Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-23
GEORGE CAKES CASE
Under Thoughtful Consideration BY
Secretary Charles Foster.
THE SHOW FOR The PITTSBURGER
Not Considered Especially Flattering at
the Present Time.
JUST WHAT THE SECRETARY HAS TO SAY
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. ]


sence of about two weeks at his home in
Ohio. Secretary Charles Foster. of the
Treasury Department, was again at his
desk this morning, looking much the better
for his vacation. He hurried through with
an immense amount of business to-day, as
he expects to start the latter part Of the
week for trip across the ocean. the second
he has taken this year, this time tor the
special purpose of accompanying his family
on their return home.
Mr. Foster knew nothing of the strained
condition of affairs with regard to the ap-
plication of George L. Cake or the position
of Immigrant Inspector until he came to
the department this morning. The day he
left for home he had ordered the appoint
ment of Mr.. Cake. The appointment was
made out by the private secretary, and was
ready to be given to the public that even
ing. when telegraphic protests came stating
that Mr.. Cake was a bigamist, and should
not be appointed. Unknown to the Secre-
tary, and on the strength of the repre-
sentations, the appointment was held up
and q special agent ordered to investigate
the charges, and until his return this morn
ing Mr.. Foster has looked upon Mr.. Cake
as an employe of the Government.
A Cause CeIebre Made of the Affair.
Meantime, requests for the appointment
and protests against 1t have been pouring
in upon the department, and the matter has
become sort of cause celebre. The Win
dow Glass Workers Association, of Pitts
burg, passed resolutions of admiration and
renewed confidence, and day o similar
declaration from the association in New
Jersey was received. Individual letters by
the hundred have been filed away, bearing
on both sides of the case. A few of the
workingmen have protested against the ap
pointment, but the bulk of the opposition
has come from employers who dislike Mr..
Cakes activity In labor matters. This has
added zest to the contest, and it has become,
in way, a question of employers against
workers, the pride and the influence of each
being in the balance.
Secretary Foster gave the case soIle con-
sideration to-day, but had no positive con-
clusion to announce to the public. He had
learned that Mr.. Cake was the possessor of
one wife with whom he did not live, and
that the wife with whom he does live, and
who is the mother of his children, Is a wife
on account Of bonds of affection so much
stronger than those imposed by the law
that the legal proceedings usual in such
matters were unnecessary to assure protec-
tion, and were therefore entirely dispensed
with.
Delicate Position of the Secretary.
To the Secretary it was delicate matter
to decide the case On the one hand, good
citizens seemed to have boldly and heartily
condoned the fault of Mr.. Cake, if they
deemed it a fault; and on the other were
other good citizens who opposed the ap-
pointment because of that fault-whether
wholly on moral grounds he was not In
formed. Then the question arose In regard
stances one situated as Mr.. Cake con-
fessedly is. 1t was possible that in the
Government service there were men quite
as deservedly mark for criticism as Mr..
Cake, but if so the fact was kept exceed
inglv quiet, and had not been made an
issue, either against their appointment nor
their retention in Office. |
As an instance of the manner in W hich
some men are able to live double lives with
out detection Mr. Foster referred to the
story of a man of national reputation who
for years occupied high office in Wash
ington. After his death the Secretary and
others who had been his associates were ask |
BY his wife to write their "reminiscences of |
him, to be printed in biography which she |
had in preparation. They did SO, but the |
book never appeared.
Dropped Like Hot Potato.
Inquiring in regard to this, at one time,
Mr. Foster was told that it had been dis |
covered that the gentleman had been living |
with wife in Washington to whom he was |
not married, while the legal wife was at |
home all unconscious of the dual alliance. |
OF course, after the latter made this dis |
covery work on the biography proceeded no
further
As to Mr.. Cake, no formal decision would |
be given at this moment There was no
necessity for haste. His appointment had
been asked for on the ground that he would
could be selected to look after the enforce
ment Of the alien contract labor law. This
might be the truth, but it was also true that
that work was being very thoroughly done
by the present employees of the department.
No important complaint had been heard of
laxity in the enforcement of the law. All
of the Objectionable elements, paupers,
criminals and persons supposed to be i'm
ported under contract had been pretty effect
ually barred out during the past year.
1t had been asserted, however, that the
appointment of Mr.. Cake would satisfy the
glass workers that there was one in the SER
vice who would give special attention to
the prevention of importation of glass work.
ers under contract, and the Secretary was
willing to believe that they were right; but
the Intervention of the moral question had
put a new face on the matter, and there it
rested for the present
Prediction That Cake Must Go.
It was plain that notwithstanding his de-
sire to avoid any positive indication of his
purpose, the Secretary was convinced in his
own mind that the appointment of Mr..
Cake, under the circumstances, would be
nadvisable and impossible. 1t is easy to
forsee that the department, even if its chief
could personally overlook the conditions,
would be attacked all over the country for
making such an appointment after the facts
we're all known and had been publicly dis
,ussed for weeks
Whether the final word be spoken to-
morrow or at some future time, it is safe to
'ay that it will be a refusal to make the
and therefore, If the glass
workers desire to secure the Office for one of
heir number, they may as we'll make new
at once.