The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-23
MEN OF PROMINENCE.
Desired by the President, to
Serve in Porto Rico.

Washington, April PA meeting of
the cabinet was held today the presi-
dent having returned from New York
for that and other business to be at
tended to. The president is going away
this afternoon and did not want to put
a session of the cabinet off until Friday.
inasmuch as there was much business
connected with the launching of civil
government in Porto Rico and other af-
fairs
The Porto Rican civil government oc-
cupied most of the two hours taken up
by the meeting. The president with the
aid of his cabinet officers, is trying to
secure men of prominence for the posi-
lions in the island.
II the bill tending in congress to all
low army officers to continue their posi-
tlons IS passed the president will be in
no haste about appointments, but if this
Dill IhreatentS to hang fire he will have
70 make the appointments by May l.
At least two of the appointments are to
pc made now. These are treasurer and
auditor for the island. Secretaries Gage
ana Root have, it is said, decided on
men for these positions. A native Porto
R1can is to be nominated as treasurer,
while an American who has been Serv-
ing IN the island is to be made auditor.
he Is understood to be an attache of
the treasury who has demonstrated
ABILITY and cleverness in his work in the
island.
The president has made a careful
canvass of the Americans living in the
island With view of considering the
wisdom of appointing a number of them
to places. 1t is likely that good many
OF these will be honored when the ap-
polntmentS are all made.
Attorney General Griggs is endeavor-
ing to find for the president some prom
1nent lawyers in this country who will
| accept judicial places under the new
Dill. The salaries are so small that few
lawyers of note can be found to con-
| si1ar the position.
The efforts to collect from Turkey the
Claims of the United States was brought
/ up by Secretary Hay who told of the
! negotiations to this time. His state
! lnent made the cabinet hopeful that a
| settlement can be secured at an early
! date, although the members realize it
! is hard problem to solve.
Another matter brifiy discussed was
that Of additional pay allowed a few
army officers in Cuba. Attorney Gen
eral Griggs had been asked if any law
| had been violated. He reported to the
cabinet that there was no violation OF
law, and that the action taken was war
/ ranted.
Secretary Root then told the cabinet
| the facts in the case. He said that soon
after General Brooke was made gov
| ernor general of the island he wrote tc
| the war department asking to be re-
| l1eVed saying that he could not main
| tain a family in the United States and
run an expensive establishment in Ha-
vana on the salary and allowances he
| received from the government He de-
| clared that he would become bankrupt
| He referred to the great amount OF
entertaining he was forced to do an6
to the fact that the people of the island
expected this. The war department
| officials, after serious consideration, de
cided to allow General Brooke an ad-
| ditional allowance from the Cubar
funds. The same decision was arrived
at in the case of General Ludlow, Col
onel Bliss and one or two others
The cabinet members say that the ex
PLANTATION of Secretary Root was salts.
| factory to the nresidant