The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-06
The Cabinet Appointments Quickly
Confirmed.
WISDOM OF SELECTION OF MR..
BLISS QUESTIONED.
Senator Teller and Stewart Claim That He
Is Not Qualified For Interior Depart
ment-Mr. Hoar Defends the New York

this afternoon led to the circulation of
several unfounded rumors that contest
was being made against the oonfirma-
tlon of at least two of the mem bers OF
the cabinet selected by President McKin-
ley. Rumor had 1t that opposition was
aimed at Mr.. MoKenna, selected for the
astsorney genevalship and Mr.. Alger, for
secretary of war. The delay was not un-
usual. The nomination of Mr.. Sherman
was confirmed Immediately without the
formality of reference to a committee.
While this is not an invariable rule. it
is generally extended to ex-Senators as
an act Of courtesy. 1t was suggested pri-
be at once confirmed. But this was not
done, for had suchsaction been taken, the
compliment intended for MIR. Sherman
would have been no compliment at all. All
other nominations were referred to the
various committees, which mediately
mst In the cloak rooms adjoining the
chamber. and after informal discussion
Of the nominations. made favorable re-
ports in each case.
Mr.. Teller addressed the Senate briefly.
He said he did not propose to oppose any
selection Mr.. Mckinley had made. He
recognized the fact that the cabinet was
the official family of the executive, and
the President ought not to be hampered
by the Senate In the choice OF the men
whom he desired for his advisers. He
desired to say that he believed in some
cases Mr.. Mckinley had made mistakes
in the men he had chosen.
Whoever else MIR. Teller may have had
in mind Is unknown, for he mentioned
only Mr.BIiss. Mr.. Teller emphasized
nomination on personal grounds. He
knew Mr.. Bliss to be a man OF affairs,
who had been successful and was held in
the esteem of his fellow men. He did
not doubt that Mr.. Bliss would bring to
the office all his business and executive
ability.
There was more required, Mr.. Teller
said, than mere business ability. The
interior department. was one or the most
important in the government, affecting
the interests Of many states. particularly
those of the great West. The secretary
annually made more important decisions
involving property than did the supreme
court of the United States. The head
of this great departments ought TO be
equipped with legal ability and tamil
iarity with land matters to meet the IN
trioate questions that would come before
it. For this reason and this reason only,
Mr.. Teller said, the nomination was sub
ject to criticism.
Mr.. Stewart spoke briefly in the same
vein, corroborating what Mr.. Teller had
said about the Importance of head 10
this department. VINO would be able to
deal Justly and judioicusly in the mat
tiers in dispute constantly coming before
the court of which the secretary was
the reviewing judge
Mr., Hoar replied to Mr. Teller's criti-
oisms by praising the ability and qualf
fications Of Mr.. Bliss and addressing
himself to the one point made by Mr.
Teller, asserted that this could be
easily over sme by the selection of sssis+
tant secretaries who would have the
qualifications that would guide the secre
tary in his rulings.
Senator chandler called attention OF
Mr.. Teller to the fact that Zachariu-
Chandler had no legal training and that
he was an eastern man still 1t was aos
nlitted that his conduct of the admins
tration of the interior department was
eminent Mr.. Chan dler did not think
that Mr.. Bliss would make failure Of
the place, for he would certainly have
the assistance of trained legal adviser.
for his department would doubtless have
a western man for one of hin assistant
secretaries.
Mr.. Teller emphasized the fact that he
had not criticized Mr.. Bliss because he
was an eastern man, but because beiug
an eastern man he knew nothing OF
the great western matters constantly
arising in the department of the interior.
There was no clash between the east
and the west, and bearing in mind the
recent elaborate reports of the executive
sessions on the arbitration treaty, Mr..
Teller iocularly remarked tia he hoped
the ereporter" of the executive session
debates would exonerate bin from the
charge of cr1ticising Mr.. Bliss's selec-
tion on thsground that he was an eastern
man.
Mr.. Lodge in a few sentences, ell
dorsed what Mr. Hoar said about Mr..
Bliss and declared that time would show
that Mr. Teller's fears were unfounded.
In the early part of his remarks Mr.. Tel
Ier referred to the selection of Mr.. Gage
as Secretary of the Treasury, as being
unwise, but he only touched upon that
to the extent of not more than two or
three sentences. Beyond that MIR. Cages
selection was not criticised, nor WIS
there any expression of hostility to any
other member of she cabinet. Without
III 49,,