The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-02
II Will Be Given Authority
by Mckinley.
Very Sensible Policy of the
PreSident-Elect.
Will Also Give 10 Members of House
Pretty Free Swing.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2.--[Special 9. l-Scn.
ators and members OF congress who pay
visits 10 Canton bring back interesting no.
| ports concerning the policy of the president
| elect. / have already told you that Major
Mckinley proposes TO have peace between
| himself and the senate, If possible, and TO
avert those little skirmishes and wars he.
tween the executive and the American
house of lords which have exerted such
baneful influence upon recent administra.
tions. l also learn upon excellent authority
that President Mckinley intends 60 give
members of the house pretty free swing
In the naming of postmastors and other of
fcials in their districts, thus restoring the
system as it was before the days of Harri.
son, when members of congress were yir.
Jually the appointing powers i'm their dis.
trlcts and rarely, very rarely, indeed,
turned down by the president.
VIII Trust His Cabinet.
I'm addition TO the foregoing prominent
senator tells me Major Mckinley told him
he was going to make his cabinet officers
cabinet officers in fact as well as name
that is to say, he was going 10 initiate
President Hayes policy of turning de-
partmcnt over to the chief of it, holding
the chief responsible for its management.
and not interfering himself except i'm case
OF large matters or things affecting policy.
Senator sherman once told me that while
he was secretary of the treasury under Mr..
Hayes he would have been as much sur
prised at the presidents interference with
his management of the department as he
would have, been at an attemps on the
part OF one Of his subordinates 10 dictate
to him. 1T Is the only way to run the
government" said Senator Sherman.
This nation OF ours Is now too big for any
one man To attempt to manage IL a pres
ident cannot trust his cabinet officers, he
cannot trust any one He must trust them.
And If he wants good results he must
give them authority along with their re-
sponsibility."
Senator Sherman severely criticised Pres
ident Cleveland for virtually making him
self secretary of the treasury, giving orders
to Secretary Carlisle as If the latter were a
hired man. That method of doing busi-
ness did not coincide with Mr.. Sherman's
ideas of the proper way TO manage the af-
fairs of this great government. Besides, he
said, the secretary of tho treasury was
as much responsible to congress as he was
TO the president That official is required
TO report TO congress and is really the man
chosen by. congress for care of the govern
ment's strong box. Senator sherman add
ed In this conversation which am now
recalling that by pursuing these methods
President Hayes gave the country one of |
The best administrations 1t has ever had.
Policy OF Harrison and Cleveland. |
Every resident OF Washington knows |
hat Presidents Harrison and Cleveland |
have leaned In the other direction. They |
Exercised constant supervision over their
'abinet officers. Practically nothing of i'm |
)ortance has been done during the last |
hree administrations IN any Of the depart |
nents without previous consultation with |
he president. Even in such matters as the |
appointment OF small postmasters the
'ostmaster general has been required to /
axe all the papers up to the White House
nd to go over them one after another with
he president. II Is not at all uncommon
or matters OF second rate importance 10
ONE To a standstill In one of the depart
nents pending conference between the
abnet officer responsible for IL and the
resident.
Harrison and Cleveland were hardwork-
ng presidents Nor is it any wonder that
hey were, The president of the United
'tntes who insists upon keeping track of all
nc details Of tho great government bureaus
vill not have much time left over for play.
hero are so many really important affairs,
ital matters, for the president To give his
ttention 10 that he should contrive to
brow of rs many details as possible leav-
ny his mind free for the intrinsic subjects.
Major Mckinley has decided TO restore
'binot posts to their original Importance,
Q has, In the opinion of most public men
ere, decided wisely.
Whom Joseph Chamberlain, now secre-
lry OF state Of Great Britain for the col
nies, was In Washington few years ago
was much impressed by the small part
laycd 10y individuals in our government.
Ic was then known as Radical who be-
evod In greater liberty for the people in
Is own country. He was astounded to
nd that In the United States man count
Tor little and that party and the sys-
IN were everything. "Why," he said,
therc Is no comparison between the inhu-
lcc of an individual In your country and
ours. With US tho attitude OF Glad
one, or of "a salisbury, or of Parnell, IL
'erything. Here your individuals are all
lbordinate to the party. No one man
scs to very great influence. You keep
lur men down by your system, I'm which
nc man Is pretty nearly us good rs anoth-
would not live in country" was
r 'loscph's conclusion, Gin which the in
yidual Is Of such little Importance.
Better Than n Machine.
After Major Mckinley had been elected
csidcnt heard him ask u certain we'll | ,
lown public man--ono who IS noted for
devotion 10 the fortunes of a political
achine--hOw the organization was com
8 on The public man told him they were
nne shape. 1T may seem odd to you,"
III the President elect who was obvious
In a reflective mood. "but | have never
q machine. Even IN my congressional :
strict, where Rad many bitter contests.
never had such thing as political or. ]
nization which YOU would call n ma. c
me somehow | have been able to get $
without ore s
The gentleman 20 whom this remark | .
IS made hal the good tact 10 say to the
csidcnt elect IL Know that 20 be.trutk.
vernon Bur you have had what Is q, n
ud deal better thar n machine Nou | "