The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-15
Men of Fame Not Attracted.
CbicaCn 'rimee- Herald

|
Major Mckinley is having the usual Ill
| luck of presidents in the building OF
his cabinet The difficulty which most pres
idents- elect have experienced is 10 Undue
| ing men of frst-ciass reputation to take
cabinet appointments All our recent PIES
| idents have had the same experience. More
cabinet appointments have been declined
| than the country was permitted TO know
| about.
So far Major Mckinley appears to have
| but one man OF ilrst-class reputation On
his eligible and available list--Senator
Sherman He has failed with Senator AL
| lison and with Congressman Dingley, and
| he will probably meet the same tate with
| MIR. Aldrich of Rhode Island I ne concludes
to offer the treasury depart mont 20 that
| senator. The failure of the plan 10 get
Messrs. Dingley ana Allison. ar at least
one OF them, makes it almost imperative
that Major Mckinley should draft the ser
vices of Senator sherman, for 1t Is neces-
sary that there should he in the cabinet
one man Of the highest fame.
one trouble in this whole cabinet nal ing
! business is that the salary Of cabinet
| minister is not sufficient TO pay the nee
essary expenses of living and entertain
ment in the style required by the customs
| of the capital. This consideration had
something to do with the refusal OF Goth
Senator Allison and Governor Dingley to
| enter the Mckinley cabinet. Neither could
| afford the honor
| Senator Allison has some property out in
! Iowa, but it is not productive property. ond
! leeds loking after. The senator's income
outside his senatorial salary does not
| amount to more than two or three thousand
| dollars a year, and while this suftices for
+, his simple needs as senator. it would
| not be sufficient for a cabinet officer to
| live upon. AS secretary of state Senator
4 Ia, t.k,t ,l,.
$4,000 a year, and would be lucky to get
| off with that
| The case is much the same with Governor
| Dingley He has a modest income from his
Maine newspaper. but that and his salary
as secretary of the treasury would both
! be eaten up by the expenses imposed ruon
| a cabinet officer.
| Senator Sherman is rich. has one OF the
| finest houses in Washington, and can we'll
| afford TO take the State department or any
| other cabinet office. The cabinet is a
mighty poor place for a poor man. as
Gresham and Carlisle and Wilson and
many others have discovered to their cost.
Up In the senate they have sort OF
fashion of sneering at cabinet places. The
men who hold seats in that body by a
secure tenure-those who think they are
enough in favor with their constituents to
| bS dbic W ltludili luI q lotlk lllflt 10 come
| regard themselves as in pretty rich
clover. This is partly due to the hauit
| senators have OF feeding one another $
vanity. They are continually saying one to
another what u fine thing 1t is to be a
senator OF the United States--a member of
the most disnified and distinguished M
islative body on earth. No matter how
small potatoes man may be. this sort OF
thing makes an impression on him after a
| time He begins to think himself among
/ the elect OF the earth. Thus It has come
about that among senators there Is a fash
ion of looking down from their lofty perch
! upon places in the cabinet. The rule is
! that when senator wants TO 80 to the
executive branch or the government ia
serve his country he is out of favor with
| his constituents at home and In danger of
being defeated for reelection.
Senators also bear in mind the fate OF
Mr.. Carlisle. The present secretary OF the
treasury had been in public life for more
| than thirty years when MIR. Cleveland
tempted him with an offer OF cabinet
post Though then in the senate, body
| exactly suitable to his talents ard tenn
permanent, and so popular in Kentucky that
| all the chances are he would have boon
! permitted to remain as Ions as he lived
ME- carlisle succumbed to the temptation.
| He did so against the advice Of his besi
friends and the members OF his family.
1t can rot be sail with truth that presI-
dont Cleveland has gone much out of his
way to make Mr. Carlisle's bed ono of
roses. On the contrary he has been ratho,
dlctatorial and once or twice has cons
uanserously near TO the point Of admins
terlnC m oren snub. Nor can II b. said
mat Mr.. Carlisle has added to his replta
ton as public man while in he treas
nry, though this is more due 10 circum-
stances Of an unfortunate sort than TO any
failure on his mart '
a, any rate he is about to be nut ont q,
public station for tho first time In tbirt,.
SIX years, without fortune. ard .aco ,c
lace with tho necessity of going al tn,
practice OF law as II he were . Young mar
iust starting ont in life. He has one conso.
lation. no will not lack for clients. II,
WI doubtless be earning at the rate n,
'eo'ooV year within a few months.