National Republican., 1881-12-03
SENATOR j. P. JONES.
A TALK ON IMPORTANT MATTERS.
President Arthur and Sialuartism-C Cabinet Specu.
lations, with Slde-Notes on Bx.Senstors
Conklng aud Sargent-No Change
in Onices on the Coast.

A CAL reporter, who called upon Sena-
tor Jones, at the Palace. last evening, found the
Senator in his usual nfIable mood, and disposed to
talk freely upon national politics and matters Of
public interest generally.
Senator" said the newspaper man, plungingin
boldly and striking out wildly, not certain what
landing he might make Senator, we are anxious
to learn your views on administration topics gem
orally, aud more especially touching what Presi-
dent Arthur intends doing in the matter of Fed
eral appointments upon this coasL"
well" answered the Senator, "I cannot speak
authoritatively concerning the subject, but from
my conversation with General Arthur am led 10
believe that no changes are contemplated In the
Offices upon this coast Certain II is that the del
egation from this coast have not been apprised of
any intended changes, and they are 1t is fair to
suppose as friendly to the present incumbents as
at any time during the late Presidents incum-
bency."
EIE REPORTED REVENUE CHANGES.
"Then there is no truth In the report that GER
tain officials in the Revenue Department have
made themselves obnoxious to the administration
and are In danger Of being removedg'
81 do not know Of anything Of the kind. Mr.
Arthur is much too broad man to nllow personal
likes and dislikes 20 stand in the way Of public
polity, even should he entertain such feelings,
which do not think he does"
"Wcll to go further away from home-if II Is
not too abrupt-whnt chance Is there of the Presi
dent ANNOUNCING his Cabinet before the meeting
"Oh,, replied the Senator, "there is not the
least likelihood that any nominations will be
| made before Congress meets, which Is on the 9th
| of December-thc first Monday, you know"
ut has been generally understood that the pres.
| ent advisers of the President are moro than anx.
ious to be relieved from Official cares, notably
"Thnt is about right Macveagh. however, the
President strongly urged to retain office until after
| the star-Touto suits hnd been disposed Of"
"But the Government has been thrown out of
court in those eases Senator, and that relieves the
| Attorney General"
| "Oh, no; not at ALL | do not understand Il that
way. The proceedings were irregular, and others,
have no doubt, will be Instituted against Brady
"Who win succeed Blaine to the Secretary of
States pOrtiOlioY
| "Freiinghuysen is very generally acknowl-
| edged to be the next Secretary of State"
OF coNKLING.
"And Conkling?'
ais acknowledged even by his enemies to be
man of great purity of character, aud 1t Is by no
means without the range of possibilities that he
may be identified with the administration in an
=" but is not Gonlling politically dead in New
York?'
"Not by any means. How so2"
| did not the late State election in New York
| demonstrate the fact that Conklingism was
al do not construe it So" answered the Senator.
Conkling did not enter the fight personally. He
has still a strong hold upon state and National
| politics."
w ncn making MS CaDlnet Slate, VIII the PrCSi-
dent recognize the Pacific coast2 And Il so. is
there any foundation TO the report thatex-Scnator
Sargent viii have po tfolio?"
president Arthur Is n broadly national man,
| and ut the same time know that he has great
admiration for the people of the Pacific coast, for
thgir, pluck and energy aud loyal qualities, and
that he would not entirely scout the idea. Asto the
| probability of Sargent being rendered a Cabinet
position, can't say, but do know that the presi-
dent has very high regard for Senator sargenrs
at has been announced that the President will
not recognize this coast In his Cabinet appoint
| mens, because the complexion of our delegation
is so nearly evenly divided:'
"There is nothing at all In that, assure you
| Mr.. Arthur will weigh the Importance of the Sec
tlon, and give little consideration to the vote Of
."What chance has Gorbam for the secretaryship
" His chances are as good now as ever He Is the
caucus nomnee. Of the Republican wing, and
"S e %gga qEqn G SSS 5sGs!Se
OF cons--; cannot he prophesled, but il looks nov
as If Gorham was ahead decidedly"
| THE PANAMA CANAL.
