Evening journal., 1896-11-28
CONTEMPORARY OPINION.
NEXT SECRETARY OF THE TREA
SURY.

NGAl oHOitBI AIRY Of The IltEA
SURY.
Let It be understood right here that
the Post is not engaged in the cabinet
making business. We have concluded,
after calmly, but firmly, considering the
situation, to permit Mr.. Mckinley to
select the members of his own official
family. IL is customary to yield to the
president this privilege. He has to
work with his cabinet officers. The
newspapers are not really responsible
for them So we have decided, as Mr..
Mckinley is past 80 years Of age and
has large acquaintance with public
affairs and public men, to refer the
whole matter to him, with the simple
reminder that he must prepare to meet
the consequences of his acts.
We do not wish, however, to say a
word concerning the assumption that
Mr.. Mckinley will look for his secre-
tary Of the Treasury in New York. OF
course, we understand that the inter-
est taken in the affairs OF the nation
by New York city is centred I'm the
Treasury, and equally, of course, we
are aware that New Workers regard
themselves as the only persons on this
continent capable of fully comprehend
ing and successfully administering the
national finances. We are quite sure,
too, that London, the inspiration. if
not the absolute dictator OF New York
In money matters, will be greatly
pleased and gratiied by the election of
some eminent Wall street magnate for
the place in question. But we respect
fully hope that Mr.. Mckinley will
make his eheiee upon broader and
wiser grounds than the conceit of New
York city and the preferences of the
London money-changers. We hope
that he will choose a Western man
some one who will at least begin his
term of service with a knowledge of
the fact that there are people and in
terests west of the Hudson river with
some claim to the governments recog-
milton.
Little as New Workers realize the
fact, the bulk OF our population, the
chief agencies of national progress.
production, and Industrial develop
ment are to be found this side of Ho-
boken. Contemptuously as they may
receive the proposition, there are more
brains more nerve. more patriotism
and more indomitable enterprise be-
yond the Alleghenies than on this side
of them. There i'm the West are the
men who have redeemed the wilder
ness to civilization, built cities where
once were arid plains, run railroads
through the former haunts Of the In.
dian and the buffalo, peopled the des-
ert and wrested fortunes from the
bowels OF the earth They are the
best products of the East. They are
the flower of the old New England
stock. They are the descendants Of
those who left the narrow environ
ment and scanty opportunities of their
barren hillsides along the bleak At
lantic coasts to become pioneers OF
that splendid march OF civilization
which has created the most opulent
empire of the age. They do not telo-
graph to London for their opinions or
regulate their conduct and their speech
by foreign standards. This country is
good enough for them, and they love
1t and glory in it with a passion that
Wall street could not, if it would, con-
ceive. Mr.. Mckinley should appoint
as his secretary of the Treasury some
one who knows these people and un-
derstands them. and realizes what they
are and what they call for
He need be at no loss for material
either With such men as Russell A.
Alger. William b. Allison and Mark A.
Hanna at his dispOsal-tO say nothing
Of a hundred others who might be
named-he can assign the Treasury
portfolio to as competent hands as
have ever yet received it; and in CIV
ing it to any one of them he would be
giving it to a secretary who considers
the whole nation, not Wall street only
to q public official who thinks that
/ the interests of the American peo-
/ pie are at least equal in importance 20
/ the interests of a corporal's guard of
/ New York Anglo-maniacs. 10 is not
| Wall street, ii is not New York, it is
not New England to which Mr.. Nc
/ Kinley owes his election. He owes it TO
! the great Western states, whose peO-
/ pie have conhded to him their moral
and material destinies. We advise him
to bear this fact in mind.-Washing-
/ ton Post.