Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-28

y
but one place open for New York, and that he
would appoint any man they could agree upon.
but that he would not take sides in a fight.
they must harmonic or go unrepresented in
the cabinet At the dinner last night it is I'M
derstood that they agreed to vote as q unit for
the Speaker of the House-not naming any
one yet-but they
COULD NOT HARMoNIZE ON THE CABINET
They were at it nearly all night, to no pur-
pose. The only thing that seemed to be GER
i-taln in their case was that Plat had been
knocked OUT and that they cannot get the
Treasury department. They are still hanging
on to what is open for them but it is under
stood that they must decide to-day. They may
nave the Navy department if they can agree.
Many rumors were in the air about the hotel
lobby. Anything could be heard, from the re-
port that the whole cabinet had been mashed
up to the statement that the matter was def
nlteiy settled before Gen. Harrison left In
dianapolis, and that no changes could be made.
Ex-sEcRETARY WINDOW SAYS HE HAS IT.
Ex-Secretary Window himself is authority
for the statement that he has accepted the Sec
retaryship of Treasury and is looking for a
house in Washington to lease for four years.
This takes that place out of the field of
speculation. The State department and
the Treasury department are certainly
nlied. Grave suspicious are now being cast
upon Mr.. Rusk's prospects. 1t is
IcPoItc tO-udy tIat Ills name mas Deen taken
off the slate for Secretary of War. The pos
sibility is held open though, that he may be
chosen for the head of the Department of Agri-
culture This leaves the War and Navy the
places most in doubt, and it is said that between
them New York may select cabinet minister if
harmonious.
THE FIXED STARS.
Blaine, Window, Miller, of Indiana, Wanna
maker, and Noble are still spoken of as fixed,
though there is an occasional threatening whis-
per about Wanamaker. With a prospect that
New York will not agree on a man. Thomas
stands as possibility, if not better than that
Simon Cameron and George w. Childs are
pressing him for the navy, and Childs arrived
at the Arlington this morning. Proctor. of
Vermont, who is now here and has seen Gen.
Harrison two or three times, is spoken of very
prominently as Secretary of War.
THE PREs1DEST-ELEcr's CALLERS.
Thus far most of the calls on the President
elect have been merely calls of courtesy. the
more serious matters being reserved for an OPP
perfume moment. The conferences that have
been important have been held by appoint
ment at times when visitors were not dropping
in at every moment. The Illinois delegation,
senators and members Of the present
House, and those elected to the
next called together early this morning and
remained but a short while. They were fol-
lowed by the Wisconsin delegation, who were
introduced by Senator Sawyer. There were a
great mady unimportant callers, some of whom
were seen, while others merely left their cards.
Representative Mckinley called, remaining only
FIVE minutes. Governor Atwood, who attended
the inauguration of William Henry Harrison,
was one of the callers seen by Gen. Harrison.
Representative W. w. Phelps ex-senator
Bruce, Senator's Stockbridge, Platt Farwell and
Representative Hosmer made brief calls Justice
Harlan called on Mrs. Harrison. Mr. and Mrs.
S. B. Elkins paid their respects to Mr. Harrison.
Mr.. Elkins had already called alone on Gen.
Harrison. Ex-senator Platt's friends, McDugall
and Knapp, called again during the morning.
Suddenly, at shortly before IL O'clock all visitors
were refused admittance to the presence of Gen.
Harrison, and it was announced that he was busy
with parties with whom he had an appointment
Ex-Secretary Boutwell, and ex-Secretary Me-
Culloch called after that hour, but were told
| that the President-elect was engaged. Several
members of Congress were refused admission
in the same way. There was considerable
MYSTERY ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THE con-
FERENCE
being held in the rooms above, and there
was no one who would disclose the names
of those participating in it. Colonel Dins-
more kept guard at the foot of the steps,
and all callers were invited into Mr..
Halford's room. 1t was said that New York
men, who called before the doors were closed.
waited until other callers got through. and
from this started the report that the conference
was upon the New York question. This idea was
strengthened by the fact that when vice-presi-
dent Morton and Mr.. Woodruff called about
1890 they were permitted to enter. When they
| called the stairway was momentariiy unguarded
and they walked right up.
A messenger was sent after them at once and
caught up with them before they had reached
the door of the room, but it was all right and
they were admitted. 1t was impossible to learn
who else were present. About l O'Clock
General Harrison himself came down
and went off for walk alone.
While he was absent Mr.. Elkins came along with
Mr.. Blaine and entered the johnson Annex.
Mr.. Blaine continuing in his walk. Before this
Mr.. Elkins and Col Fassett had had long con-
ference.
WHISPERED CONSULTATIONS
There is a great deal of mystery and lack of
information about the hotel lobby. Whispered
consultations are being held here and there,
and there is much activity on the part of every
body, but under it all is seen the fact that GEN.
Harrison is not talking much with those who
| go to make cabinet suggestions.
| He is retaining his listening habits. He takes
no more people in his confidence than neces-
sary. 1t is most probable that he has O man
| for every place in the cabinet, some of them
filed and certain others that may be laid aside
at any time convenience demands it. There
are two or three places in which changes will
| be made if some other men appear with
stronger claims for them than those of the men
conditionslly chosen.
Everything appears to turn on the New York
| fight. II New York is not to have a portfolio
the cabinet may already be made up as it is Ia
| stand
PRIVATE SECRETARY HALFoRD
was busy all day with correspondence, and al
the hour fixed for seeing newspaper men he
had a little informal reception. Without
| affectation he seems bent only on
! being polite and agreeable to the newspaper
| men, even il he has not much to tell them He
| seems to be pleasant, amicable fellow, with q
shrewdness that is not kept out side" He
explained to-day that he did not want to seclude
himself from newspaper men except al
certain appointed times, but that he was al
ways ready to see them when they had any
thing to ask. The fixing of an hour to receive
them, ne said, was for general convenience,
but that there would be no iron-bound rule
about it.
WILL THERE BE ANY sHIrTrNa2
There seems to be good ground for the pre-
vailing belief that strong efforts have been
made since the arrival Of the President-elect
in Washington to induce him to shift about
his cabinet certainties so as to
settle the New York complications
Empire state. 1t is said that Senator Quay g
day afternoon he suggested to Mr.. Harrison
that Mr.. Wanamaker, who was . fixture in the
Post-0fice Department, be given the Interior
Department, and that Mr.. Plat be decided
upon for the Post-O Office department. This would
enable him TO give the Navy department to War
ner Miller. Mr.. Harrison, 30 the story goes, OBJ
jected to this plan for three reasonsi FIRST, be-