There Is one more topic of special interest to
the reporter, and that is the Presidents feelings
on the Panama Canal question, and whether he
Is IN accord with Secretary plaines note to the
| Powers asserting the Monroe Doctrine"
| Now you arc asking me something Iabout
which nm in total ignorance" was the reply,
for really never had conversation with Geli-
eral Arthur upon that subject, and II IS pretty
| hard to adequately comprehend lust what Tho
Monroe Doctrine is; but can say this Mr. Arthur
| mean, however, IN Know Nothing sense for the
President is one OF the most liberal men with
| whom 1t has been my fortune to come in coninct
But as TO his views upon the canal scheme, am
| views on the subject"
Have not Afthur's frmness of character and
reticence been great surprise even TO his friends
and certainly to the country at large|
Inc senator unused for moment, and then an
swered slowly: "Those of his intimate acauaint.
anccs have most assurcdly not been surprised T.
occupying the position that have among Mr. Ar,
thurs friends, have not been so situated Ms IN
judge perhaps, correctly of the public sentiment
IN that regard Ii the people have supposed Mr..
Arthur weak man they have most outrageously
Is one Of the most astute politicians in the country
ina higher sense too. For years he has oCcu-
county 81 of New 9or * h9 sGG and
He has virtually controlled New York city Repub.
liean politics. lie Is polished gentleman,
scholar, Well read and man of great experience.
Why, then, should he be other than what he Is.
and WHY should his course be surprise to the
"Well, in point of reticencc. keeping his own
counsel how does the President compare with
other Presdents-Grant and Garfield ~
lie is the most reicent man, by far, speaking of
announcing his determinations in advance, that
mas ever occupied the presidential chair More so
even i thGn Grant, who while he said little would
talk to his friends Arthur Is conyersatlonalst,
but he keeps his own counsel. You spoke of Gar.
field being rciicent do not consider him to have
been reticent man. His Cabinet was known be-
fore Its public announcement. No; Arthur Is a
remarkGble man In this particular, and in Others.
lon spoke awhile ago Of Arthurs course being
surprise, ana of his development of character
being unexpected. tell you that those who
voted for Arthur In the nominating convention
were well acquainted with him. He had many
more votes, properly, than Garfield. He was not
an unknown man by any means"
what nre President Arthur's ideas on the two
term question: The Sun. believe, makes snr-
that connection"
Arthur has not got along far enough I'm his term
10 begin to think SpriOIiSlV a thar I np
do not think he has ever made public nyowal
ON that subject He would not ! take IT, disregard
has never committed himself / have never
spoken with him on that subject"
sTALwARTIsM
"Now, fit Is q fair question to ask strong nd
minlstIhlon man, senator, may nsk what inlu-
ence Stalwartism will have upon the policy of
the administration and upon tho selection of the
Presidents advisors? Or, in other words, will Ar
thur be controlled by COnkling, Grant, and their
colleagues, rather than by a broad national pol.
icSWw SWwoun 90 ann, ,nO sono,o, .. 10 o,.o.,., -,
above Opaque interrogatory, "well, | can't say
that quite grasp YOU, idea. / don't like those
words stalwart and Half. Breed If you mean
by Stalwarts' that branch of the Republican
party that goes before the people at the primaries
and takes al the risks, and then, having secured
the nominations, insists that the party Organization
shall stand by them; and by Half-Breeds those
fellows who take no risks. but who, after the party
nominations arc made, bolt and cry 'Machinep
and NJ once start up machine Of their own, un-
dersiand you. Now unquesti0nably, Mr.. Arthur
isin close friendship with Grant and Conkling
and other loyal leaders of the Republican party,
Arthur Is Intensely Republican, but will not al.
10y sectional Or petty partsanship to sway him.
When Garfield reOrganizcd the Blaine wing of the
Republican party and selected him as his secre.
tary, OF state neither Mr.. Arthur nor Mr.
Conkling objected, Indeed the other
wing recognized 1t as eminently proper.
That the wishes of the representatives
of the people in amy section should be consulted,
Is the very principle that Conkling aud Plat con-
tended for, md that Arthur indOrsed. Because
NJ BlHineof Maine, or Mr. Hoar Of Massachusetts, or
Mr. Harrison of Indiana, are not in accord wltithe