Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-18
FLOATING CABINET GOSSIP.
Interesting Specimens Of the Noble
Art of Guessing.
THE MATTHEWS succEssoRsHlP
Attorney General Miller Mentioned
to Fill the Vacancy on the SUI
preme Bench-General Angus
Talked of for Russia.
WASHINGTON BUREAU, THE OMAHA BRR, !
bl3 EOuRTFEyTH STREET.


5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET, \
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May IL. !
The air is filed with all sorts of rumors
about cabinet changes most Of which are
wild, very wild, and unreliable, out some Of
them are interesting. Your correspondent
will give some of the interesting gossip
afioat, but nothing is said upon the subject
involved by administration men. 1t is gen.
orally believed that Attorney General Miller
will be appointed justice of the supreme
court of the United States to NIL the vacancy
created by the death of Justice Matthews,
and that his preferment will take place in
September or the early part OF October. 1t
may be that Secretary Tracy, Of the navy
department. will succeed Mr.. Miller as at
torney general, and First Assistant Post
master General Clarkson will become secre
tary of the navy. General Tracy would pre-
fer the legal portfolio to that Of the navy.
MIR. Clarkson went into the postofiice
department believing that he would
finally become secretary of the in
terror or postmaster general by
the transfer Of Noble on the retirement OF
Mr.. Wanamaker, but the natural tastes and
training of General Tracy, and the fact that
Mr.. Noble is becoming popular as secretary
Of the interior, incline those connected most
closely with the administration to believe
that Mr.. Clarkson Is more likely to be secre-
tary of the navy than secretary of the inter-
lor This evenings star says: ''In judicial
and political circles it is contidentially stated
that the president will soon have to fill not
one, but two vacancies on tho supreme bench
OF the United States, the second one being
caused by the retirement of Justice Miller.
Who who fill the present empty chair, is still
matter for conjecture with all the probabili-
ties in favor of Attorney General Miller, but
as to the place occupied by Justice Miller, no
name has as yet been suggested to the presi-
asn @s George that N anS hs
sponsor was the justice himself At present
the Justice believes he will retire early in
December and he is really most anxious that
his friend, McCreary, should succeed him.
Thirty years ago, when Judge Miller was
practicing law in Keokuk, Ia, he took Nc
Creary into his Office and there laid the
foundation for the broad legal knowledge
which McCreary is now credited with hav-
ing in his possession. Mr.. McCreary is now
general counsel to the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe railroad.
APPOINTMENT DAYS.
AT the first or second business meeting of
President Harrison's cabinet it was determ.
ined that Tuesdays and Fridays should be
days in each week when general appoint
ments would be made. Exceptions to this
rule were made in isolated instances,
although it was very closely adhered to.
and the great bulk of appointments have
been announced or agreed upon Tor those
days. A new schedule has just been ar
ranged, which will undoubtedly be more sat
sfactory to the Office seeking masses, as it
gives one more day in the week to them.
Appointments for the department will be
agreed upon or made as follows: Mondays,
interior department; Tuesdays, postoffice;
Wednesdays, treasury. There are to be few
appointments made for the other five de-
partments and they have not been put on the
schedule for the filling of emergencies. This
schedule will, of course. be deviated from.
In some of the departments complaints are
heard that the failure to make changes in
the principal positions is having the effect of
clogglng business, as the officers who daily
expect to be relieved take no interest in the
business, and in many instances refuse to
take action.
CLARKsoN EXPLAINS.
Assistant Postmaster General Carkson
explained today how it was that changes in
fourth-class misunderstanding were not taking
place more rapidly at this time. 1t was do
termined some weeks aSo that the appoint.
ments should be confined to places filled by
the late administration during 1885, as long
as there were changes to make, except in
instances where changes were a necessity.
AS there are altogether 5000 fourth-class
postmasters it will be seen that several
weeks, probably several months would be
required to turn out the rabd democrats who
are inefficient, and put IN capable republi-
cans in this class, as it will be remembered
that Colonel Stevenson, the late first assis-
Iant postmaster-general, welded the axe
very recklessly during the first year he was
at the helm 1t will be midsummer before
the democrats appointed since 1885 will be
taken up seriatim. This will explain the
delay IN making changes in fourth-class
postmasterships demanded by prominent re-
publicans throughout the country.
RUsK'S HUMoR.
Secretary Rusk bids fair to prove one Of
the most popular members Of the admins
tratlon. His good sense and sturdy honesty
ofpurpose are supplemented by q keen sense
of humor that make hum most entertain
ing companion, and he receives more inyisa-
tions than any other public man in Washing
ton. The other day visitor at the agrlcul-
tural department gazing over the ample
grounds in which the buildings are located
turned to the secretary and remarked:
you've got the prettiest place In the
CITY,"
"Of course, why not2" was the prompt re-
ioinder. ''You know the secretary of agri-
culture is the tail end of the cabinet and the
tail is almost altogether ornamental. AS
with merry twinkle in his eye, sis to keep
the flies oil the other members OF the cabi-
net"
FOR MINISTER TO RUSSIA.
In administration circles to-day the name
of General Felix Agnus, proprietor OF the
Baltimore American, the leading southern
republican newspaper, was freely discussed
in connection with the Russian mission, to
succeed the late Allen Thorndyke Rice.
General AgLus was great soldier, is an
eminent editor and natural diplomat.
Maryland republicans have received no rec
ogntlon for places outside the state SO far
under this administration and the appoint
ment of General Agnus would be very graf
flying to them. General Agnus is native
of France and a warm personal friend Of
General Boulanger's. The red and white
wines which We're used at the Agnus banquet
Ralt m
sent as compliment by General Bou
langer, who is now an exile in London. The
Chablis came from General Boulanger's
private vault. PERRY S. HEATH.
Secretary Tracy Economizing.