The San Francisco call., 1897-01-21
THE MATTER NOT Def.
NITELY SETTLED.
Possible Connection With the
Official Family Was
Discussed.
SOME ANECDOTES OF THE
McKINLEYS.
National Comm tteeman John D
Spreckels and T. H. Caswell to
Help Inaugurate.

Hon. Joseph McKenna, Judge of the
United States Circuit Court, arrived in
this City last evening direct from Canton,
Ohio, where he has been in conference
with Major Mckinley, President-elect.
His coming was not announced, it being
his desire to return as quietly and as un-
ostentatiously as he departed. He was
successful in this. Half an hour after the
overland passengers arrived on this side
of the bay Judge McKenna was at his
home at 1864 Franklin street. While
there were many calls upon the telephone
in his residence yesterday, and while
during the past few days many persons
have telephoned congratulations, Judge
McKenna managed to enjoy undisturbed
the domesticity of his charming house,
hold last evening.
81 have been to Canton" said Judge
McKenna to a CALL reporter; that is
we'll known. 1 have talked with the
President concerning the Cabinet
and concerning my taking a position
therein. But | wish to say that some
statements have been made in the news
papers concerning me that are not just so."
rs it true that you have been invited to
accept a position in the Cabinet of Presi-
dent Mckinley, and that you have decided
to do so?p
Nothing has been decided" was the
response.
"But were you not invited to visit Cam
ton in reference to your acceptance of the
position alluded tor
THAT is putting the matter to broadly"
"But what is there to the report about
the Cabinet in connection with yourself?"
81 am afraid the newspapers have stated
it to strongly. My visit to Canton has
been given too much significance. I do
not deny that 1 may enter President Nc
Kinley's Cabinet, but from that TO the
fact of entering there are some obstacles,
and it may not be at ALL 1t is difficult to
express, and be correctly understood, the
freedom which has been left with Major
Mckinley and me-"
Concerning the obstacles, Judge, it has
been more than limited that one obstacle
to your accepting a Cabiret position
might be the possibility OF your appoint
ment to a seat on the bench of the Su-
preme Court of the United States to sue
ceed Justice Stephen ]. Field upon his re-
tirement."
"Now," said Judge McKenna decidedly,
"there is nothing at all 10 that story.
When l mention impediments it is not to
be understood that my going into the
Supreme Court is condition. the i'm
pediments are entirely personal which
may prevent my going into the Cabinet
if the position should be finally rendered
to me-"
Further than this Judge McKenna did
not care to talk about any connection be-
tween himself and the Cabinet of the
President-elect. He had other matters of
interest to talk about and described some
of the characteristics of Major Mckinley s
family in anecdotes concerning them.
II brought from Canton pleasant
memories, Z" he said, ''vhich l would not
give up for the sake of the premiership in
the administration. In this [ do not
allude merely to the personal courtesies
of the visit, but to something better than
that-the instruction and sentiment of it.
81 had the freedom of Major McKinley's
house and observed or participated in
what transpired as l pleased or was in
vited. Major Mckinley sent his carriage
for me as early as 8 9o'clock, and at that
hour he already had other visitors, gen.
tlemen from the South who discussed the
perplexing problems OF that section.
From that time until o'clock in the
afternoon the stream of incoming visitors
was continuous-the curious, the ampi-
tious, the interested, the patriotic--au
came One mother brought her boy that he
might look at the Presldent-elect. Senators
and mem bers.elect of the House OF Repre-
sentatives and a delegation from Texas
vino presented the request OF their State
for representation in the Cabinet were
there.
'sThey were all received with an atten-
tive and charming courtesy, each measur-
ing the time of his own stay, which under
the circumstances was surely noteworthy.
The Major showed no i'm patience, no in
attention even, and each visitor de parted
only wnen he himself desired to. II the
demands of state permit similar courtesy
in the White House, Major Mckinley will
be the most popular of Presidents.
The result OF this was that the day pro.
ceeded smoothly. There was no hurry, no
friction, and we sat down to dinner at 7
o'clock as if the day had been passed in
repose and pleasure, instead OF incessant
business and care.
Il had some conversation with Major
Mckinley touching the subject of his ad-
ministration. He is deeply impressed
with his coming duties and feelingly ex-
pressed his sense of their responsibilities
At dinner the conversation turned on past
days at the White House under other ad-
ministratlons. Mrs. Mckinley was in
good health during the Hayes admins
tration and was Mrs. Hayes, almost con-