The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1906-12-20
Changes in the Presidents Cabinet
COnsummated at Washing
ton Monday.
OSCAR STRAUS THE ONLY NEW MEMBER
Little Ceremony I'm Carrying Out
Re-Arrangements of the DEPART
ment Heads-A speech by Secre-
tary straus to officials I'm Conn
merce Department..

Washington, Dec. 17.-Oscar s.
Straus. of New York, Monday was
indicted into the office OF the secre-
tary OF the department of commerce
and labor in pursuance of the rear
rangement of the cabinet recently
made by President Roosevelt
The ceremony incident to the re.
tirement of Secretary Metcalf. who
has been at the head of the depart.
ment since July /, 1905, and the In
duction into office OF Secretary
Straus took place shortly after 3
o'clock In the secretary's offices at
the department The oath of office
was administered TO Mr.. Straus by
Frank H. Larned, chief clerk Of the
bureau of immigration.
Secretary Metcalf, in relinquishing
the duties of the office. formally ex-
pressed to those about him his great
personal regret at the severance Of
relations which always had been so
pleasant. He assured them, however,
that Mr.. Straus would maintain sim.
liar cordial relations with the people
of the department.
Secretary Straus in a brief address
expressed the desire to continue the
present relations that existed be-
tween Secretary Metcalf and the Of
ficials of the department and said
that It would be his purpose so far
as might be possible to continue the
policies of his predecessor. He said
he would take his cue from the pres
idcnt, one rraturo of whose great
strcucta lbs in ne fact that he could
depend upon and enlist the hearty
cooperation of those about him. At
the conclusion of the addresses Sec
retary Straus and Secretary Metcalf
held an informal reception OF the
bureau heads.
r l.. Weed, one of the department
clerks, has been selected by Sec.
rotary Stratus to be his private Sec
Rotary Leon A. Clark, who has been
private secretary to Secretary Met
calf, will continue with Mr.. Metcalf
in Ike capacity in the navy de-
partment
Secretary Metcalf arrived at the
navy department with Secretary
Bonaparte at 1915. The oath Of
office was administered by Solicitor
Ha III Of Il. nay partment in
the presence of Assistant Secretary
Ncwberry, Rear Admiral Rixey, sur
geon general of the navy: Assistant
Secretary Murray Of the department
of commerce and labor, and the bu-
rcau ,hiy'5 of that department VINO
went to the navy department in q
body after Mr.. Straus had been in
troduced into office.
Secretary Bnnaparte in a brief az
dress congratulated the new secre-
tary upon the compliment implied
upon his choice for the office of sec
rotary of the navy. NO office, he
said, "exists of greater moment to
the honor, the vital interest and even
the national life of our common coun-
. try.
Secretary Metcalf briefly respond
ed, declaring that he always had
taken interest in the American navy.
His first assignment as a member of
the house of representatives, he said,
was to the naval committee and that
interest became intensified.
The secretary then received the
officers and employees Of the navy de-
partment.
At II o'clock Charles J. Bonaparte,
the retiring secretary of the navy,
took the prescribed oath as attor-
ney general and entered upon his
new duties. The obligation was ad-
ministered by Mr.. Sornberger, the
appointment clerk Of the department
Of justice, in the presence Of Mr..
Bonaparte's predecessor, William H.
Moody, the assistant attorney general,
the solicitor general and the other
principal officers Of the department
Of Justice. Mr.. Moody was the first
to offer congratulations. Mr.. Bona
parte declared he would be guided
in the performance of his duties by
the example and counsel of his prede-
cessor.