The Portland daily press., 1896-12-07

panied in his luSpeCtiou u tue DuiiuAHS
by Mr.. Payne and several other friends.
MIR. Payne said in reply to a question
as to the accuracy Of the reports concern
ing Mr.. Hanna's intention to call upon
Senator Sherman an the agent Of Major
Mckinley with a view to offering the
Senator the State Department in the
portfolio, that he had no doubt Mr.. Han
ma would make social call upon the
senator, but If he should do so the in
oident need have no special Significance,
as they were personal and political
friends.
81 don't believe" said Mr.. Payne.
"that the personnel Of the cabinet will
be decided for a month yet, or for a
longer time"
Mr.. Payne declined to discuss the re-
port that he would be member of Mr..
McKinley's official household.
Mr.. Hanna himself would not throw
any light on the report that he himself
would be q mem ber of Mr.. MoKinley's
political household. The we'll settled
opinion among those who have an under
5tdo0Auk VI uuO o1tuuuAoA 40 OAaeso "~At~S
Hanna could have any appointment
under the President-elect, he will prefer
TO remain in private life and that this
would be his ultimate decision. The
seoretaryship of the treasury to which
popular report has assigned him, will,
it Is thought. be given to Congressman
Dingley of Maine. The only objection to
his appointment is the difficulty OF find
ing a suitable successor for him as CHAIR
man of the ways and means committee.
He has had SO long ard varied an ex-
perience in the House and he is SO tho
roughly acquainted with the intricacies
of the tariff that it Ia feared the House
would be distinct loser by removing
him from the arena in which he has been
40 long a conspicuous figure.
Mr. Hanna today met President Cleve-
land for the first time. He was intro
duced by Gen. Horace Porter of New
York, the other gentlemen in the party
being Senator Proctor Of Vermont, Re-
preventative BabcocK of Wisconsin and
Henry c. Paine, national committee
man for that state. Their stay did not
exceed Is minutes.
Mr.. Hanna remarked after leaving the
White House upon the courtesy and
affability with which Mr.. Cleveland
greeted them.
INTERNAL REVENUE.
The members of the joint Congression-
al commission appointed to investigate
and report upon the matter of internal
revenue regulations with view to per-
mitting the uss of free alcohol in the
arts. the manufactures and the compo-
sltion of medical compounds, returned
today from New York without having
reached any conclusion. By the terms
of the resolution under which they are
acting, the limit within which the re-
port is to be made to Congress expires on
Monday next If the inquiry is to result
in anything definite or valuable. further
time must be granted the commission
to conclude Its work and that Will
doubtless be asked for and granted early
next waek. 1t is understood that a ma
jority of the commission are opposed to
any concessions in the desired direc-
tion being made. holding that the risk
of loss OF revenue to the government de-
spite the precautions that may be taken
are too great to be incurred for the ben
efits to be derived by the public from the
change.
SPEAKER REED ARRIVES.
Speaker Reed arrived in Washington
this evening accompanied by his wife
and daughter. They have resumed their
old apartments at the Shoreham. The
speaker declined to see any one this eve
ming and lotired early.