The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-11-06
GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON
ABOUT COMING CABINET

mail Special to the Advertiser)
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. 23.-The
new cabinet. which will be installed
soon after the beginning Of the new
year, continues to occupy a prominent
place in White House gossip. Although
but two new men are to be brought
into the cabinet at that time and the
name of one-George Won l.. Meyer
cocoa manufacturer of Massachu-
sets, who inherited both his wealth
and his business and is now Ambassa-
| dor at St. Petersburg-ha been known
! for months, there will be at least four
new heads for as many departments
and there may be five, which is more
than half of the cabinet. This will
come about by the promotion of two
| members to other departments.
The most important of all the changes
contemplated is that Of Secretary of the
Treasury. 1t is second in rank to the
Secretary of State, but change in the
treasury portfolio is far more interest
ing to the country at large than a
change in the state portfolio. 1t af-
fects financial interests far and wide,
especially In these times when there Is
| SO much trouble, because of the lack of
elasticity In the currency system. De-
cisions of the Secretary Of the Treas
ury on fiscal matters are of vital i'm
portance to business-to men of small
means as well as to the large corpora
tons.
demands a man of greater ability, for
his administration affects the business
confidence of the United States, which
is always shy of uncertainties. Secre-
tary Shaw has been tried out during the
five years and Is satisfactory to all
concerned as a Secretary. although time
and again he has stretched the law to
afford financial relief and has gone be-
yond the landmarks that guided his
predecessors in office. For that reason
as well as others, President Roosevelt
has been very anxious to retain him
In office. Even though his retirement
is now regarded as certain and POST
master General Cortelyou has been Sc
lected as Mr.. Shaws successor. the
| President has not relinquished one last
hope that Mr.. Shaw will remain a
! while longer.
The cabinet portfolios are not as al
| Turing in these days of large salaries
as they We're ten years ago. The Pres
| ident is brought to realize this In try
| ing to find new Secretary OF the
Treasury. No financier of proven abil-
ity, whom the President would invite
into his cabinet, can be found. Hence
he is resorting to the expedient that
business men often resort to, OF finding
a young man OF sufficient capacity to
develop. He believes Postmaster Gen.
| eral Cortelyou such man. Cynics
have said that Mr.. Cortelyou Is with
| out experience as financier, which Is
true. and that he never had a bank
account. which, of course. Is not true.
But the President is certain that Mr..
Cortelyou will probe every important
matter to the bottom and bring the in
formation to him, so that the admins
tration will not be fooled by the willy
men. who flock to that department to
achieve their own advantage.
For some time Ambassador Won l.
Meyer was seriously considered for the
treasury portfolio. He has knowledge
of business. although he has been less
inclined to apply himself TO business
asks than some men are. The Presi-
lent knew Won l.. Meyer at Harvard,
twenty-five years ago. He has i'm
pliclt faith in his honesty. but he has
1een In Washington much less than Mr..
cortelyou, who, the President believes