The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-07
Who Will be Secretary Of the Treasury
From the NJ Y World.

Who Will be Secretary Of the Treasury!
From the ~. Y. World.
Altogether the most important officer Gene
raj Grant is called to appoint is the head of
the Treasury Department. 1t is unfortunate
for the country, and bad Drognostic of the
success of the new administration, that there
is in the Republican party such dearth of
timber for the construction Of this part of the
Cabinet. When Mr.. Lincoln was first elected,
eight years ago, he spent the whole winter in
balancing between Mr.. Chase and Mr. Cameron,
giving the Office at last to the former in conse-
quence of representations unfavorable to Mr..
Cameron's integrity, but compensating him
by the Department of War, not then deemed
SO important as it really became, because Mr..
Lincoln had no serious expectation of great
war. The fact that those two gentlemen had
no competitors was an acknowledgment that
the Republican party contained, at that time,
DO others who had any tolerable fitness for the
position.
That no considerable financial talents were
developed in the Republican party during
Mr.. Lincoln's administration is conspicuously
proved by his selection of successors to Mr..
Chase. Mr.. Fessenden was, by the common
consent of both parties, regarded as the fttest
man for tine post, and his reluctance to accept
it was overcome by the urgency of a favorable
public opinion. 1t would have been better for
his reputation If he had not yielded. An up
right man, clear and cogent debater, con-
versant with fiscal questions as the head of
the Finance Committee of the Senate, he never
theless proved to be a feeble Secretary of the
Treasury. Mr.. Fessenden has respectable
talents, but they are not of the administrative
order. Nor has he any originality of conception.
He neither kept the business of his depart
ment well in hand, nor made any valuable
recommendations to Congress. When Mr..
Fessenden retired, on the plea of ill health,
the lack of financial talent in the Republican
party was still more signally illustrated by
! the promotion of a chief of a bureau to the
head of the department. Mr.. McCullech's
administration of the finances has satisfied
nobody; nor ought much to have been OK
pected from it. He was respectable enough
Western banker but the duties of bank
president are SO entirely different both in
their nature and their scope, from those of a
Secretary of the Treasury, that qualifications
for the one are really no preparation for the
other. Besides, 1t was a mistake to put at
the head of that important department a
mere financial specialist, even if his spe-
cialty had been of the right kind,
instead of a statesman of experience and re-
oognized weight. The Office, in competent
hands, is one of great political influence. If
the tools are given to one that can handle
them, this political influence can be turned
to good purpose in securing such legislation
as a sagaciOus head of the department may
Judge necessary. The position requires some
thing very superior to mere clerk or passive
administrator. In England, the Prime Minister,
who is the chief director OF the administration,
is the First Lord of the Treasury. In the
House of Commons, the Chancellor Of the Ex-
chequer is generally the most important and
conspicuous member on the Government side
British experience is in favor of putting fiscal
affairs under the control of statesmen of CON-
mandiDg influence in the general politics Ol
the country.
The straits to which Mr., Lincoln was put