Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-09
CABINET GOSSIP.
The Center Of All Political In
terest,. at Present.
mcKinIey's Patience in Difficult Task
Of Selecting Ca binet.
4 Diplomatic Newspaper Man Who Meant
Well But Didn't Know.

ON->'"o JOo "hASh XuoJOE 0AOhlAlcy ltdt
on his hands out at Canton and Cleveland
l hear from private and wholly trustwor
thy sources that the chief obstacle to shap
ing up the cabinet Is as to the secretary
ship OF state. While Senator Sherman was
at one time decided on for this post and IL
still likely to be the new secretary, there arc
certain obstacles in the way. The senator il
willing to accept the post, and has indicat.
ed as much, but he is not anxious to dc
SO. He will not do SO at all unless the
way can be cleared for the appointment OF
Mr.. Hanna as his successor in the senate.
Here is where the old factional troubles in
Ohio politics come in. Senator Elect For.
aker and Governor Bushnell are warm
friends, and if Mr.. Sherman were to re.
sign Governor Bushnell would have the
appointment of his successor 1t is safe to
say that If Mr. Bushnell will agree to ap.
point MIR Hanna senator Mr. Sherman
will be the next secretary Of state, and not
| otherwise. At the present time under.
stand the Foraker and Hanna elements OF
the party in that state are negotiating and
trying to reach an agreement for peace all
around, with fair prospect of success.
Political Rivalry.
Much of the cabinet gossip is of an ip-
teresting character, though not throwing
much light upon the personnel of the new
ministry BY this time President Elect
Mckinley must have Il fine lot of informa-
ton concerning the factional wars and per-
sonal quarrels in the Republican party.
Wherever man has bobbed up above the
surface as cabinet possibility some other
man or a number OF men have appeared,
trying to pull him down. Quite as many
trips have been made to Canton to oppose
possible cabinet appointments as for the
purpose of favoring them. For instance,
ss soon as it was nOised about that ex Gov
eruor Merriam of Minnesota was under
consideration for the war department or
some other cabinet post a number of PROM
inent Minnesota Republicans went to Can.
ton to protest against him. Among these
was ex-senator Washbufn. They have
some old fractional feuds up in Minnesota
which are coming to the front at this time
The same thing is true of other states.
Governor Merriam is generally regarded as
a fine man, worthy place in any pres.
dents cabinet, and l understand his op
ponants DO not base their criticism upon
personal grounds AS in Wisconsin, where
political rivalry has led to the appearance
Vi oPPcsitioi W tuC VI IIcIlTy
Payne to the postmaster generalship or to
the secretaryship of the interior, party fac
tionalism and not personal shortcomings Is
at the bottom of the trouble. There are
many other states in which the same con-
ditions have appeared. In fact, in almost
every state some such opposition to this
man or that has manifested itself, and the
president elect has had to sit and listen to
ALL og -
enmity and of quarrels which it seems i'm
possible to heal. Mr.. Mckinley is pa
tient, however and perhaps he likes it.
Their vigilant Eyes.
Amid a group of senators and newspaper
men the other day heard an interesting
discussion. 1t was as to whether proni-
nent man could or could not get into Can
ton, have an interview with the president
elect and get out again without being pub
lished in the newspapers. The prevailing
opinion among those present was that the
thing could not be done. They called at
tention to the fact that the local newspaper
men of Canton are very bright fellows,
who by this time have had SO much contact
with the prominent men of the country
that no one would be able to escape their
vigilant eye. If perchance some one should
come along with whose face they were not
familiar, then one or other of the special
correspondents of big newspapers who are
stationed at Canton would be sure to rec
ognize the visitor and give the facts away
to their fellow workers in the newspaper
field. Among the special correspondents
stationed at Canton are a number who have
had extended experience in Washington
and who are acquainted with nearly all the
well known men in the country.
At this juncture a newspaper man, Will
liam +. Curtis, the we'll known correspond
emit and special writer of the Chicago Rec
ord, surprised us all by telling a story
~ say it is possible for man of first
rate prominence to get into Canton, see
Mckinley and get out again without being
discovered by the newspaper boys" said
Mr.. Curtis. 81 know it can be done, be.
cause it has been done. l was myself, the
pilot of very prominent man who wanted
to see Mckinley without being known. 1t
happens that am we'll known in Canton,
where have frequently visited. 1t also
happens that have relatives at Massillon,
eight miles west of Canton. Having made
arrangements with Governor Mckinley for
the reception of my friend, told him to
ride through Canton on his way west and
to get of at Massillon. There l met him,
and we took another train back to Canton.
Arriving there at midday, of course the
correspondents hailed me and wanted to
know who my friend was. / told them he
was one of my relatives from Massillon who
had come over with me to pay his respects
to the president elect We walked up North
Market street to McKinleys house, had a
private interview with the governor, and
walked back to the railway station again,
and all without the identity of my friend
being discovered. If he had been known,
there would have been column about his
visit in every paper in the country the
next morning"
He Meant Well.
Mr.. Curtis ability as diplomatist is
we'll known. This reminds me of another
man, we'll known congressman who is an
aspirant for appointment as minister to
France under the Mckinley administra-
ton. He imagines himself to be great
diplomat, but l saw letter of introduce
ton which he recently wrote for newspa.
per friend Of his who wanted to make the
acquaintance of a certain public man. II
do not know whether you will care to talk
to this correspondent or not, wrote the
congressman, but if you do talk to him
think you will be perfectly safe - 1t is
scarcely necessary to add that the letter of
introduction was never presented The con-