Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-14
No Changes 70 Be MADE
IN EXISTING CABINET.
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY EXPRESSES
HIS DESIRE THAT ALL MEN,
BEERS CONTINUE
IN OFFICE FOUR YEARS MORE
ATTORNEY GENERAL GRIGGS THE
ONLY ONE LIKELY TO REFUSE
THE REQUEST.

WASHINGTON, D. c., November 10.
President Mckinley. to-day announced
clearly and forcefully to the members
Of his cabinet his desire that they
should all remain with him during the
four years of his coming administration.
His wishes were made known in an ex-
tended speech at the cabinet meeting
in the White House to-day. Responses
were made by all of the members pres
ent, and, while there were no definite
pledges from any of them that they
would accept the portfolios thus ten
dered them afresh, there was on the
other hand no definite decIination.
To-day's proceedings sets forth the
wishes of the President in the matter
and relieves the members of the cabl-
net of the customary obligation of ten
dering their designations at the end of
the term, unless they have made an
irrevocable decision that it will be i'm
possible for them to continue in Office.
1t also sets at rest all speculation and
slate making of the country's political
prophets for it is understood generally
that there is but one doubtful factor
in the homogenity of the present cab
iret That factor is Attorney General
Griggs, as he holds his present position
at a great financial sacrifice. Still, Mr.
Griggs replied in terms of warm ap-
probation to the complimentary re-
marks of the President and voiced no
intention of retiring from his present
position
This is not the first time that the
President has expressed to the mem
bers of his cabinet his pleasure at the
support they had given him. He said as
much in gneral way at the last cab
met meeting, when the members, sew
eral of whom had been scattered by. the
political campaign, got together for the
first time and congratulated aim upon
the outcome of the election. To-day
the President had evidently prepared
for the occasion and in his address re-
viewed the work of the administration
in the past four years-four of the most
exciting years the country has known
in three decades. 1t was rather a sur
prise even to the cabinet members
themselves to note how accurately the
President had fixed in his memory the
sequence Of events and how calmly ne
relinquished the personal credit for sue
cessful strokes of policy or prudence
and attributed the honor to the mem
her Of his official family in whose i'm
mediate department the matter in ques-
ton had arisen.
He said that if the result of the re-
cent election was an endorsement of
his administration, it was no less an en-
dor5ement of the men who had stood
by him in the time of stress and ne
cessity. The credit for success, he said,
lay with the heads of his various de-
partments and he should shrink from
entering upon another four years of
Office unless ne could be assured that
he would have with him a majority at
least of the men who form his present
official household. He said that in ask
ing them to remain with him, there was
scarcely one who could do so without
some sacrifice either of money, leisure
or personal inclination. At the same
time, he said, he should feel happier if
all of them could crafty his wish.
Secretary Hay was the first to re-
spond. He said that for his part he
deeply appreciated the complimentary
references made by his chief aad that
he thought there was not a member
nf 10 Caihinnf vrrh would
pleasant official relations without re-
greet, and even then only in case of the
most urgent reasons for retirement
Secretaries Gage, Long, Hitchcock,
Wilson, Attorney General Griggs and
Postmaster General Smith each spoke
in turn, and in much the same vein.
Secretary Root was the only absent
member from the meeting, having left
for Cuba to look over military affairs
there, and at the same time, to try to
recuperate from his long and serious
Illness. The list of responses was
therefore all but complete. 1t is known
that Secretary Root is in much the
same position as Attorney General
Griggs, holding his position at consid-
cradle sacrifice, but willing at the same
time to sacrifice a good deal to comply
with the expressed wish OF the Presi-
dent.
The meeting, which had developed
into real love feast, then returned to
the more commonplace affairs of rou-
tine business, and the discussion of
the salient features of the Presidents
coming message TO Congress, after
which the members left with renewed
expressions of regard. The meeting
stands as one of the most remarkable
Cabinet sessions on record