The San Francisco call., 1904-06-26
THE NEW CABINET MEMBERS.

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the prospect of representation in the Cabinet That
prospect has become certainty, and the State for
the second time in its history has representative IN the
official council of the President In Secretary Metcaf
the Pacific Coast will have intelligent and panstakng
friend of and the great interests and great
future of trade will be promoted by him with indus
try and zeal In doing this he will be advancing the in
of the whole country, for the entire Union has
stake in the commerce OF the Pacific.
By the organic act of his department many important
matters are transferred from the Treasury One Of
these the supervision of the lighting and buoying OF
our coasts and harbors The Call has frequently re-
erred to the nsuciency of these safeguards of deep
water shipping whole coast. The trade OF the
Pacific and go in ships and their danger lies
in approaching the and entering its harbors When
Secretary Metcalf here August he intends
to put his private affairs order, people and COM
mercia bodies will tender him public expressions of
qualification at the deserved distinction that has to
him. and will take occasion discuss with him the needs
of our coast for the promotion of its commerce
The other new member of the Cabinet, Mr.. Paul Nor
ton the Secretary of the Navy, is almost Californian
He was born and reared a farm in Nebraska. HIS
father the late J. Sterling Norton of the most
distinguished men in the country and one of the
foremost in the West He pioner in Nebraska,
and that State owes to him debt for which it tondly
cherishes his great memory. He reared a remarkable
family of sons Each became great in the line of busi-
which he selected follow Paul entered the rail-
road business in subordinate capacity in his youth and
passed rapidly and solely his merit from one station
another until he became vice president of the Santa
Fe system and the manager of its vast traffic
He was an important agency in domesticating that
system in California and bringing it to San Francisco
Much of his time has been spent here and he knows our
State and people intimately He has the finest business
capacity and ranks among the first experts in the great
field of railway management in this country that is the
marvel of the world. Americans accustomed to read
the compliments of European and Asatic railroad man
ayers paid TO our American roads The efficiency and
cheapness of service the exact adjustment OF every
part of every other part and to the enormous trac
of the country causshese foreign observers to elevate
our transportation to place among arts of the world
since it is the application to practical affairs OF the
principles of science.
In that great and distinctly American work Paul Nor
ton has had distinguished part The country may con-
graduate itself that the persuasons of the President
have succeeded in securing such for the public
service He is all that William C. Whitney was when
that gentleman ured of private and professional
life to begin the building of navy He is more than
William C. Whitney in his business experience as
the manager of vast things and knowledge of all their
details He public duty at the exact time when
the need of such is the greatest. There is no
difference of opinion about need of navy not
second to the combined power OF any two OF the
frst-class nations of Europe. That is policy in
which all parties and all sections The President
has made happy selection of the to carry the
work He has youth experience, energy, honor and
trotism. The good son of good father he has Amer
soundness and in every ber and the honor
of the navy is safe in his hands His executive
should be prolonged.
In the organization of the government under the
stution in 1880 the Secretary of War had charge Of
both the army and navy In 1898 the navy made
Independent department The changes in the secretary
ship of that department have been the most frequent and
the terms of service the shortest of all the Cabinet posi-
ons. The only long term Secretary Gideon Welles
of Connecticut who went in with Mr.. Lincoln in 1861
and remained eight years, giving way to Adolph Borie
in 1869 In the hundred and six years since the
creation of the department thirtysx secretaries have
held the Office average of less than three years each
We getting better ideas of the necessity of continuity
of policy in the business of Government, and it is
be hoped that will apply it to the business of build
ing navy by keeping Mr.. Morton long in place for
which he is peculiarly fitted
His father preceded him Cabinet officer, being
member of Mr. Clevelands last Cabinet in the Depart
of Agriculture President Roosevelt has now two
Cabinet officers whose fathers there before them
Mr. Taft and Mr.. Morton.