The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-16
Congressman From New York
Seeks Vice Presidency.
His Object In Resigning His
Seat Explained.
SECRETARY OF SENATE
Office Is q Sinecure Which Will
Allow Him
Plenty of Time to Strengthen
His Cause With Delegates.

Washington, Jan. 16.-The statement
that Congressman Sherman of New
York had concluded to leave the House
and accept the secretaryship of the
Senate created some surprise in Wash
ington- After his election to the pres
ent congress Mr.. Sherman was ap-
pointed member of the board of gen
eral appraisers, with a salary of $780,
This office he declined, preferring to
enter the House for another term. Be
fore it organized he made an active
canvass for nomination for speaker to
succeed Mr.. Reed and for a time ap-
peared to be a likely winner. A west
ern man developed greater strength.
and Gen. Henderson of Iowa secured
pledges of a majority. Thereupon, be
fore the House met, Sherman with
drew; and but one candidate was pre-
scented in the Republican caucus. Sher-
man had a. very substantial following,
however, and when the committees
were appointed his friends were keenly
disappointed that the Utica represen-
tative was not given a place on the
committee on rules. Sherman asked for
nothing, leaving his assignment en-
tirely to the discretion of Speaker Hen
dersOn. He was, nevertheless IS, DESTROYS
of getting a more important chairman
ship than he received, in view of his
support for speaker.
Sherman was put at the head of the
lnQla0 audlTS committee, MS pace III
the last congress. If he is elected sec
rotary of the Senate there is little
doubt that Representative Charles Cur
tbs of Kansas will be made chairman OF
Indian affairs. He is well equipped for
the head of this committee, and now is
second member of it Mr.. Curtis was
the author of the SO-ca1led Curtis bill
for reorganization of courts and gov
eminent of the Indian Territory, and
is versed in the intricacies of affairs in
the Five Nations.
AS Sherman declined not long ago a
place of much more Importance than
the secretaryship of the Senate, his
decision now to take the latter indi-
Gates that he has special reasons for
leaving the House at this time. lie IS
an ambitious man, only As years of
age, vigorous, popular and successful
as a lawyer. 1t is highly probable that
Mr.. Sherman has in view much higher
Office namely the vice presidency.
Secretary Root the administrations
candidate for that office. has met such
sharp opposition from Lieutenant Gov
ernor Woodruff that he declined in ad-
vance to make a fight for the nominal
ton Former Secretary Bliss would be
the man most likely to please the two
factions in New York, but his bust
ness affairs are said to be so engroSS-
ing that he will not again enter official
life The pressure of commercial af-
fairs induced him to retire from the In
terror Department, and it is hardly
probable he would care to return to
take such an office as the vice. resi-
dency. Sherman was chairman of the
Republican state convention in 1895, is
prominent in state politics and accept
able to all factions. His friends init
mate that very soon the Utica. politi-
clan will have his lines laid for the
Vice-presidential nomination.
He accepts the secretaryship at the
desire of Senators Platt and Depew
and the recent offer to appoint him to
the list of general appraisers shows
that he is acceptable to the admins
tration. In the secretaryship Sherman
can solidify himself with senatorial in
| fuences. and already he stands well
with the majority of the House Repub-
| licans. His new office is practically a
sinecure, and will leave him "a hours
a day to devote to politics or anything
else he may find congenial. 1t is be-
lieved he will devote the time to
STRENGTHENING himself with the dele
gates to the Philadelphia convention.