The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-27
THE NEW CABINET OFFICE.
Choice of MIR. Cortelyou to Fill 1t
disappointment to some.


disappointment to Some.
Washington Letter in New York Post.
The choice OF George B. Cortelyou for sec
rotary Of commerce, as was to be expected.
has been not wholly agreeable TO some Of
the parties most instrumental in bringing
about the enactment Of the law creating the
department. One of these is Senator Mel
son, who lent very helpful hand at
critical moment, and had In view the ap-
pointment of William r. Merriam, director
of the census, who is known 10 have ac-
cepted his present position, and worked like
beaver in il, with an eye to future adj
vancement. He had been talked of for Sec
rotary of the interior when rumors were
afloat that Secretary Hitchcock was going
to retire. Another disappointment was
that of the labor element, who had first
sisted with all their might the merger of the
department of Laber in the Department OF
Commerce, and who had insisted on the
promotion of Carroll ID. Wright TO the Cab
met as a reciprocal concession. They were
Favored TO the extent of having the words
and Labor added TO the title proposed at
the outset of the agitation, but Mr..
Wrights appointment as secretary did not
go with 1t.
Mr.. Cortelyou enjoys an advantage over
all the more prominent candidates in the
fact that he is graduated from none of the
of the new department. and therefore could
not be assailed by jealous critics with the
charge OF favoring any one of such inter-
ests at the expense of the others The only
departmental work he has ever done was
in the Postoffice Department: and, had
President Mckinley lived to accept the res
ignation of Charles Emory Smith post
master general. there is excellent reason
for saying that he would have appointed
Mr.. Cortelyou TO the vacancy. AS 1t Is. the
new secretary will have some difficult prob
IN a yErfh ftRh hn nf
the statistical bureaus of the State and
Treasury Departments. which are taken as
one into the Department of Commerce, and
the Acknowledgement of the conflicting re-
lations of this combined bureau and the
Bureaus respectively of Navigation and I'M
migration. These undertakings will tax to
the utmost his business capacity, his in
genuity and his tact.
The report on which the Bureau of For
eign Commerce for instance, has always
depended for its material are those of our
consuls at foreign ports, while the Bureau
of Statistics has drawn upon the customs
officers at our domestic ports for its data.
The customs service has also furnished
both special assistance and general CO.
operation in the conduct of the Bureau of
Immigration and the Bureau of Naviga-
ton AS the consuls are responsible to the
secretary of state, and the customs officers
TO the secretary of the treasury, the De-
partment of Commerce law will split their
allegiance, and only the exercise of much
diplomacy and forbearance can prevent
either friction or neglect as result. The
ability to meet such difficulties and over
come them is Mr.. Cortelyous beyond ques
ton. He is a born organizer. and method
personihed, with mind like a bank of
pigeonhoes and everything in IL properly
labeled and placed. His address is pleas
ant, courtesy going always hand in hand
with business. He has in his capacity as
secretary to two Presidents steered the
White House correspondence around more
than one acute curve Safety, without noise
or display, is the impression he makes on
the minds of all who come into contact
with him. 1t would be hard to find a man
better fitted TO superintend the launching
Of composite department.