St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-19
ABLE APPOINTME MENTS.
Malcolm Hay, a Leading Pittsburg
Lawyer. to be the First Assistant
Postmaster General.
Ex-Congressman Durham of Kentucky
First Comptroller of the Treasury
Montgomery Of Michigan
The New Commissioner of Patents-All Selec
tions Made on Their Capacity and Fit
ness for the Positions.
Twenty-four Years of Republican Bookkeep-
ing in the Navy to be Investigated by
an Expert.
Special to the Globe

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, March 1S.-The important
appointments made by the president to-day
were Malcolm Hay of Pennsylvania to be
first assistant postmaster general; Milton j.
Durham of Kentucky to be the first comptrol-
Ter of the treasury, and Martin V. MOntgom-
cry OF Michigan to be commissioner OF
patents. Neither of the lucky appointees ap-
peared on the ground in person to push their
claims. This goes to show that delegations
with brass bands make but little impression
upon the president.
Malcolm Hay, who viii have the disposi-
ton of $4,000 or more postoffices, lives at
Pittsburg, where he is a leading lawyer.
He has been prominent in the Demo
cratic politics OF his state for a
number of years. He was chairman of the
Pennsylvania delegation at Chicago. He
served upon the committee on resolutions
and platform and was made
ACTING CHAIRMAN
because the committee was dead-locked for
twenty or more ballots in the race for the
craftsmanship, led by Converse of Ohio,
representing the protectionists, and Morri-
man was elected, although Morrison was
allowed to report the platform and Converse
assigned to defend it. Mr.. Hay is protee
ton Democrat of the Randall school, by
whom he was urged. He is a middle aged
man of slender build, with a massive
head, covered with heavy growth of iron
gray hair. AS 4 politician he has rare tact
and judgment
Milton J. Durham Of Kentucky, who sue
cecds ex-Congressman William Lawrence
d Ohio as
FIRST CONTROLLER OF THE TREASURY,
served with distinction in the Forty-third,
Forty-fourth aud Forty-ffth congresses.
Previous to his congressional term he had
been judge of the Eighth judicial circuit of
Kentucky. In the Forty-fourth congress he
was a member of the com mittee on ap-
preparations. He is a firm friend of
Mr.. Randall In the struggle for
the speakcrship in the Forty-ifth con-
gress between Randall and Blackburn
Durham was the only member Of the Ken
lucky delegation who supported Randall, all
others voting for Blackburn. 1t is coinci-
dence that Durham comes from Pill Thomp
sons district, who was defeated for the COM
missiouership of internal revenue. Thomp-
son was Durham's successor in congress,
and Durham was his competitor for the nom
ination TO the Forty congress. But
little is known mere of the new com missioner
Of patents.
THE SCRAMBLE
for this Office was animated, and in the list
Of applicants were lot of ex-members Of
congress. Montgomery, the appointed has
been selected undoubtedly because of his
practical experience covering the intricate
matters involved in patent laws. These
nominations are a good straw as going to
show that the president is inclined to recog-
nize his friends who secured his nomination
at Chicago. Hay was an active ally for
Cleveland after Randall was out of the way,
and it was through MS influence the delega-
ton wheeled into almost solid line in Cleve-
lands support.