The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-01-27
DAVIS NOT To RETIRE.
Friends OF Assistant Secretary
.---u.-- 49,.

80 wlN,fA
Friends of Assistnnt Secretary of
Interior Deny Rumors.
New York, Jan. s4.-The Tribune's
Washington correspondent says:
Trustworthy information here does
tlot sustain the recent stories in re-
gard to the prospective retirement
rom the interior department OF AS
sistant Secretary Webster Davis, now
n South Africa. These stories have
e%ndeavored to make it appear that
Davis trip to the Cape is a %forerunner
u his retirement to private life. 1t
Einlgy was dissatisfied with the adj
secretary, particularly his rulings
statements need no denial to those ia
miliar with the relations between the
assistant secretary and the president.
Mr.. Davis, after Mckinley's election,
announced his candidacy for the place
Of United States attorney for the west
ern district of Missouri, and shortly
after the Inauguration came to Wash
ington and presented his papers. The
following Saturday he met the presi-
dent at a public reception. To the sur
prise of the young Missourian, Mckin-
ley invited him to step behind the line
of the receiving party. When the re-
ccption was over he accompanied the
president to his private Office, and to
his utter amazement was informed by
Mckinley that the latter had already
seen his application for United States
attorney for the western district of
Missouri, but he would rather have
Davis accept another Office. The presi-
dent said he had not then decided
what place he could offer. Within a
week the president informed him he
had decided to give him the assistant
secretaryship of the interior. Davis
accepted the office, and his appoint
ment followed a few days later. From
that day the relations between the
young Missourian and the chief cN-
ecutive have been most cordial. Al
though the youngest man that ever
filed the place, Assistant Secretary
Davis has accomplished more in that
office than any of his predecessors, and
at the same time has takef IN active
part in many political campaigns.
Early in 1898 some friction arose be-
tween the commissioner of pensions
and the assistant secretary of the in
terror by cas- of the fact that many
decisions of the pension office were re-
Sersed by the assistant secretary. The
commissioner of pensions frequently
| appealed the cases decided by the as
sistant secretary to the secretary of
the interior. In each of these cases
the decision of the assistant secretary
was sustained, Notwithstanding the
fact that many eases We're referred to
the attorney general of the United
States for a judicial opinion, and many
more to the assistant attorney general
for the interior department. The re-
Tcords of the interior department show
that in not Il single case has a decision
of Davis been reversed, but, on the
contrary, all have been sustained by
the secretary.
After the retirement last March of
Cornelius y. Bliss as secretary of the
interior, it was currently reported
there was friction between Davis and
Secretary Hitchcock, but there GER
tainly has been no friction between
the two during the last six months.
The utmost harmony has prevailed.
Last fall Davis was invited and took a
prominent part in the political cam
paign in Ohio. AS Il result he returned
to Washington in impaired health, and
at the suggestion of his physician he
decided TO take a long sea voyage. The
war in South Africa had begun, and
Davis concluded to visit that country
lie called upon Secretary Hitchcock.
and asked for jn1efinifeeieass Ty i.
sence, eSIsllsi1lngthis-reason therefor
anlgiis request WAS promptly granted