New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-24
MP CIEVEL1NDS CABINET.


Mr. Cleveland has announced his Cabinet.
Six of the eight Departments have beeh as
signed TO men who. if they are not simply
personal friends of Mr.. Cleveland, are certainly
not representative members of his party, and
of the six none except Messrs Gresham
and Lamont have had the smallest
experience in handling great public
affairs, or have occupied any place of
National distinction. From the Democratic
point of view, as expressed in the Chicago
platform declaring for Free Trade pure and
simple. Mr.. Carlisc's selection for the Treasury
is to be commended. lie has been known
hitherto only as legislator. He has never
held executive office either in his state or under
Federal commission. But his distinguished
abilities are beyond question. Gentle far ana
moderate as his disposition is, he does not lack
frmness. He is a Democrat through and
through stout partisan. judicial and sincere
in temperamcnt incorruptible in character. II
he develops the possession of executive ability
he ought to make an ideal manager Of our
financial affairs according to the principles to
which he, perhaps more than any other OF his
party, has succeeded in committing the coun-
try.
Department is also to be praised without quail
ifcation No man in the country understands
the business of the Department better than
he, excepting of course, the secretary VINO
will make way for him. But his succession is
an assurance that there will be no change IN
the enlightened policies which have gwen us
already so powerful a fleet OF warshlps, ana
have rendered our shipyards and gun fonndnes
so thoroughly competent TO make the Navy
what it should be. There ought 10 be no
partisan sides of the questions involved in re-
building the Navy, and 50 far as he is con
cerned there have been none. He has patrl-
officially and most effectively sustained Pr9si-
dent Harrison and General Tracy in the splen-
did work they have done, and in continuing
it he may count on the same hearty and gen.
crous spirit of hepfulness from Republicans
that has so highly distinguished him.
The principles of selection that have LED
Mr.. Cleveland to make Mr.. IIokc Smith Sccrc-
tary of the Interior are inexplicable. The
Interior Department is by far the most dilii-
cult to manage Of all the branches CT the
Executive Office IT contains the Pension
Bureau. the Indian Bureau the Land Office.
the Patent Office, the Census Bureau and
host of other distinct divisions of government.
Its affairs relate mostly to the West, and deal
with SURVEYS, irrigation, land laws, railroad
grants, Territorial administration and Indian
affairs. TO pick up an unknown person from
far Southern State, who has Eever had TO
do with the public service anywhere, who can
not know even theoretically anything about the
vast interests of the Interior Department. and
to set him down in such an Office is an all-
dac:ous and unjustIfiable proceeding. II is
cruel reflection on the eminent Democrats who
in Congress and in other branches OF the ser
vice have 50 fully qualified themselves for this
peculiar trust, and it is naturally received by
them with derision and irritation. Almost as
bad is the appointment OF Mr. BiSsell to be
General Mr. Bssell stands for
nothing in policies CT affairs, and is known
only as person in whose society Mr.. Clcvc-
land spent his bachelor days in Buffalo. In its
demands upon experience knowledge OF the
country and CT politics and upon high-cl1sS
ability the PCstoflcc is second only to the In
,ericr Department and the Treasury. II should
have gone to Democrat of the first type, |
known and respected throughout the country.
IF there was room in the Cabinet for the |
appointment of one who was in an especial
degree the Presidents friend it was ox
ha,istcd when the War Department was as
signed to Mr. Lament. He possesses if not
undonbtod qualifications for Cabinet Office |
something. at least, 50 like them that 10 OBJ |
lection will be made t. his choice He certainly |
knows men and affairs and is thoroughly re- |
srccted Nothing much is to be said for or |
against Mr.. Morton, of Nebraska, or OF Mr. |
Olney Of Massachusc tts, but experienced Dem |
Ocratic leaders from Democratic States are we'll |
entitled TO feel that the selection OF such men |
is o slight upon themselves. OF course it does |
not follow from the fact of a mans being gen
orally unknown that he is incapable, hut with |
scores TO choose from, whose characters and |
abilities have been proved and approved such |
departures from the sound principles which |
have generally guided Presidents in making up
their Cabinets are certainly full of risk. The
appointment of Judge Gresham is unique. The
State Department is not necessarily political |
office and perhaps, if it were, Mr.. Gresham
would be qualified TO hold it in Democratic
Administration. His political principles have
seemed To undergo numerous and rapid changes
during the last four years, and what he be-
lieves Just now is difficult to say. He is an
able lawyer, and As Secretary of State his func
tons will be largely those which he is natu-
rally and by long experience qualified to per-
fern.
As Mr. Cleveland's Cabinet and on the