Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-16
CABINET MAKING

President-elect Mckinley. if reports
can be trusted. is finding the task OF
constructing Il cabinet no easy matter.
| This is not an exceptional experience.
but 1t is IL fact that cabinet making aD-
pears to be growing more difficult, owing
to the fact that the most available pub ic
men for cabinet positions are un-
willing to take upon themselves the
laborious duties. cares and responsible
ties OF these positions. To be Il cabinet
officer is Il distinguished honor and it af-
fords opportunity for great usefulness
ard the attainment of enduring fame, as
abundant examples in our history at
test, but it involves hard work and close
application, with less freedom than can
be enjoyed as Il member of congress or
in other public station. Hence cabinet
office is not so attractive to statesmen
of the first order as it was mt an ear
lier neriod.
Major Mckinley has made an excel
lent beginning in the construction of his
cabinet in selecting Senator sherman t.
be secretary of state. AS the premier
of the new administration the diS,in'
guished Ohio statesman will b. accept
able to his party and to the country.
While almost wholly known to the pub /"
in connection with the financial affair."
If the government. Senator Sherman has
acquired an intimate knowledge OF our
foreign relations aS II member of the
senate committee on foreign relations
for II number of years, so that he VIII
assume the duties of the State denart'
ment thoroughly equipped for the great
RESPONSIBILITIES that will devOlve upon
him. In that capacity Senator sherman
can be confidently relied upon to eXcr.
else wise, careful and conservative
Judgment. There will be no departure,
head of the Department of State, from
the time ehonored policy of the govern
mCnt in its foreign relations. While he
will zealously guard the rights and in.
terestS of the United States and of Amer
lean citizens everywhere, he will do
nothing to ieoparIliZe the friendly rela-
tions of the United States with ether
powers. His selection should there
fore dispel whatever apprehension
there may be ut home or abroad CT an
aggressive foreign policy on the part of
the next administration. Senator Sher-
man will also be II valuable member of
the Mckinley administration for his
financial counsel and 1t Is not to be
doubted that he will have n large part
in shaping the policy of the administra-
ton in this respect. Indeed. it is highly
probably that this consideration had
weight with the president-elect in invit-
ing Senator Sherman 10 take cabinet
portfolio.
With this highly satisfactory start.
Major Mckinley should have no very
great difficulty in selecting the other
momhers of bis cabinet. The most inn
portant position to be filed is that OF
secretary of the treasury and 1t Is under
stood the president-elect desires Il west
elm man for this place. though two east
crn men are reported TO be under con
sideration. No western man has yet
been named as IA probability. 1t ap-
p2nrs to be the intention of Major Me
Kinley to give every selection of the
eorrtry representation in the cabinet
and 1t will not be questioned that this
is the wise course. one thing may be
predicted with safety, that when he shall
have completed his cabinet 1t will be
composed of men fully qualified for
their positions and worthy of the conf
dence of the country.