The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-02-23
The Cleveland Cabinet.

1t was thoroughly characteristic of Mr..
Cleveland that he should say, in giving
to the public through the press the names
of the gentlemen whom he had selected
for cabinet positions, that there was no
mystery about their appointment and no
| occasion for mystery. A proper retlcence
in regard to matters that are not set
tied or have not reached the stage when
they can properly be made public Mr.
Cleveland knows how to practice and
observe as well as any other man. An
| affectation of mystery where no need OF
concealment exists is naturally foreign
to a man of his plain-dealing nature.
Nor, do we imagine, is there any mystery
about the meaning of the appointments
anything that invites speculation or
, requires explanation-now that they
have been made public.
| There can't be any mystery about
them in the minds of the place-hunting,
patronage-mongering politicians who
are to be found in every State of the
Union, and whose hopes OF running the
administration" according to their ideas
as to how a Democratic administration
should be run must be sadly dashed by
these first Indications of Mr.. Cleveland 8
ideas as to how public Offices ought to
said long ago that public office is d
public trust, but the politicians, who
have always been of the opinion that
public office is simply a personal op-
: pOrtunity, if not a private steal, have
found it difficult to realize that man in
Mr.. Clevelands position should say that
and mean it. He might say it, of course
say anything to tickle the public ear
and to catch the peoples votes. but to
mean it, and what is more, to act uponit,
that is what, in the case of the average
politician of the "machine' or ''straight-
out tpye, hurts to the quick. Judge
Gresham's appointment to be Secretary
OF State is calculated, therefore, to make
all the political small fry gnash their
teeth aud consume themselves with secret
but unavailing rage. To the great mass
OF the Democratic party, however, as
well as OF the American people, Judge
Gresha ms appointment will seem like
the harbinger and earnest of better
things-the promise of an administration
whose guiding impulse and inspiration
will be patriotism, not partisanship.
Nobody is likely to take exception to
or deny the personal fitness and quail
fcations OF any of the gentlemen named
by MIR. Cleveland to fill the places in his
cablnent to which he has assigned them
The special significance of the selections
thus made must be apparent to every
body, Mr.. Cleveland means to have a
cabinet thoroughly in sympathy and
in accord with himself, with the pledge
OF the Chicago platform and the princi-
pies of q true Jeffersonian Democracy.
1t is very clear that he has not regarded
these important cabinet positions either
as political prizes or political opportu-
mites, to be distributed as such among
the more prominent and influential
leaders of the party. His policy in
making these appointments has been
neither to placate nor to reward. Re
CARELESS Of such consideration, which
might easily have controlled the choice
OF a weaker man, or one who had further
ambitions and aspirations of his own
to crafty, Mr.. Cleveland's rule of selec-
ton has been primarily to select only
men whom he could trust.
Mr.. Carlisle's high character and posi-
ton and known sympathy with Mr..
Cleveland made his selection as Secretary
of the Treasury almost matter of
course. 1t seemed to be the natural and
necessary cOrollary to Mr.. Cleveland's
own election. If not alone among
Southern and Western Democrats GER
tainly above all others, Mr.. Carlisle DOS
sesses that familiary with financial ques-
lions, that SOundnesS of financial views
and that personal independence and
freedom from all suspicious and entang-
ling alliances which, together with his
recognized abilities, courage and integ-
rity, make him an acceptable Secretary
of the Treasury to the North and East
In the case of the two cabinet officers
taken from the State of New York Mr..
Cleveland was doubtless influenced by
the consideration above all others that
he knew them and knew he could RELY
and depend upon them both. Neither
has been prominent in political life in
New York or elsewhere Neither has
held important political office or could
be said to have any political or even
personal following that would bring any
access of strength to the new admins
tration. One had been Mr. Cleveland's
partner in the practice of the law in the
city of Buffalo; the other had been his
private Secretary during his former ad-
ministration. In these relations Mr..
Cleveland has necessarily learned to
know them well, and his selection of one
OF them to be Secretary of War and the
other to be Postmaster General is proof
~ildC hc CouSiOelS lOF UuOSe
positions, and that he trusts them
implicitly.
Mr.. Hoke Smith, OF Georgia, a new
man to the country at large, is repre-
sentative Of that young, progressive and
vigorous democracy of the South which
refused to be bound by the letters of old
hunkerism, senatorial bossism and a
Bourbon democracy, incapable alike of
forgetting and of lear ming successful
lawyer and a success sful journalist, a
rising man of mark and influence in his
State, Mr.. Smith was Cleveland man
from the start, in defiance of the Southern
senatorial iunta which, sought to defeat
his nomination. The selection of Mr..
Smith is another proof that Mr.. Cleve-
land knows whom he can trust and whom
he cannot-those who are ready to labor
with him for the good of the people and
the loyal, honest fulfiIlment of the
pledges OF the Chicago platform, and
those who, while openly protesting to be
Democrats, and Cleveland Democrats,
are mere spoilsmen at heart, destitute
alike OF sincerity and patriotism.-Ba
more Sun.