Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-12-21

Washington, Dec. 10.-Thr retirement
OF Postmaster General Smith Is not to
be taken as an Indication of the gen
eral breakup of the cabinet, as some
commentators Try to make out. The
retirement was decided upon before
anyone expected that President McKin-
ley would not live out his second term,
and was deferred after Mr.. McKinlry's
death SO as to give the new president Il
chance to get his administrative ma.
chincry into good working order. 1t is
not unlikely. however, that certain
other cabinet members may retire from
time to time, and all in the same way
that Mr.. Smith retirps-after reaching
what they consider the highest point OF
their possible usefulness, witnessing the
launching of their special enterprises
and having got things into IL position
where their successors have only to keep
Il hand on the lever and let them run.
MIR. Payne was in the presidents
mind as soon as Mr.. Smith announced
naliSm. and ii was obviously impossible
to move him. The president had in
tended to invite Mr.. pavnc to Il position
requiring special administrative ca
pacity in ease Il suitable opening Of.
iercd itself. His faculty for manage
ment has been Hbundantly proved in
private business: his health is 50
greatly improved since his late trip
abroad that no apprehension WAS felt
on that score: and polite ally hennd the
president are in thorough accord as To
the southern policy. The bitterness
which once existed against Mr.. Payne
among the labor unions on account of
his relation to the Milwaukee, street
railroad system. in which occurred on"
of the most SERIOUS strikes Of recent
years. is believed to have passed away
with the better understanding between
the parties TO the struggle.
The choice of the chairman of the eX
ecrtivp committee of the National Re
publican committee for this particular
place in the cabinet has Il certain sig
Iliiicance all its own. The postmaster
general lis the chief politician of the
cabinet The system over which he pre-
sides ramifirS into every crOSSrOad
hamlet in the United States. and there
is no department which comes and
keeps in SO close touch with the people
~" his. 1t Incomes of prime import
nncc, with matters as they are. that the
postmaster general shall know" poll
tics and politicians and be able to Judge
for himself what appointments are go
f,,f e.,., 1.
going to be popular and in he interest
of general good feeling. On the polit-
ical side. therefore. the choice of Mr..
Payne is all that could be asked in the
presidents behalf
1t may be said for the reinsurance of
doubters and the disillusonmcnt of
those who might cherish false hopes
that the two policies particularly linked
with Mr.. Smiths administration will he
carried forward under Mr. Payne as he
understands them. and the president is
in full sympathy with them. These are
the rural free delivery. Which now runs
almost AUTOMATICALLY, and the reform Of
srtond-class. postage abuses which
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Madden has in charge. The portfolio
will not change hands until about the
middle of January. It, is the present
purpose of the president not to send the
nomination of Mr.. Payne to the senate
till after the Christmas holidays.