Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-13
THE FIFTEEN PUZZLE.

THE LIST NARROWED DOWN TO FIFTEEN NAMES
FROM WHICH SELECTIONS ARE TO BE MADE
DEMOCRATS ON THE ANXIOUS BENCH.
Cabinet speculatlons have not been so rife for
the past day or two, though the subject is of as
much interest as ever. 1t is said that Mr.. Cleve
land has narrowed bis list to fifteen Names and
that he is now hard at work making his selec.
ton of seven from that number. The demo
Gratis generally express the hope that he will
decide upon his cabinet and announceit as soon
as he can conveniently do So They seem to
| think that the sooner the question of who is to
compose the cabinet is settled the better; that
an early announcement of the chosen ones will
give them opportunity to make such prepare
tiOnS they may deem necessary, and that it
will enable the rejected TO recover from their
disappointment by the time Mr.. Cleveland ar
appointments is quite certain. While here and
there whispers can be heard of what Mr.. Cleve-
land intends to do, and what he does not intend
to do, most of such talk is rank speculation. 1t
is known that during his recent stay in New
York city he talked quite confidentially with
upon him. But even to these he does not seem
TO have intimated any fixed purpose with re-
gard to the cabinet. AS Senator Lamar said to
STAR reporter the day after his return, " If
Mr.. Cleveland had determined upon anything
with regard to his cabinet he did not intimate
it to me- SO others who had confidential talks
with the President-elect have said. 1t is rea-
sonably certain that Mr.. Cleveland has caused
some prominent democratic leaders to visit and
the cabinet. He perhaps wanted an OppOrtu-
nifty to form his estimate of the men, and prob
ably to ascertain whether they would, if called
upon, serve in the cabinet. He first summoned
Senator Bayard and next Senator Garland, and
unless everybody is mistaken very promptly
decided that he wanted them in the cabinet
He has, it is believed, mentally weighed others
and sounded them, without, however, commit
ting himself
THE PROMPT DENIAL BY MR.. CLEVELAND
of a news dispatch stating that he had written
f,,N 1t
folio of the State department, is regarded as
significant. Among leading democrats 1t is not
construed as indicating that Mr.. Bayard is not
to have the State department if he wants it, but
rather as meaning that the President-eleCt OBJ
jects, for the present, to being put in the atti-
tude of having actually committed himself to
anybody. 1t is thought by leading democrats
who have had some means of forming an idea
of Mr.. Clevelands general plans, that he will
not make his cabinet piece-meal, but that he
will first determine upon the entire seven, and
communicate his wishes to all of them stimuli
taneousy; that upon hearing from them, and
when assured of their Willingness to serve, the
cabinet will be made public. In other words
that he will at single stroke conclude the bust
ness and not select one at a time and risk in
creasing the pressure for the remaining cabinet
places.
NAMES MENTIONED.
There is a feeling Of confidence among In
diana democrats that Mr.. Mcdonald will be in
the cabinet It has been stated that in the
course of his conferences with democrats in
his purpose at least his DESIRE as far as prac-
ticable, to honor with cabinet positions those
states which bore the brunt of the political
fight and which, by voting for the democratic
ticket, carried it through. AS Indiana held SO
conspicuous and important position in the
contest, and as the democrats of the
state unanimously present a man whose
qualifications and claims are admitted,
it is not deemed probable in the esti-
nation of Indanians that they can be left. Mr..
Cleveland is also quoted as having, in the
course of conversation aboubt democratic policy,
prospects, etc., referred to the northwest as
field offering great inducement for party mis-
sionary work. This, together. with the high
opinion he has expressed of Mr.. Villas, has led
to the prevailing impression that the latter will
be taken into the cabinet. But there are not
cabinet positions enough to give each of the
pivotal states OF the north q place, and then
give the south two, and the northwest on e., I'M
less Mr.. Bayard be left out. New York, New
Jersey and Connecticut present as strong
claims for consideration for what they did to-
wards electing a President as does Indiana.
This has given rise to the speculation that If
Mr.. Bayard goes into the cabinet the south will
only get one place.
AS to the fifteen names, over which Mr.. Cleve-
land is now puzzling his brain, it is merely q
matter Of speculation as to whose they are. The
general opinion is that Senators Bayard, Gar
land, Lamar, ex-senator Mcdonald Mr.. Villas,
Mr.. Barbour and others, who have been so re-
peatedly mentioned for the cabinet, are among
the number.