New-York tribune., 1906-10-24

patches 10 The Tribune on October IS. Ao-
oording 20 the official announcement made at
the White House to-day the assignments
IN the Cabinet will be follows:
Secretary of the Treasury-GEoRGE B. CORTELYoU.
Postmaster GeneraI-GEORGE Won l.. MEYER.
Attorney GeneraI-CBARLEs j. BoSAPARTE.
Secretary Of the Navy-VICT0R III. METCALF.
Secretary of Commerce and Labor-osCAR s. sTRAUs.
The appointment OF Mr.. Straus WILL it is
believed, give general satisfaction. As a mer-
chant and a diplomat he has enjoyed notably
successful career while philanthroptst he
is widely known He served as Minister to Tur-
key with distinction. 10 which post he was ap-
pointed by President Cleveland, and when ex-
President Harrison died President Roosevelt
appointed Mr.. straus a member of the perma-
nent court Of arbitration of The Hague. an office
he still holds. Mr Strauss experience as man
of affairs especially fits him for the wide va
riety Of duties which devove on the Secretary
Of Commerce and Labor.
Mr.. straus is the first Hebrew to be appointed
10 the Cabinet of the United States and his Sc
lection clearly indicates the broad catholicity of
the President who is never biased for against
any man by his religious Affiliations.
. Broadly speaking, the Secretary of Commerce
and Labor is charged with the work of pronot-
ing the commerce of the United States. and its
mining. manufacturing. shipping fishery, trans
portation and labor interests. One Of his most
Important duties consists of the investigation of
the organization and management of corpora
tons engaged in interstate commerce
Mr Strauss experience as business man will
prove most useful in his supervision of cor
poration Investigations, while his record a
philanthropist indicates in advance the breadth
Of sympathy with which he will conduct the
labor Investigations. Under his supervision will
come the Bureau Of Statistics with its work Of
gathering and compiling statistics regarding do
mestic and foreign commerce. the fishery inter
e.ts Of this country and the fur and salmon in
dustries Of Alaska; the inspection of steamboats,.
Jurisdiction merchant vessels, their entry,
clearance and inpection. and seamen; the super
vision Of immigration where, again, Mr., Strauss
syrnpathies may be relied upon TO add 10 his
efficient handling of the many difficult problems
presented: the direction of the Bureau Of Manu-
features, and finally the supervision of the geo
logical and the coast and geodetic surveys.
The promotion of Charles ]. Bonaparte to the
portfolio Of Justice IS regarded auguring well
for the future Of that department. Mr.. Bona
parties ability as a lawyer was established long
before he came into the Cabinet and those who
know him appreciate that he viii push the many
important suits now being conducted by the De-
partment Of Justice with the utmost vigor and
ability.
Secretary Metcalf believes he will find the
Navy Department even more congenial than the
Department of Commerce and Labor. He had
his choice of succeeding Mr. Bonaparte
naming in his present berth. and chose the for
mer, his sympathies having long been with the
navy
The appointment Of Mr.. Cortelyou as Secre-
tary Of the Treasury has long been contem-
plated although one time it was thought that
he might prefer TO remain where he is. This
change will not occur until Secretary Shaw
tires. which Will be on March l. as it is deemed
wiser not to make the change until the end of
the approaching session of Congress. Mr.. Meyer
will, of course. remain at st. Petersburg until
shortly before Mr. Cortelyou goes to the Treas
ury. and will succeed to the office of Postmaster
General Oh The same day.
Oscar Solomon Straus born in December
lSe. in Gutenberg, Rhenish Bavaria. His father
lazarus Straus with his three sons emigrated 10
this country in 1854 and settled in Talboitom' Ga
Later the family moved Columbus. and in 1865
came TO New York Oscar Straus was graduated
from Columbia College in 1871 and from the Colum-
ba Law School in 1873. He practised law until 1881
when he entered his fathers firm OF l. Straus &
Son, importers of pottery and glassware. lie Is
the author Of the 'Origin of the Republican Form
OF Government in the United States" published IN
1856 of Roger williams. the Pioneer Of Religious
Liberty 1894: of the development OF Religious
Liberty IN the United States. 1886. and of the Re
form Of the Consular Service" 1887 he Is presl-
l,ortation and Of The National Primary League. a
member OF the executive committee OF the Nauonal
can Social Science Association, member OF the
International Law Association. and Vice-president
OF the National Civic Federation. He Is president
o. the American Jewish Historical Society trus-
Zee Of the Baron de Hirsch Fund ana OF the he