Evening star., 1897-03-01

connection with his war record caused him
bitter humiliation. / think those scurrilous
| publications, Notwithstanding the fact that
he easily disproved them all, still prey up
on his mind. At any rate he has aged
more perceptibly than any. man l ever knew
within corresponding period of time
Mrs. Alger remained within her beautiful
Arlington apartments during the forenoon,
attending to her correspondence. She also
received, informally, number of ladies
from Michigan, who have come to Wash
ington to attend the Inauguration. Mrs.
Alger is very lovely woman, the delicate,
smooth, rosy colorng of whose face is in
striking contrast with the great mass of
dark iron-gray hair which she dresses back
from her forehead in colonial fashion. She
reminds me of one of Sir Joshua Reynolds
pictures" was the comment of a lady who
called upon her this morning.
Mr.. James Wilson.
If his movements yesterday and this MORN
ing may form the basis of prediction, NJ.
James Wilson of Iowa, who is to be Prcsi-
dent-elect McKinleys Secretary of Agricul-
ture. will be the earliest riser among the
members of the new cabinet. Mr.. Wilson,
wi1o arrived at the Ebbitt House on Satur-
day night last, retiring to his room and TO
sleep almost Immediately upon his arrival,
made his appearance in the hotels main
&C rridor before o'clock yesterday morning,
and by quarter past D, good hour be-
thought of rising, he had finished his break
fast and the most of the Sunday newspa-
Eers. He spent the day at the hotel, re-
ceiving a large number of his former asso-
ciates in Congress- who called for the pur
pose of personally congra tuldting him upon
his appointment to the new cabinet, and, IN
a few cases. upon business OF somewhat
ante-official character, concerning appoint
ments and retentions in the Department of
Agriculture. Mr.. Wilson is said to have
quietly informed all of the visitors who
called upon him on business of this nature
that he had as yet given the matter Of ap-
pointments no consideration wha tever, and
that he probably would not devote any OF
his attention to that subject until he had
fully mastered all of the details Of the de-
ps.rtment of which he is to be the head.
This morning MIR. Wilson made his ap-
pcararce in the Ebbitt House breakfast
oom, carefully dressed and wide awake
for the business of the day, at $40. and by
o'clock he was in his room looking over
a big accumulation of letters. He left
shortly afterward for the river excursion
Cn the new torpedo boat.
1T would be mere idleness for me to
make any present attempt to outline any
changes that may be in contemplation
with regard to the policy of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, said Mr.. Wilson to
a Star reporter. "As a matter of fact,
suppose that l know less concerning the
methods at present employed in carrying on
the operations of that department than the
very newest of the new congressman now
holding seats at the south end of the Cap
itoi. Although / believe / was the first
representative in Congress to introduce
bill providing for the creation of the cab
net office of Secretary Of Agriculture thav-
ing at the time not the vagueSt notion that
| myself would ever be invited to accept
that position), that was way back in the
Forty-third Congress, and a good deal of
the data which l then had at hand in sup
port of the measure has escaped me- AS
practical agriculturist, + watched the
a lnra rfpa Of A
ture very closely when I was in Congress-
but as / say, that was long time ago
ard the department h2Is widened enor-
mousiy in scope since that time / have
Just concluded six years of the hardest
work of my life in building up the Agri-
cultural College of the state of Iowa and
l anticipate four years more of exceeding
ly difficult labor and close study in mas
terlng the details of the Department of
ASriculture-for it is perhaps needless for
ME TO state that l did not come to Wash
ihgton for fun.
NO, I do not intend just yet to commit
myself as to what l think of publications
concerning Tapeworm in Poultry and
other subjects of a kindred nature. 1t
would be manfestly improper for me to
attempt to be humorous on this or any
other subject connected with the Depart
nent of Agriculture, especially before |
nave received my appointment. Nor do l
see how / could with propriety foreshadow
my attitude respecting the distribution of
seeds. question which appears to have
been pretty thoroughly hammered in both
ways during the present session of Con-
gfess. I've got good long summer ahead
of me during which to carefully review
that matter. Supposing you do me the
honor to ask me all about it-well, say
some time next July or August.
Although by birth Scotchman, Mr..
Wilson Is in appearance a typical Ameri-
can farmer-not an agriculturiSt Of the
sort grossly carcatured in the comic pub
LEGATIONS, but fine, upright. gray bearded.
sturdy-iooking citizen, whose actions and
manner of speech yet betoken an almost
In rather low tone of voice, using occa-
sionally the gestures of the trained par
1amentarian, and while he talks there is
something of palpable sincerity in his ex-
preston and manner that Is convincing.
Other Prospective Cabinet Officers.
Judge Gary of Maryland, who Is one of
the certainties of the new cabinet, although
MS position has not as yet been decided
upon with positiveress, has engaged per-
manent quarters at the Hotel Normandie,
and Is expected to arrive there tomorrow
morning. Judge McKenna of California,
another certainty is on his way to the ma
tlonal capital, and Is expected to arrive at
the Cochran tonight. Judge McCook whose
alleged refusal of the secretaryship of the
interior caused Mr.. Mckinley to suspend
the finishing of his cabinet slate until he
Cook, Is expected to arrive in Washington
either late this evening or early tomorrow
morning. He will probably put up at the
Ebbitt House, where he is to have a talk
with MIR. Mckinley regarding his accept
ance of position In the cabinet tomor-
row. Although Mr.. John d. Long of Mas
sachusetts announced last week that ne
probably would not attend the inaugura-
tion of the President, who has extended
him seat in his cabinet, his Washington
friends have no doubt that he will turn
up here within day or sos
Gen. Porter's wishes.
Mr.. Frederic Coudert, the famous New
York lawyer and after-dinner speaker, was
asked by Star reporter at the Arlington
this morning what he thought OF President
elect McKinley's alleged intention to ap-
point Gen. Horace Porter Secretary Of the
Interior.
Il think 1t Is pure nonsense was Mr..
Couderts reply. Gen Porter Is slated for
the ambassadorship to France. That is
what he wants, what he has been offered,
and he Is the ideal man for the place: for"
concluded Mr.. Coudert, with a twinkle in
his eye, Horace Porter is soldier, gen.
tleman-and he thinks he knows FrenchI'
State Department Changes.