The herald., 1897-03-07

Ca binet were signed by the president
early insthe day and efforts were made
to have the members assemble at the
| presidents office at 10:30 to be sworn In
| by the chief justice of the United
1 States. Meantime there came a steady
| line of prominent public men, including
| ex-senator Brown of Utah. Senators
| and members of the house were given
audience by the president as fast as
circumstances would permit.
| All members of the cabinet, except
| Gage, took the oath of office at the White
i House at 1870. 1t was a simple, I'M
pressive ceremony, s-.
President Mckinley and Mr. Sherman
| led the way from the presidents office
to the blue room where the justices of
! the supreme court were assembled. Mr..
| Sherman was first sworn. the chief JUS
tice administering the oath. Then fol-
| lowed other cabinet officers in the order
| of their rank. Justice Gray of Massa-
| chusetts, administered the oath to John
| d. Long of that state. For the same
reason of locality Justice Brown, for
merly of Michigan, administered the
oath to Gen. Alger as secretary of war.
All other oaths were administered by
the chief justice. t-''
The new cabinet passed without the
formality of a cabinet meeting. Presi-
dent Mckinley understood the new cab
met would take charge of their several
departments to-day or Monday.
Lyman ]. Gage took the oath in the
secretary's offices of the treasury de-
partment at noon. Chief Justice Fuller
administered the oath in the presence of
distinguished company, which includ-
ed relatives and friends of Mr.. Gage,
part of the Illinois delegation in con-
gress and the principal officials of the
treasury. The chief justice read the
oath. Gage repeating it sentence by
sentence The first sentence was. Il,
Lyman j. Gage, of Illinois, do solemnly
swear" but Gage declared, Il. Lyman ].
Gage, of Chicago, Illinois, the en-
phasis which he put on the added word
Chicago" inspiring a smile. When the
oath had been repeated Secretary Car
Isle stepped forward and took his sue
cessors hand. saying, Il want to con-
gratulate you and wish you every sue
cess"
Secretary Porter today exercised his
utmost tact to advance the callers as
fast as possible. and yet to give those
already with the president some fair
measure of time. Clubs and crowds
kept beseiging the lower entrances to
the mansion. At II o'clock the president
went to the east room and met the st.
Louis delegation, headed by r. c. Ker-
ems; the Tippecanoe club of Cleveland,
and a Minnesota delegation.
Governor Bushnell of Ohio was given
a special reception in the blue room at
noon. The crowds showed no abate-
ment up to 1870 o'clock
The president appeared only at inter-
walls. He received Gov. Pingree and
staff of Michigan. Among the callers
upstairs was the master of the National
grange. Mr.. Brigham of Delta. 0.
The crowds continued to beseige the
outer doors and upper corridors
throughout the afternoon.
After the exertions of the day Mr.. Nc
Kinley concluded not to attend the con-
cert at the pension office tonight as he
had intended.
The president will tomorrow attend
the Metropolitan Methodist church.
where Bishop Newman, an old friend of
the president, will preside.
SENATORS IN CAUCUS
The Republican senators were in eau
Gus for an hour and a quarter today, dis
cussing the relations of parties in the
senate. The only conclusion reached
was a decision to appoint committee
to confer with the parties in the senate
!relative to the vacancies in the senate
committees. Allison was made chair
man of this advisory committee, with
power to name other members. 1t was
evident to the Republicans that they
did not have an organizing majority a s
they now stood. and there was no one
who could give assurance that caucus
votes could be expected from either the
Populists or Silver Republicans.
Senator Allison was elected chairman
of the caucus to succeed Mr.. Sherman,
on motion of Senator Hoar, and Senator
Wilson we reelected secretary.
The discussion turned on the character
of the committee to be appointed. Sen
ator Cullom moved that the usual conf
mittee on committees should be ap-
pointed, but OTTER the debate had pro-
gressed some time, modified his motion
so as to make IL committee on the
situation, to consult with other elements
in the senate, and to continue only in
the present emergency The motion, as
modified, was agreed to.
There were numerous short speeches
by the older senators. Senators Hale,
Frye, Cullom. Hoar, Lodge. Chandler,
Pritchard, Carter and Davis being the
speakers.
Senator Proctor suggested that Re-
publican majority could be secured by
postponing the filling of the committees
until action could be secured in Oregon
and Kentucky. Senator Aldrich stated
that in all probability the governor OF
Oregon would appoint a senator from
that state.
The decision of the senate in the Man
tie case was referred to as standing in
the way of any appointee being seated
from either Kentucky or oregon.
Senator Chandler stated 1t to be his
belief that there would be serious objec-
ton from any source to the Republic
ans presenting tariff bill, whatever the
complexion of the committees, and 9TH
ers concurred in this view.
Senator Platt of New York was the
only new Republican senator present,
but none of the new men volunteered
any suggestion. The caucus adjourned
till Monday, when Senator Allison will
announce his committees.
1t was pretty generally understood
that 1T would be impossible for the Re
publicans to reorganize the senate COM
mittees on a Republican basis and that
silver Republicans and Populists who
have committee places of Importance
could not be disturbed under present
conditions. OF course, the greatest diff
ficulty of this phase of the situation is
that of filling the vacancies on the
finance committee, from which a tariff
bill must be reported.
AT present there are two vacancies,
one on the Democratic side and the other
on the Republican side
The two large parties are equally df-
vided, with Jones of Nevada, silver Re-
publican, holding the balance of power
The Republicans, by filling one vacan-
cy and giving the other to the Demo-
Gratis, will have no assurance of secur-
ing a report on a tariff bill. To claim
both vacancies and place Mr.. Jones with
the minority members would, cause great
opposition among the Democrats. To
arrange these difficulties, If possible, is
ia