New-York tribune., 1901-12-10


of this port, yesterday received from Secretary
Gage of the Treasury Department a request ~
resign his office, the resignation to take sftect
not later than January l. 1902. The Tribune is
in a position to state that Mr.. Wakeman Will
not resign, and that he will between now and
the last week in December make public certain
reasons why he refuses to do So
None of Mr.. Wakemans friends indulge in the
belief that anything he may do will change the
determination of Secretary Gage to have an
other Appraiser appointed. As there is no liked
term for the Appraisers commission it is ex-
pected that President Roosevelt will. the
recommendation of Secretary Gage, send to the
Senate the name of Mr.. wakemans successor.
Mr. Wakeman was seen for about two minutes
last night at his home. No III East Twenty
fourth-st just before he started out to spend
the evening with friends When informed that
The Tribune had received word from Washing
ton that Secretary Gage had requested hls res
ignation. he smiled grimly and said, slowly:
THE news concerning any late development
in the relations between Secretary Gage and my
self must come from Washington. L will not
talk
Ex-Secretary Bliss who through thick and thin
has been Mr.. Wakeman's friend, was seen at his
home. No 1913 Madson-ave- Mr.. Bliss returned
from Washington Sunday night 1t is under
largely to see if Secretary Gage immovabe
in his determination to have Mr. Wakeman dis
placed Mr.. Bliss absolutely refused to con-
firm or deny that the Secretary of the Treasury
had asked for Mr.. Wakeman's resignation
CONFIRMED BY FRIENDS.
Confirmation of the report obtained. how
ever from two merchants who have exerted
themselves to prevent Mr. Wakemans removal
One of them said:
The Tribunes information is correct. Mr.
Wakeman got a letter to-day from the Treasury
Department asking him to turn in his resigna-
ton by the first of the year. Those of Mr.
Wakeman's intimate friends who saw him to-
day urged him to take his medicine quietly.
At present he is not inclined to do anything of
the kind. He feels that he has conducted his
office honestly, and that he deserves better
things from the powers that he. He will give
his reasons for believing hat he should be con-
tinued in office. Backed as he is by some of the
weathiest and most upright merchants Of the
United Statesmen who represent hundreds of
millions of dolIars-Mr- Wakemans reasons for
his retention in office will doubtless reflect the
opinion of his financial and moral hackers. and
for that reason they ought to he highly inter
esting."
Another friend .of- the Appraiser<aid:
Mfr Wakeman has known for week that
Mr. Gage was bent on his removal He was III
Washington a week ago Saturday last. and nad
a long talk with the Secretary. He brought 10
the Secretary's attention many features of his
administration of the Appraisers office OF whlch
Mr. Gage had not up to that time been cog
infant The Secretary expressed some surprise
and admiration for the record of the New-1ork
office for the last four years and said as mucn
Then Mr. Wakeman asked Mr.. Gage if he would
go with him to the President and acknowledge
that he CWakemam had done we'll. Mr. Gage
refused. That indication enough 10 MI
Wakeman that the Secretary was unalterabIy
against him. and therefore he was not surprised
to-day when he received the letter requesting
his resignation.
Some of the inside facts leading up to the de-
mand of the resignation of the Appraiser were
learned last night. 1t said that Secretary
Gage allowed the impression to become general
in departmental circles in Washington that If
Mr. Wakeman were retained there would soon
be a vacancy in the Cabinet, and this impress
sion was soon followed with suggestions from
Mr. Cages friends that, no matter whether IN
fluential merchants We're in favor of the APP