The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-24
9 Senator Teller Came to Be
Il Arthur's Cabinet.
1ILllonAlRE HILLS HATRED.


IA ~ TkA0 yO0D3 0U Ertc. GcuatSI \ 6kieE -
q ~ most remarkable men in this
<Sum11Y. He Il the son Of 3 farmer in
1mf>rn New York and he has the blue
f1ood of the Knickerbockers I'm his veins.
I HI ancestors came to this country from
1lInnd IN 1855, and the present generation
2 ~ II lIrct that has not been able to speak
- Dutch language. His father was in
f1inArIIy good circumstances and young
E 1|S1I6r rot good education, studied law
! "a mint ~ stage to Denver in 1853. Central
8 11I6 Ms then great mining town. and
IS1lx moved here and practsced law. He
y ~ 81 the brightest lawyers in Colorado,
n IL has made several fortunes in his
r1otfca He has lost as well as made, and
Is = now comparatively poor man. He
] 1T ~ law Office in 1876 TO be one of Colo
nfoS ffst senator's. and he left the Senate
k ~ cabinet In 1882 When Teller was
uGto1 the millionaire N. p. Hill was also
~ ~ senate, and the two did not get along
NJ together. Hill was jealous Of Teller,
I'D he was 20 angry with President Arthur
Wfou To11ef WAS made secretary of the in
oekoe that be became Arthur's enemy as
3 ~ = ho dared TO be. He never got over
he disgust at Teller's appoin tment, and he
y now opposing Teiler's election to the
The story Of Senator TeIler's appoint
S 1nont - one Of President Arthur's cabinet
Y ministers has never been published, and
70 insde history Of it was known only to
kkoD or four statesmen. These were the
1Gfdent himseIf, Senator Teller. John A.
o4nn and DON Cameron. Now Arthur is
8 nod, Iog4n Is dead, and Senator Teller,
s ny rcq9est, gives the story through me
~sr1fIfo hn - f3>o ~.f~
B Eood ppoh him. had chat with him
nrdtne + the other night. Said he: ct
not ths slightest desire for the posi-
II, and Il was ten days after the place
~ cfEered to me that consented to &C
= 1k and could not we'll afford the ex-
G1oe q 8 cabinet minister. Ny wife
not want me to take it,
nd refused to accept it
- long 40 dared. Ex-Sen-
~ Chaf3ee was . candidate for. the
80, end 20 wa Senator Logan. Don
1meron and myself we're pushing him for
One Monday morning ! was called out
n he senate by the presidents private
uotary, Mr.. Phillips, who told me that
Senident Arthur would like me to come
- ~ White House at 10 o'clock that night
Qnd talk with him about the appointment
~ 3 secretary Of the interior. supposed
1hat ho referred to Mr.. Chaffee's candidacy,
o4d when / saw him again presented Mr..
s Gkofhoso case. We were discussing the
T61tor ii the little private room which Mr..
Arthur reserved for himself In one corner
q lie presidential mansion. As was GO
Inc on about Senator Chaifee, President
Af&hur sid:
Thsro Is no use of talking of
II. ChAfIee's appointment. I have de-
6fded that shall not have man for my
secretary Of the interior who is not q law
u and who Is not fresh from . good prac-
tfce. Ex-senator Chaffee has not the quail
1tfes that want for my secretary of the
1ntorior.
II was rather nettled at this,n Senator
Taller went on, land I referred to the fact
That number Of the past secretaries had
not been lawyers. when the president said:
q viii tell you the elements that want in
my secretary OF the interior and the kind
q man propose to appoint. The secre-
I tary Of the interior has to settle more i'm
portant cases during the year than the
supreme court. and he investigates twice
The number of legal questions OF
the department Of justice. Hence
The man must be good lawyer.
He must have some experience with public
affairs and with public men. He must
come from the West and President Ar
thur went on to tell me the other qualities
which he wanted his secretary of the in
terror to possess. As he went on saw
that he had some one in his mind and /
xacked my brain to figure out who he was
driving At / ran over man after man
from my locality, but could find none
who had the qualities he mentioned. His
~ y 81 To- ha an md
et last he concluded, leaning over and put
ting his hand on my knee, and saying:
Now, Senator Teller, ! have decided
that you come the nearest to filling these
requirements Of any other man / know,
and want to offer you the place
Il was thunderstorm. jumped TO my
fest and excitedly exclaimed: But don't
want it. Mr.. President. am in the Sem
ote and can't leave it, cannot afford it
md you must not offer me the place. for
cannot acceptit. Besides I am here to
push the claims of Mr. Chaffee'n
THE president begged me to sit down
and talk over the matter" Senator Teller
went ON. II complied with his request,
though said there was no use in talking
about IL, and our conversation lasted until
gan AS left begged the president
not to tell any one he had offered me the
position and reiterated my statement that
/ could not take it.
ssPresident Arthur replied: Il don't want
ron to decide tonight Think over the
matter until Thursday night, and In the
meantime / will say nothing to anybody
about IT replied that would think of
e. and with that i left. On Tuesday or
wednesday called at the White House on
some other business and the president
said: You are coming around Thursday p
YES ] replied, but have nothing new to
say
ION Thursday ] met my appointment,
and upon my again refusing the president
asked me to 60 and see Don Cameron, at
The Senate, and talk over the matter with
him after he had had his conversation
with me. I saw Senator Cameron, and
Cameron urged me by all means 10 take
the place. He said: III the president will
not have ChafYee you must accept the place,
and am for you gave Senator Came
son my reasons for not wanting it He
said: You cannot help yourself You will
have 70 take ID. and with that he left to 60
10 the White House"
ssThs NEXT day when came out of the
lsensie. Senator Allison met me with sly
esak Ia bis eye and asked me II the gov
eraoy a my stats was . Republican. and
shs&h3s be would appoint Republican
speaesssf 10 my PLACES in the Senate. saw
fTozs ills thet tbs story was out. and the
EeSs thsys Ess line In Sew York news
Paper ssy,sx it was rgmored that had
A1ag ofssse3 the portfolio ef the interior.
Eur s<<.seza essf A = fezeerauhed 10 Denver