Evening star., 1897-03-06
N 0W IN OFFICE
Cabinet Ministers Assume Their Re-
spective Duties Today.
CEREMONIES At THE DEPARTMENTS
Heads of Bureaus and Clerks Are
Introduced.
GREETINGS AND FAREWELLS


The installation of John Sherman as Sec
retary of State at the foreign office was
accomplished without hustle or confusion
and with as little ceremony as the function
admitted of. Secretary Olney had expected
to hold over until Monday, having been re-
quested to do SO by the President and Mr..
Sherman, 50 that 1t required some haste
on the part of the messengers to prepare
his office for an immediate evacuation
which was made necessary by notice that
Mr.. Sherman would take the oath at the
White House with his fellow cabinet Off
GERS this morning. This change in the pro-
gram was brought about by the discovery
that Mr.. Sherman could not add his name
to the Forthcoming proclamation calling a
special session of Congress until he had
qualified as Secretary of State. Secretary
Sherman, for by noon he bore that title,
came over to the State Department and
Mr. Olney introduced him to the heads of
bureaus of the department. Mr.. Babcock
VINO mas already been appointed private
secretary. had meanwhile been initiated by
Mr.. Blandford. the retiring private secre-
tary, into the duties of his office and had
taken up his quarters in the ante-room
ready to stand as buffer between Secre-
tary sherman and the great army of appl-
cants Tor places under the State Depart
nent, expected to appear as soon as the
directing power had been completely trans
1erred The new Secretary did not remain
long IN his Office, but as soon as the intro
ductions Were over he turned over the re-
sporsibility for the signature of the mail to
Assistant Secretary Rockhill and went
home for the day.
The Secretary of War.
There was more interest in the induction
into office of the Secretary of War. and
the ceremony was more picturesque. For
one thing, Secretary Alger came over to
the War Department from the White
House with Governor Scofield of Wisconsin
and full staff. making quite a procession
as they marched through the corridors.
Secretary Lamont received his successor
cordially, but quietly, and then the ofti-
GERS of the War Department began to
greet their new chief. Before this was un-
der way the Secretary pleased the crowd of
onloOkerS greatly by giving a kiss to his
pretty daughters, who stood by to see
their father enter upon the duties of a
cabinet officer. Every body who knew Cen
eral Alger had an opportunity to shake
hands with and congratulate him as Sec
rotary Alger, and the reception lasted for
long time. MIR. Victor Mason, clerk to
the House committee on Notifications will
probably be private secretary to General
Alger.
At the Navy Department.
Over In the Navy Department a very
similar ceremony was going on. In that
case Mr.. Herbert stood close to Secretary
Long. and as the employees of the navy,
rom the heads of bureaus to the messen-
gers, passed in line and were introduced
to the new Secretary they stopped few
PAGES further along to express to Mr.
Herbert their appreciation of the kindly
treatment he had shown them in the four
!eais of his secretaryshiD The officers
and employees were introduced to Secretary
Long by Mr.. Lewis H. Finney who was
to and
in view of his abilities as such, has been
retained by Secretary Long in the same
responsible capacity.
The Postmaster General.
At 40 Mr.. Gary drove up to the Post
Office Department and, unattended made
his way at once to the Postmaster Gen
erals room, where Mr.. Wilson was waiting
to receive him. In the ante-room stood Mr.
j. IL. Richardson of this city, Mr.. Gary S
attorney. and Mr.. A. Warfield Monroe for
several years the private secretary of the
!iew Postmaster General. They accompa-
MED MIR. Gary into the Postmaster Cen
erals room and were introduced to Mr..
Wilson The heads of bureaus and the
chiefs of divisions then formed in line and
passed through the room. meeting near the
entrance the new Postmaster General to
whom each official and clerk was intro
duced by Mr. Blain Taylor, chief clerk of
the Post Office Department. At 12::.O
O'Clock all the employees of the department
had seen the new Postmaster General and
the newspaper men present had paid him
their respects.
AS the door swung 10 Mr. Wilson said to
Mr.. Gary:
Now. here is statement of the condi-
ton of the post office appropriations. and
the new administration of the Post Office
department had begun
On all sides there was a general expres-
sion of pleasure in the new Postmaster
General. In appearance he is the plain
mdJter-Of-tact business
hair and soft gray whskers give his face
venerable and benignant look. For all he
mad smile and a genuine handshake
The retiring Postmaster General and the
incoming official spent an hour going over
| details of business. and Mr.. Wilson ther
withdrew. wishing his successor success
health, happiness and long continuance
of these blessings.
Interior Department..
| AT the Interior Department the morning
was spent in lively anticipation of the COM
ing Of the new Secretary. Telephone mes
| sages told of his taking the oath and that
| he would appear about noon A little later
| than that ne came. His first concern was
not to meet his subordinates in the Gus
| tcnary reception, and for an hour he and
J ex-Secretary Francis were again closet ed
| in the inner room of the office going over
| details of departmental affairs. Commits
| sioner Browning and Mr.. Eugene White of
| the departments Indian Office were called
| in to explain the condition Of the Indian
service and the situation in which it was
placed by the failure of the Indian appro
| priation bill.
Gradually there gathered the hundred
| or more bureau chiefs, the chiefs of d
| visions, assistant chiefs, confidential clerks
and those who by scores of years of serv-
| ice are alv ays invited to participate ir
| the receptions of a new Secretary. little
| before / o'clock Mr.. Francis and Secretary
| Bliss emerged from the inner office, ant
| Judge Fisher, chief clerk of the patent
office. introduced each of the assembled
| officials to their new superior. AS they
passed him they shook hands and sale
! goodbye to exSecr etary Francis.
| -~~~-----
An Obscene Literature Order
| One of the last edicts Of the outgoing ad