Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-23
He Will Not Resign at the
Present Time as
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Of the Interior ~Department-WLy He
Went to South Advertisements
of Friction Are Denied by the
Officials.

New York. Jan. ga special to the
Herald from Washington VI Trust
worthy information here does not sustain
recent stories in regard to the prospec-
tive retirement. from the interior depart
ment Of the assistant secretary, Webster
Davis. now in South Africa. These stor-
les have ~endeavored to make 1t appear
that Davis trip to the Cape is the fore
runner of his retirement to private life.
1t has been asserted that President Nc
Kinley was dissatisfied with his admins
tration of his cftice as assistant secretary.
particularly his ruling with relation to
pension claims.
These statements need no denial TO
those who are familiar with the relations
between the assistant secretary and the
president. Mir. Davis, after Mckinley's
election, announced ais candidacy for the
place of United States attorney for the
western district Of Missouri and shortly
after the Inauguration came to Washing
ton and presented his papers. The fol-
lowing Saturday he met the president at
one of the public receptions. 10 the
surprise of the young MissOurian, Mr..
Mckinley invited him to step shind the
line of the receiving party. When the
reception was over he accompanied the
president to his private office and to his
utter amazegnent was informed by Mr..
Mckinley that the latter had already
seen his application for United States at
torney for the western district of Mis-
souri,, but that he would rather have Mr..
Davis accept another office. The presl-
dent said he had not then decided what
place to give him. Within a week the
oided to give him the assistant secretary
ship Of the interior. Mr.. Davis accepted
the office and his appointment followed a
few days later. From hat date the re-
lations the young Missour1an
and the chief executive have been the
most cordial.
Although the youngest man who has
ever filled the place of assistant secre-
tary, Mr.. Davis has accomplished more
in that office than any Of his predecessors
and at the same time has taken an ac-
tive part in many political campaigns.
Early in 1898 some friction arose be-
tween the commissioner of pensions and
the assistant secretary of the interior by
reason of the fact that many of the de-
cisions of the pension office were revers-
ed by the assistant secretary. Thu conn
missioner of pensions frequently appeal
ed the cases decided by the assistant
secretary to the secretary of the interior.
In ZACH of these cases the decision Of the
assistant secretary was sustained, not
withstanding the fact that many of the
casts were referred TO the attorney gen
eral for a judicial opinion and many more
to the assistant attorney general for the
anterior department. The records of the
interior department show that in not a
single case has a decision of Mr.. Davis
been reversed, but, IN the contrary, they
have all been sustained by the secretary.
After the retirement last March of Ger
nelius N. Bliss as secretary of the inter
ior, it was currently reported that there
was friction between Mr.. Davis IND Sec
rotary Hitchcock. But there has GER
tainly been no friction between the two in
the last six months On the contrary
the utmost harmony has prevailed. Last
fall Mr.. Davis was invited and took a
prominent part in the political campaign
in Ohio. AS a result he returned to Wash.
ington in impaired health and at the sug.
gestion Of his physician decided to take
a long sea voyage. The war in South
Africa a begun and Mr.. Davis conclud'
ed to visit that country.
He called on Secretary Hitchcock an6
asked for an indefinite leave of absence
explaining his reasons therefor, which
was promptly granted. If Mr.. Davi:
has any intention Of retiring 1t Is no
known to his friends here,