The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-09
President Mckinley and Secretary
Sherman.

The Pittsburg Dispatch Of last Sum-
day printed an interview with ex-Sec-
rotary John Sherman, by George Alfred
Townsend, bearing especially upon Mr..
Sherman's entrance to the cabinet of
President Mckinley as secretary of
state and his retirement therefrom.
This is the first time that the venerable
Ohio statesman has come out frankly
and made a clean breast of the facts
connected with the two incidents re-
ferred to. Mr.. Sherman plainly says
''They really did not want me in the cab
met, but wanted my senatorial seat 1t was
represented to me that they could not make
up the cabinet without me- and that ques-
lions We're coming along that l ought to have
control Of l knew that Hanna wanted the
rest OF my term, and, as he had always been
friendly to me, l did not desire to seem dis
obliging. So 1 resigned my seat and went
into the cabinet. Mr.. Hanna received the
rest of my term but when he tried for a
term for himself he could only get it by a
single vote, notwithstanding the admins ira
TONS support 1t then began to be said
that 1 was growing forgetful and senile
Hanna, whom I had obliged with my seat
was among the first TO say that I had lost
my mentality. 1t was not a very kind re-
turn for my vacating my seat for him.
Referring to his association with the
president, Mr. Sherman, after intimat-
ing that he saw very little Of the presi-
dent, refers to the introduction of Mr..
Day to the state department. as assis-
tant secretary. Critici5ing the some
what tardy selection, the eX-secretary
remarked that Judge Day had little to
do in the state department, but spent
a good deal of his time, especially dur
ing the evenings, with the president
Finally, upon one OF his visits to the
executive, Mr.. Sherman was rather sur
prised by blunt statement to him
on the part of Mr.. Mckinley intimat-
ing that what he CMr. Sherman) had
been saying, or was reported as hav-
ing said, was very embarrassing to
Judge Day. The secretary promptly
replied to the president, asking him if
he supposed that he, Sherman, would
say anything to injure the administra-
ton Of which he was a member? In
stead of answering by an expression Of
confidence. Mr. Mckinley repeated the
same statement in a manner that stir
red Mr.. Sherman's anger Il got mad"
he said, "and I came away and wrote
out my resignation peremptorly."
This revelation confirms everything
in the line Of criticism that has been
alleged in regard to Mr. Sher-
mans retirement from the senate as
we'll as, later on, his withdrawal from
the cabinet.
The treatment Of Mr.. Sherman, to
which President Mckinley was a party,
was not only discreditable to all those
connected with it, but presents the
president in a most unenviable posi-
tinn TaW6a limo q Of
heartiessness Of which few believed him
| possessed. There is no man in the Re-
publican party today who is more uni
| VerSally respected by his opponents
than John Sherman. His public career
Of more than forty years has been hon
orable TO himself and of value to his
country. The incident also reveals the
weakness of Mr.. McKinley's character
as a man and a public official, and his
complete subserviency to the dictates
| of Mark Hanna, his sponsor and mort
| gage. 1t was offense enough to con-
! front at the same council board, this
venerable statesman with the cold and
! insolent visage of Russell A. Alger. By
| seducing Mr.. Sherman from the senate
| chamber to the headship of the state
department, and then superseding him
| by an obscure country lawyer Of Ohio,
in the place of executive favor and
confidence properly belonging to the
secretary of state, and then finally
forcing him from his cabinet in order
| to elevate the interloper to the dignity
and honor Of the higher position, Mr.
| Mckinley evinced a meanness of spirit
| more worthy of a Tudor king than of
a president of the United States con-
spicuous in his pretensions to a high
order of Christian conduct.
In further commenting upon the
episode, Mr.. Sherman concluded as fol-
lows:
az was always supporter of President Nc
Kinleys. You know that whatever he de-
sired to have, governor, president anything
1 sustained. They always called upon me
and I responded. But 1 do not believe that
my suggestions wishes would now be con-
sidered by the administration. | assented ia
give up my seat, as l did not want to ap-
pear exacting. Always with good nature
have subscribed to the programme. l think
that have been used for a purpose
This record is certainly one upon
which no admirer of Pres. dent McKin-
ley can look, hereafter, with -compla-
cency and pride.
Higher Commercial Education.