New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-24
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL.
SOCIAL QUALIFICATIONS OF THE MEM
BERs OF THE NEW CABINET.
WEALTH REQUIRED TO OCCUPY SUCH Pc
s,r1oN-GENERAL HALpERMAN ON THE
RuMoRs FROM SIAM

WEALTH REQUIRED TO OCCUPY SUCH 20
s,r,oS-oENERAL HALpERMAN ON THE
RUMoRs FROM SIAN.
.s,rs.on. Jam o3-It is entirely natural
,.onle at the Capital should have more than
's,r.rv interest in the personnel OF Mr.. Nc
o,'.,.v.s Cabinet for tho President and his off,
-, family occupy prominent place IN social
rel, as Official lie and practically establish
o.. character Of society. which Is grave or gay.
u" decree II means much TO social life at
- ranital therefore. whether Cabinet Is
...as ND Of wealthy men. cultivated men. men
>. .,oderate means. or men Of Indifferent social
training.
", administration in the history OF the Gov
..,,,en, has been successful socially as was
no. ~ President Arthur with Mr. Frelinghuy-
-, as Secretary OF State, Mr.. Lincoln at the
s.od Of the War Department, Mr.. Brewster. At
,orney-Genera and Mr.. Chandler in possession
:, the Naval portfolio. all OF them men OF
18th and cultivation, whose families. trained
- social ways. were ambitious TO contribute
,,s,r quota 10 make society representative and
brilliant.
~-s.s who has been prominently mentioned rs
no.sible recipient Of one OF the portfolios in
ia a
.,no,nt poor man TO a position in the Cabinet.
IA Il IS an evidence Of great weakness and Of
r,sat vanity on the part OF a poor man to ac-
s.r, such position. The salary Is not sufficient
:, Az more than pay the rent OF a properly fur
,shea house and II takes about four times the
..,.rv 70 1--we end entertain. not extravagantly
and shovily but in a manner consistent with the
nigh position The consequence Is that to keep
anywhere near the pace set by his colleagues. a
,oor man uses up the small savings Of a life
Zine and what is he At for when his term ex-
hires? Nothing There should be home for
decrepid exes.'"
Fortunately, the men mentioned In connection
with Mr. McKinleys Cabinet some Of them
wealthy. all OF them possessed Of fortunes ade-
ouate 70 meet the demands Of the position. and
O, agreeable social qualities. The place the
shermans occupy in society will scarcely be
changed by Mr.. Shermans acceptance Of the
membership. They have for several decades en-
.ertaned frequently and elegantly. but In
quiet and conservative manner. The only diff
ference the new position will make is that Mrs
Sherman. ms wife OF the Secretary of State. will
have precedence after Mrs. Hobart. and will re-
ceive more visitors and make fewer visits. 1t
having become established custom that the
women Of the Cabinet shall not attempt to re-
The Vice President-elect has leased Bel
mont" the house OF A L. Barber. Of asphalt
fame. which stands In large and spacious grounds
in Fourteenth-st.. nearly opposite the home of
Mrs. Logan. and within a stones throw of the
home OF Justice Harlan and the Chinese Lega-
ton. A. .hough not bearing III" stamp Of fasn-
ionable approval, this quarter is OF the
healthiest and most desirable ~ town, and from
the hill on which Belmont is built a beautiful
view of the city and the outlying country can be
had
The Barber house is comparatively new. having
been b1ilt only ten years ago. with the intention
Of booming real estate in this section it is ad
mirably situated on a sloping greensward, and Is
a large and rather ambitious structure Of gray
stone. Its outlines are pretcntious, with com
handing towers and an enormous porte-cochere.
and 1t is surrounded by massive oaks. The in
terror was planned and is in every way suited foI
entertaining. and the furnishing and decorations
are in excellent taste. The BARRIERS have rarely
occupied this fine residence. Justice Fuller rent
ed II for the first year he was in Washington.
since which time. except for the occasional visits
Q. its owner, ii has been tenantless
General Haderman who has travelled ex-
sented the United States Government in the most
acceptable manner as Consul. Consul General
and then Minister at Bangkok, and is, perhaps.
better authority on Siamesc offairs than any
other man in this country. says that he reads
with distrust the Bangkok kilograms. which he
regards as purely sensational.
On friendly mission" &c says, lit would be
proper enough TO send a war vessel up the Me-
nam frequently to crafty orr own pride and
that Of the handful Of American missionaries
there; besides such a visit would please the
siamese king and people; but we should hesitate
10 play the swashbucker AMI bully with poo,
little Siam. as some others have done.
There would seem TO be danger of any loss
Of American prestige in the Orient, or necessity
for enforcing demands ny an exhibition OF
power'-this is the language of the telegram-4f
such demands be just and reasonable. Siam is
feeble power. and might easily be overrdn ana
appropriated by the National Guard OF the Dis
trict of Columbia Her Prime Minister. whom
know WELL clever Asiatic, would procrasti-
nate. equivocate and prevari~ late to the END OF
The chapter: but his master, the King, would not
IN my judgment delay justice to an American
or a representative of any other Power. with the
naval force of a nation at his back. III these
Gays when arbitration is uppernost In the minus
OF all good people, we should not coVet the ois
unction of blowing Bangkok 20 smithereens
Cheeks. about the settling of whose estate there
Is trouble Mr.. Halderman says, was
medical missionary of the Baptist denoInination
but years ago he gave up this profession 20 go
into the teakwood and ivory business, the Siam
csc Government becoming his creditors through
loans advanced and concessions granted, ana
al the time OF his DEATH being stlli IN deDt
70 that Government IL employed the usual means
o. colectng what was due it from his estate.
As for the Keett affair, II will be remembered
maj kellett is reported to have been nred upon
and wounded by Samese soldiers. MI Halder-
man absolutely discredits the facts as tele-
graphed 4 man with club, he says, could
overcome half dozen Siamese soldiers. who are
poor fellows al the best and likely TO run at the
hst manifestation Of hostilities. He thinks
Shen the matter is investigated 1t will appear
"a different light. He believes, too. the Amerl-
.an nag is quite as much respected In Siam as
uat OF any other nation AT least this was so
.nen ne was Minister there. and he has no rea-
Particular ..