New-York tribune., 1902-03-27
~ NGENLOTS CANP4LGN.

Those who find pleasure in bestowing a rea-
sonable amount of attention on public affairs
and especially on that play of personal motives
for which public affairs furnish a convenient
field, should not overlook the campaign which
was begun months ago and still continues in
the hope of getting Secretary Hitchcock of the
Department Of the Interior out of President
Roosevelt's Cabinet The method adopted for
that purpose is not strictly original. but the
scale which ii is being employed and the
zeal, the skill and the quiet persistence which
the managers exhibit are novel, and must be
exceedingly interesting TO all who are acquaint-
ed with the circumstances.
As we understand the matter, Mr.. Hitchcock
has not the slightest reason to suppose that
the President desires to replace him, nor any
intention of asking TO be relieved. His duties
are congenial TO the Secretary, and his per
formance of them Is entirely satisfactory to
his chief But there are a few persons who
burn to bring about his retirement and their
plan of operations is deserving Of scrutiny,
! though not necessarily of imitation During
the past winter and up TO the present time
readers Of the newspapers have frequently
seen dispatches of this general character from
various parts Of the country, more or less con
spicuously printed: The Hon. SO-and-SO, com
monty mentioned the probable successor
OF secretary HITCHCOCK, WHO is UNDERSTOOD 10
''be about to resign, says that the place has
mot been offered to him yet but that he
should be disposed to give such an offer his
serious consideration" The announcement is
never made twice In the same form nor so
far as we have observed, is a single individual
designated the coming man more than once.
Sometimes a dispatch does not allude to the
succession at all, but relates exclusively TO
the present incumbent Thus not long ago,
when Mr.. Hitchcock went to St Louis to take
a last farewell of his brother, who has since
died. a telegram dated at St Louis without
referring TO the we'll known fact that the
brother, himself a distinguished citizen
desperately sick said that the Secretary was
In the city, presumably for the purpose OF
ranging his private affairs preparatory to his
withdrawal from public life. Occasionally the
report is less circumstantial, merely saying that
the precise date of Mr.. Hitchcocks resignation
has not been fixed; but In every instance the
assumption is that his impending retirement
from the Cabinet is matter of common knowl-
edge
Now of course the persons who procure the
publication Of these statements are well aware
that there is no truth in them; but it Will be
observed that they are clever enough to re-
frain from giving any reasons why Mr. Hitch
cock will and should resign There Is not a
visible trace of calumny malice in their fab
rications. Their object Is to create as one
might say, an atmosphere IN which he will
sooner or later find ii irksome to breathe and
they apparently expect TO succeed in making
him so uncomfortable that he will be glad TO
escape. We think they are doomed to disap-
pointment, but in the mean time their proceed
ings constitute interesting study in political
ethics. 1t is really astonishing that they have
been able TO invest their scheme with so sweet
an air of innocence and to carry it on so long
1t is not essential for the purposes of this brief
and dispassonate account of a singular under
taking to inquire too curiOusly into the question
! of it's authorship and promotion. If there were
no antecedent evidence of the fact, this one con
tinuous performance would clearly entitle its
managers TO whatever credit is implied in the
| descriptive term. "a smooth article"