The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-25

CNew York Mail and Express)
The president, in making public the
fact that he requested all the mem
bers of his cabinet to continue in of
flee, and thus putting an end to all
doubt as to its personnel, has followed
/ the precedent set by Mr.. Cleveland
/ eight years ago, and repeated his own
procedure Of 1895. Up to 1892 It had
been the custom of the president-elect
to surround the membership of his in
tended cabinet with mystery, and spec
ulatiOn was rife until the moment the
president of the senate broke the wax
seal on the White House envelope in
which the president transmitted the
names of his new cabinet. Mr.. CleVe-
land departed from this rule after his
second election, much against his will,
but in response to the imperative de-
mand of the business world. which had
become dangerously perturbed by the
prospect Of unSOund financial legiSla-
ton under the new administration.
House and senate were overwheIm-
ingly in control of the free silver De-
mOCracy, and free silver legislation
seemed imminent. Mr.. Cleveland be
ieVed he could prevent the threatened
panic by announcing several weeks be-
fore he entered the White House that
Senator John q. Carlisle of Kentucky
would be his secretary of the treasury.
Finding that Mr.. CarliSle's name alone
restored no confidence he followed
with the announcement that Judge
Walter .. Gresham would be his Secre-
tary Of state. Later on he sought to
pacify the e stern business world by
the announcement that Nh. Daniel La
mont would be nOminally his secretary
Of war, but in reality mis- confidential
adviser. AfteTWard he announced the
remaining members of his cabinet as
ne decided upon them, so, by March I,
the country knew who would be Mr..
Clevelands official family
When Mr. Mckinley was elected in
1886 he decided TO follow this course
After inviting to Canton the gentle
men whom he intended 10 ask to &C
cept cabinet portfolios, he made public
their names as soon dS they accepted
Former presidents found the making
of a cabinet a political problem more
difficult than any that afterward arose
out of all the patronage at their dis
pOsal. Utterly fOrgetful that the cab
met was intended by the trainers of
the constitution to be composed of ad-
visers and assistants selected by the
president from among his own friends
and COnfidants. the politicians looked
upon the cabinet Offices as part of the
spOiIs, to be divided among themselves
and their friends, like foreign missions.
and it frequently happened that a pres
man whom he had never seen before,
and whose only recommendation was
the political or geographical influence
behind him.
This often prevented the selection of
a cabinet until the day of the inaugu-
ration, and noted have been some of
the conferences a president-elect held
on the night before his Inaugural ton
in which the selection of a cabinet Of
fceT was decided upon.
The cabinet appointments of several
presidents prior to Mr.. Cleveland were
secrets up to the time they were sent
10 the senate, and it has even occurred
that cabinet officer was ignorant of
his own appointment until the nomi-
nations were made public. And il has
occasionally happened. too, that a list
the president has sent to the senate
has contained erasures and substitu-
tons. indicating the doubt in the mind
of the president as to the final seIec-
ton.
. g .
President Garfield was one of those
who made up his cabinet very late. and
his secretary of the interior. Senator
kirkwood of Iowa, first learned of his
appointment by hearing the list read
by the president Of the senate Mr.
Garfield did not decide upon his an
pointment until the morning it was an
nounced- Senator Blaine who was To
be nominated secretary Of state. was
At the White House with Senator Conk-