar ke ▁to ▁confirm ▁his