Evening star., 1897-03-02
Difficulty Met With in Completing the
Cabinet.
CHANCES OF TIE new YORK men
Mr.. McKinIey's Foreign and 9inan-
ciaI Politics.
THE CUBAN SITUATION

The arrival of President-eIect Mckinley
| today overshadowed everything AS soon
as he has had little rest and got rid of the
| formal greetings he will have serious busi-
ness conferences with party leaders with
| whom he has appointments. The one va
| cant cabinet position is not to be flied until
| after these conferences. Ii will be decided
| this evening whether New York man
| Will be selected, ard who it will be- The
| fact that Messrs. Bliss. McCook and Wood
| ford are all three here waiting to confer
with Mr.. Mckinley is accepted as sufficient
indication that all three are willing to go
| into the cabinet under conditions satisfac-
| tory to them. The difficulty arises from
| the fact that neither Bliss nor McCook
wants to go at the head of the Interior De-
| partment At present this IS the only place
| open but if the question could be thereby
| simplitied. shift might be made from the
| navy. Sherman was selected definitely for
| Secretary of State, Gage for Secretary OF
| Treasury, Alger for Secretary of War; and
| Gary for Postmaster General At the time
| OF his selection it was not definitely de-
| cided whether Mckenna should be Attor-
| ey General or Secretary of the Interior
| but Mr.. Mckinleys idea was. it is said. to
| make him Secretary of the Interior. That
assignment ass a1 2 left the attorney generaiship
| for New York, and McCook would, it is
| understood, have accepted that position
| Rliss was the first choice on general polti
| cal grounds for Secretary of Navy. The rea-
son for his declination was the i'll health
of his WIFE, but it is believed that he would
| have accepted if it had not been found de-
| sirable to give New York the Interior rath-
| er than the Navy Department. Mr.. McKen-
| ma is a Catholic. and it Is understood that
objection is raised to his going at the head
| OF the Interior Department on that account.
| The Secretary of the Interior has to do
1 with the Indian schools, etc, and the ques-
ia mis- i- rais
institutions.
| To Accom- Odnte New York.
| Mr.. Mckinley is not generally disposed
| to consider objections based on religious
| differences, but to put Catholic in this
| particular office would provoke unneces-
| sary criticism. For this reason, it is under
stood. Mr.. Mckenna will have to go at the
| head of the Department of Justice ra-
| ther than the Interior. The question of
| what shifts can be made to accommodate
the New York peoples wishes will be con-
sidered at conference between the Presi-
| dent-elect and Messrs. Platt, McCook Bliss
| and Woodford, but it is not believed that
| Mr.. Mckinley can offer New York anything
but the Interior. The fact that Woodford
Is willing to accept that may lead to his
| appointment. but Mr.. Bliss is in the front
| If other arrangements be made for
| shift that would give him the Navy De-
partment.
l. Washington is full of people who are ap-
pliCants for positions. great and small. The
distinguished men who want diplomatic ap-
pointments are innumerable. 1t is under
stood. however, that Mr.. Mckinley will not
| take up any of these matters at this time.
The two things which have been occupying
| his mind are the cabinet and his inaugural
address. Great interest Is taken by Con-
sress in the intimation of policy expected
in the inaugural address. 1t is said those
who have been indulgng in the theory
that there might be something equivocal in
fhp tpda of he a
to the financial and the foreign policies
will find themselves mistaken.
Mr. McI<inIey's Position.
The men he has selected for his Secretary
! of Treasury and his Secretary of State,
| whose positions are well understood, fully
| represent his position on these questions.
Before his nomination and even during tho
campaign it was frequently sad that Mr..
Mckinley was not as far advanced on The
money question was the eastern wing of
the republican party. 1t is true that he
was a bimetallist to start with. but ii is
asserted, and there is very good reason to
believe that the events of the campaign
ard careful study of the question have
modified his views. or rather, ripened his
opinions. and he is in way behind the
prevailing. opinion of his party on this
issue. 1t is believed that he will endeavor
to carry out the pledges of the platform.
| direct or implied. to give bimetallism every
chance to vindicate itself through an in
| do this without any relaxation of faith in
the present gold standard" 1t is regard
ed probable that some effort will be ad-
vised by him to enlarge the use of silver
as subsidiary money, but that he believes
thoroughly in the wisdom of maintaining
tie gold standard
His Foreign Policy.
AS to the foreign policy, especially re-
latinS to Cuba, the understanding Is that
the administration will take precisely the
position which Mr.. Sherman has taken
that it Is not the duty of this country to
interfere in foreign revolutions or troubles
OF any sort as long as the interests of this
country, and Its citizens are not involved
but to vigorously protect all American in
terests and to compel respect of the rights
of American citizens. The Cuban situation
will probably demand the immediate atten-
ton of the new administration. and IL may
be confidently relied on that there will be
no hesitation about protecting American
citizens who are being wronged.
The Conferences Begun.
The conferences which President-elect
Mckinley Is to have before he settles the
question of who will fill the remaining va
cancy in the cabinet began this afternoon
at 2:3O o'clock. when the President elect
was called upon by Senator-elect Thomas
G. Piatt of New York, who has spent the
day quietly in his rooms at the Arlington
talking with friends. The conference is by
extremely important.
At = o'clock this afternoon Mr.. Platt was
seen by a Star reporter and asked If there
was anything new in the situation. II
haven't anything to tell you now" he said
Will you see the President-elect?'
Yes. will call upon him this afternoon
at 2:aU o'clock
Two minutes later the reporter talked
with close friend of the New York man.
why, Of course, the matter is not settled,
said the Platt republican. Nobody is au-
thorized to speak for Mr.. Platt but him
self. and he will tell Mckinley his opinion
This has been all talk about an appoint
ment to be made without consultation with
Mr.. Platt.''
rs Gen. Woodford still the choice of the
republican organization Of New York for
the cabinet?"
Certainly he is and his name will be
presented to Mr.. Mckinley. If he is turned
down that will be all that can occur Nc
Cook is out of the deal now and we want
Woodford."
1t Is believed that Mr.. Platt will present
the name of Gen. Woodford, and will urge
that gentlemans name to the fullest ex-
tent
MIR. Gage spent some time at the Treas
ury Department this afternoon. and was
introduced to many Of the officials by Con-
trOller EckelS. with whom he tS uou a.,