New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-16
Mr.. SHERNiNS IDEAS.

Senator sherman, Of Ohio, thinks Governor
Mckinley the best candidate for the Presidency
sucnks well Of Senator Allison as II candidate
and ~ cx-Speakcr Reed as n statesman an"
SAYS that ut his own age the wear ana tear OF
Presidential duty cannot he faced. In the same
interview In our entcrprising nclghbor, ''Thc
Ncw.York Herald" hc explains that the duties
and labors Of the Presidency would be indefinite
~ diminished II better and more just concep
tIon ~ Presidential duties were accepted
II, is perfectly right In urging that the rrca
dent ought not 10 he u SORT of chief clerk for all
Tho departments. II ~ not his proper business
10 snpcryIsc them IN every detail, IN President
cleveland has done, much 10 his own dIscrcllt
rhc President ought 10 he able 10 select for
heads of departments men In whom he could
nio,c entire confidence lie ought 10 leave the
conduct Of the departments entirely TO the men
selected for that duty. All questions Of appoint
moni. II the public service were reasonably
cmancpalrd from parlsanshlp. should BE- In
such shane that the President would very rarely
bc called upon 10 interfere. He ought TO have
fine free for The consideration Of larger Iucs-
lions II public policy, and might In that ease be-
cSp,rtrd 10 arrive NJ conclusions Of general use
fulncls
II Is hlunlrrlng conception ~ the Presidents
Office that condemns him TO be- sort " si-
pcror appointment clerk for every department.
and a mere final rcviser of the work Of every
subordinate lie Is not III for his place. and
docs not earn his salary. II that Is the best he
can do lie ought 10 have ample time for other
and much larger duties. If hc has not. II Is be-
cliisc LIZ permits himself to be- absorbed by the
work Of clerks.
In all ordinary matters the President ought
10 leave subordina'es to decide. President
Cleveland does not because be- has chosen as
sis.nis wh) are supposed to be mere echoes of
his personal will This has been fortunate for
the country In many Instances, because the no
,lons If Secretary Carlisle II carried into effect,
would have cost the country many thousand
times his salary But tho President ought To be
something more and better than rcviser Of de-
plr,mcnt blunicrs He ought TO be- able to
select a Secretary OF the Treasury, for instance.
who thoroughly agrees with the policy OF the
President I'm financial matters. and can carry
ont that policy intclligcntly IL seemed good 10
Mr. Cleveland, on the contrary 10 select a Sec
rotary who was generally believed to hold dlf-
fpreni opinions from his own. and for purely
nartIsan reasons he has been obliged 10 watch
and supervise and sometimes to reverse the ac-
ton ~ his Secretary.
Thing, were very different when Mr. sherman
was Secretary ~ the Treasury He had the en-
tire confidence of the President and the country.
His decisions in Ill matters relating 10 ~"
finances. were final. The public did not find
reason 20 suppose thar they were ov"rrilcd or
modified In The least degree. His grand rcpi-
tnilon ~ the most successful hnanccr ~ the
country for many years could not have been
gained n he had been mere clerk. subject TO
the notions and whims u President who WAS
Wiling 10 interfere In every detail and dcSil-
ture Il 4 proper confidence in the officials Of his
OWN selection.