Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-07-01
CHANGES IN
THE CABINET.
TWO NEW MEMBERS IN Off
CIAL FAMILY.
NORTON AND hETCALFE
Illinois Man Appointed Secretary of
the Navy and Californian Succeeds
Cortelyou in Commerce and Labor
Department.

WaShlngt0n-A sweeping change IN
the cabinet of President Roosevelt
was announced officially at the White
House Saturday. The announcement
came in the form of c brief typewrit-
ten statement issued by Secretary Loeb
as follows:
"The following cabinet appoint
ments are announced:
civilian H. Moody of Masachu-
setts, attorney general.
fPaul Morton of Illinois, secretary
the navy.
"Victor H. Metcalfe of California,
secretary of commerce and labor.
"The resignation of Secretary Cor
telyou and Attorney General Knox
have been accepted to take effect July
l."
For two weeks or more it has been
known that these changes were i'm
pending. When Secretary Cortelyou
was appointed by President Roose-
velt to be his campaign manager it
was certain that he would retire from
the cabinet upon his assumption of
the duties as chairman of the republi-
can national committee. Just before
he left for Chicago he placed in the
hands of the president his letter of
resignation from the department Of
commerce and labor. 1t was under
stood between the president and him
self that the resignation was to be
accepted to take effect at the end of
the present year, June 80, inclusive.
A week ago Attorney General Knox
formally announced he would retire
from the department of justice, prob
ably at the end of the fiscal year.
It was understood at the same time
Secretary Moody would succeed Mr..
Knox as attorney general. This state
ment was made, however, that while
the transfer of justice was very prob
able, it was dependent, in measure,
on the president success in secur-
ing a successor for him in the navy
department as he desired. In pursuit
of his purpose to secure the services
of thoroughly able and congenial
man, President Roosevelt rendered the
appointment of secretary of the navy
to Paul Morton, first vice president of
the Atchison, Topeka, Kansas & San
ta Fe railroad. Mr.. Morton is a per-
sonal friend of the president of many
years standing.
Since President Roosevelt has been
in the White House he has made more
than one effort to induce Mr.. Morton
to accept a position in his administra-
tion. Feeling that his life work In the
railroad business in which he has
achieved success, might be impeded by
his acceptance Of an official position
in the government, he uniformly has
declined all such proffers. Mr.. Nor
ton consulted with his personal and
business friends and associates. At
the conclusion of the conference Mr..
Morton told the president he would
accept the position in the cabinet.
Then it was that the other changes,
one Of which at least, was contingent
upon Mr.. Morton IS action, was decld-
ed upon definitely. 1t is expected that
further changes will take place in the
cabinet next winter.
Postmaster General Payne proba-
bly will retire from the cabinet after
the campaign. He will be succeeded
by National Chairman Cortelyou. Sec
retary Moody will contiue as mem
Der Of the cabinet only until the end
of this administration and on the 4th
or 5th of March next when he will re-
tire to enter the practice of law In
Boston.