New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-07
NETWORK APPOINTMENTS.
RUMoRs CURRENT IN WASHINGTON.
TIE VISITING STATESMEN CONFIDENT THAT THERE
WILL BE IMPORTANT CHANGEs-THE PRESIDENT
KEEPS HIS OWN COUNSEL
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRI

chrome condition OF the washington atmosphere
ever since General Arthur became President. but
Just now here is lveier expectation on the part
of the visiting statesmen" from New-York,
which seems to betoken that there is something
in the wind" this time besides rumors. Even now,
however the stories are very conflicting showing
that as usual the President is cOnidlng the know-
edge of bic Intentions if he has any, TO q very few
persons and by no means including all his Cabinet
among the number.
Colonel George Bliss who lives in tho same house
with Secretary Folger aud is supposed to be on
terms of intimacy with the President, said day or
two ago that the word Collector had not been
spoken between himself and any member OF tho
Administration in many MONTHS and he assumed
as he had done for a long time, that Judge
Robertson would be allowed to finish his termr
On the other hand. number of careful observers
here are convinced that he President is anxious TO
appoint Mr.. Cooper, though he is not sure yet that
he can afford to do it,. They 10 doubt, base their
conclusions largely the talk of the statesmen"
as Colonel Bliss calls them, who are liable TO be
mistaken. But their talk never so confident
If they know what the Presidents plans
are he intends to use the Civil Service knife TO cut
the throats of his party opponents Mr. Cooper Is
TO be nominated according to these prophets, on
the ground that the business interests demand the
appointment of one of their own represent
atives in the place of Collector who will
bring to the reformation of Custom House
methods n practical business experience. 1t
will be shown that large numbers of merchants
have signed petitions asking for the change and
this will be held to be good Civil Service Reform
ground for the removal Of Judge Robertson.
New-Yorker said to-day THE business com
munty Of New-YorS would not regard Mr. Cooper
as n representative merchant, the sense that they
would regard Mr.. Clalin, or some such
man as representative merchant.
1t would be absurd TO say
such a thing. Mr.. Cooper has had excellent bust
ness success first as the agent of several interests
aud corporations IN New-York City, and for the
last seven or eight years as merchant on his own
account but ms whole business career in the city
does not exceed fifteen years think. and he is not
and has not been what would be considered prom
inent merchant. He is good follow and Is an
intimate friend of the President Itistrue that he has
secured probably largcnumber Of signatures to the
petition for this appointment. but every one
knows how these are obtained. Business men would
not like to refuse such request from friend. and
they have probably signed, many OF them, without
taking into consideration the questions involved in
the removal of Judge Robertson"
II is thought by some that one Of the Presidents
reasons for moving slowly in the matter is
doubt whether the Senate would vote 10
confirm a nomination for Judge Robertson's place
1t would undoubtedly be resisted by all the Seua-
tors who had by the close of the last session been
forced almost into a party of opposition by the
policy Of the President, and it woul be strange If
they wcrc not Joined by others. There
IL no proof that the Senate has been
sounded on this subject, but it has been talked
of among the Senators themselves. and more than
one Democrat has said that he would not be party
to any such act unless much better reason could
be given thau any he had seen suggested in the
newspapers With regard to the other offices there
Is quite as much talk. Dewitt G. Wheeler the
noisiest Of the Visiting statesmen" says there
Is TO be a movement all along the line"
Hug Hastings. who everybody knows is n real
state sman and who dined last night with the Presi
dent. says The changes are not coming right
away, hut It won't be many days"
Mr. Hastings wanted TO have it understood, by
tho way. that Inc was not in Washington about the
New.York Offices Ilo was not worrying himself
about them IA the least lie came down to see If he
| could get the state Department TO transfer
| friend who had a slckly consulate. Ex-senator
| Rockwell is here, but says htte, which is partly
uerhaps because he u mentioned is candidate for
one OF the placcs 90 fall vacant IN tebruary-te Ma
val Once or the Survcyorsmp. Men who predicted
year ago that Mr.. Burt would be reappolntcd be-
| cause he was tho one oiice-hplder IN
| the United States who sincerely believed In
Clyll Service reform sav now that he VIII be
! ,In,ycd T. 60 ont In February, and intimate that
his recent Civil Service record IS Inconsistent with
bs prof ssons Iherci is no such stcrnly consistent
| Civil Service Reforner nowadays aSyour dyed-in;
| the wool Stawirt Silas Dutcher is also mentioned
| in connection with ono OF tneso places.
| Tho talk about The change in the Dstrct-Attor-
neyship il more definite than about any OF the other
| Offices Here again the President seems 10 be
| kerpna his own counsel. II Mr. WOodtord is
removed 10 will doubtless ho on foreground Of nsub-
| orInnton ana insulencc to his chief but friend
| a. a.. 4 "
before he left tho city f0w days ago, says he had
| evidently no idea OF making any effort TO remove
Woodiord or any expectation that lie would be re-
moved. IIo said he thought NOOdi0d hal heen
| impudeut to him. and he had deemed II lis duty to
ray 20. but he had no ihnnght b1y ond thAt, ifenu
! OF tho President said to-day, however that TINS
| wound make no differences. lhis was n matter
! about which tho President would do his own
| thinking and Ing own acting. rms gentleman
| Thought WOodford's removal probable and the APP
| pointment OF Robert Sewall possible.
| Mike ,'regan, who came down here to express
his astonishment at the nomination of Ketchum AT
fer All the New York distrot associations had pro-
| tested against it, and had asked for Lvieckers ap
Icaniun aganst the counter of Wizards Hotel, that
| he made Arthur" who wouldn't have boon nOm-
| ma ted for Vice President without bis aid lt lB
| fact of some interest that ketchum came very near
| an ammo ntment 10y Hayes instead of Howard.
There had been talk of appointing Howard but some
of the Treasury agents protested, on the ground That
| be was not competent and tho nomination OF
Ketcium was made out IN the treasury, February
| q 1880 and sent over to the White House' But u
never got any further its way to the Senate lt
| was cancelled and the next day How ards nomina-
| ton was made out go mn -
| " r. Kissollbmgh managing editor of Tho Troy
Times is here and Il understood to be pressing the
oonlrmation iOf Starbnck. whose nomination for
Steamboat Inspector n place OF Tower still IN the
| Commerce Committee.
SECRETARY FOLGER AND MIR. HOWARD.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO- THE TRIBUNE.l
WAsTuNGToN, Jan. 0.-Secretary Folger read APP
praiser Howard's letter in to-days TRIBUNE and
| said with smile: " II doesn't matter The material
part of his charge that was trying to put
rnlnt 1un intn the Cnstom unnse over the Civil Ser