The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-22
Brief Sessions of Both Houses of Con-
the Christmas Holidays.
TEXAS BAILEY SUCCESSFUL
AN INVESTIGATION OF WARRIOR
REPRESENTATIVES, ORDERED.
Hawaiian Territorial Bill Amended
and Reported to Senate-0O,OOO Sol
dieIs to BE Mustered Out.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.


| WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-President Nc
| Kinley to-day appointed Ethan Allen Hitch
cock of St. Louis, now United States am
| bassador at the court of the Russian Gar
| to be secretary of the interior in the place
| of Mr. Bliss, who is about to retire. The
| nomination was a complete surprise to
| Washington. His name had not been mem
| toned in connection with the portfolio and
| the Presidents intentions in regard thereto
| were not known even to Mr.. kerens, Re
| publican national committeeman from Mis-
| souri,. The appointment was purely per-
| sonal one. The President has known Mr.
! Hitchcock Intimately for twelve or fifteen
| years, and he has had him in mind ever
since Mr. Bliss informed him that he would
like to retire early in the coming year. Mr..
| Mckinley when chairman of the House
| committee on ways and means was first
brought into personal contact with Mr.
| Hitchcock, whose practical views the
| tariff produced profound impression on the
committee. The acquaintance which started
| there soon ripened into warm friendship,
which has been kept up ever since.
The President at the time of the resigna-
ton of Secretary Bliss which occurred
shortly after the meeting of Congress, and
which was final, invited Senator John c.
Gated by Mr.. Bliss. Senator Spooner, it is
said, took the matter under advisement for
| two or three days, but, after considering it,
notified the President that he felt obliged to
| decline it,
| Secretary Bliss in an interview to-day
said: 1T has been understood for some
| time that it would be my wish to retire from
| public life on the conclusion of the war.
! Now that the peace treaty has been signed,
| my request to be relieved will be granted,
but shall await the arrival of my successor
| before severing my connection with the In
| terror Department. L have been in most
| hearty accord with the President in his poll
| icy through the trying days in which he
| sought to avoid war and while as COM
mander-in-chief, he was conducting the war
| that came, notwithstanding his effort to
| prevent it. L believe most thoroughly in the
course he is now pursuing for maintaining
| the honor of the country by securing the
| just results of a successful war. 1 shall
leave my associates of the Cabinet and of
| the department and my many friends in
Washington with great regret, but private
and personal reasons make my retirement
a necessity
The Presidents decision to appoint Mr.
Hitchcock was first made known at the Cab
the announcement to those members who did
not accompany him his Southern trip
The members who were personally acquaint-
ed with Mr.. Hitchcock spoke of him in the
highest terms, and all agreed that the Sc
lection was an admirable one. The nominal
ton was sent to the Senate this afternoon
and at once confirmed. Mr. Hitchcock will
relieve Mr.. Bliss some time in February.
Mr.. Hitchcock was appointed minister to
Russia over year ago. and when the rank
was raised to an embassy he was reappoint-
ed. At the time of his appointment he was
a business man of st. Louis and was for
some time an extensive plate glass manu-
facturer He is great-grandson of Ethan
Allen, Of revolutionary fame. His ances-
tors are from Vermont, but his father moved
South and Mr.. Hitchcock was born at Mo-
bile, Ala. He is a brother of Henry Hitch
cock, lawyer of note. Senator Proctor,
who was in ST. Petersburg during the past
summer, says he is very popular in the
diplomatic corps and among the acquaint-
ances he has made abroad
Besides approving Mr.. Hitchcocks ap-
pointment the Senate confirmed the follow
ing nominations: F. f. Mckinley, receiver
of public moneys at Guthrie, o. T.; d. K.
Watson, of Ohio, commissioner to revise and
codify the criminal and penal laws of the
United States and the following Indiana
postmasters: E. f. Daugherty at Frank
ton, E. z. Hissem at South Whitley, w w.
Tinge at Paoli, r. Ross at East Chicago H.
Schrage, jr., at Whiting, Mary l.. Woods at
Hammond.
Acting under the provisions of the act of
April 2, 1898 the President to-day sent to
the Senate a long list of military nomina-
tions covering promotions in the volunteer
army announced Notwithstanding the fact
that the troops have been mustered out.
With the exception of the one nomination of
Mai Philip Reade to be lieutenant colonel
and inspector general, all the nominations,
covering about two hundred, are of officers
of the following regiments: The First Sec
ond and Third Volunteer Cavalry, and the
First, Second, Third, Fourth Fifth Sixth.
Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Volunteer
Infantry. The nominations range down
from lieutenant colonel including in some
cases privates made corporals