The Washington times., 1906-10-24
THE PRESIDENTS
CABINET OF 1907
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CABlNt! UF I9Oi
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The changes announced from the White
House are as follows;
Secretary of the Treasury-George b
Cortelyou. Postmaster General.
Attorney General-Charles J. Bona
parte, Secretary Of the Navy.
Postmaster General-GeOrge Won l..
Meyer, ambassador 20 Russia
Secretary of the Navy-Vlctor H Net
calf Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor
Oscar S. Straus, former minister 70
Turkey.
A number OF changes IN the Cabinet
had been expected. but the personnel OF
these, for the most part. come as a
ssurprise 10 Government officers and
iIoliticians who had repeatedly framed
Fup states. II was known that Mr.
Meyer was to come into the Cabinet.
hut the understanding had been that
he would be placed at the head OF the
Navy. as he had asked for that place;
1T had long been known that Secre-
'Eary Bonaparte cared little about naval
affairs. and used that office merely as
a stepping stone to the Department of
rJustice. and this was the only change
made according TO the general under
standing. 1t had been rumoTed that
,Mr. Cortelyou would be promoted to
succeed Secretary Shaw upon his re-
.tirement, but many persons failed TO
ltake this rumOr seriously
1t had been rumored that Secretarv
iMetcalf was slated for promotion at the
fsirst opportunity, he having been men
itioned IN connection with postal affairs.
tbut even the wisest prophets overlooked
him in connection with the navy. Harry
Is. New, of Indiana. and Commissioner
Fof Corporations Garfield also had been
tSuggested as possible new Cabinet OFF,
%ers, the former to head the Postoffice
Department and the latter to succeed
Mr.. Metcalf, but again predictions went
wrong. Mr. Straus' appointment proved
the greatest surprise OF all. Recently,
since II was known that Cuban affairs,
.alone. would prevent Secretary Taft TAX
iing the Supreme Court seat, Judge Lur-
ton, Of Tennessee. began to he men
toned FOR the place. but the more re-
liable earlier reports connecting Attor-
ney General Moodys name with the Jus-
Siceship seems likely to prove correct.
Disregarded Politics.
II will be seen that the President is
disTecarding custom or taking politics
md geographical lines into consideration
IN making his appointments. The two
highest Cabinet offices will be in the
hands or New York men, while the low
also goes to a New YOrkerone-third
he Cabinet from the Presidents own
e. one, Mr.. Root. is a recognized
ty leader. while Mr. -Cortelyou. at
head of the Republican marty organ
ion. viii have his second promotion
e being taken from the Office OF the
sidents private secretary for a Cab
position; the third. and newest,
Straus, has been a lifelong Demo-
assachusetts will still be represented
the Cabinet by Ambassador Meyer,
lie that state will have two repre-
tatives on the Supreme Bench-Jus-
Holmes and Moody.
Effecr on New York Campaign.
he selection of Mr.. Straus TO be Sec
4ry of Commerce and Labor has
sed a big stir among politicians. The
that he has been a lifelong Demo-
is regarded as likely 10 have some
interesting results. In the forthcoming
New York campaign. 1t is argued. there
will be many Democrats who Will be
won over 10 the Hughes ticket by this
evidence OF the Presidents determina-
ttOn to place personal worth above
party. Indeed, IL is well known. the
President has often said that he did
not care so very much what political
party his appointees had served or
were serving, so long as they were
right, on certain great fundamental
principles.
once before President Roosevelt call
ed 10 his Cabinet man who had voted
the Democratic ticket during most of
the years of his majority, That man
was Paul Morton, son of the late J.
Sterling Morton, who held Cabinet
position under President Cleveland
Mr.. Morton has been q Republican only
within the last few years, and when he
was offered and accepted the naval
portfolio a great howl OF protest, much
louder than that likely to be caused by
the StraUs appointment, went up from
true blue Republican camps all over the
country.
Straus Bavarian Hebrew.
Mr. Straus is a Bavarian Hebrew. He
was born in Otterberg, Rhenish Bavaria.
in 1880. His father. Lazarus Straus. with
his three sons, migrated to America in
1874 and settled at Talbott0n, Ca. Later
, the family moved 10 Columbus. Ga, and
in 1860 went 10 New York. Oscar Straus
was graduated from Columbia College
In 1871 end from the Columbia Law
School In 1873 He practiced law until
1881, when he entered his fathers firm
of L. Straus & Son. importers of pottery
and glassware. He Is the author Of the
Origin of the Republican Form of Gov
ernment In the United States" published
in 1886, OF Roger Williams, the Pioneer
of Religious Liberty" 1894: OF the De-
velopmeut OF Religious Liberty in the
United States 1896 and Of the Reform
OF the Consular Service" 1897 He Is
president of the New York Board OF
Trade and Transportation and OF the
National Primary League, member OF
the executive committee Of the National
Civil Service Association, president OF
the American Social Science Association.
memheT or the international Law AS
sOciation, and vice president OF the Ma
tional Civic Federation. He is president
of the Americn Jewish Historical So
Ciety, a trustee OF the Baron de Hirsch
fund and of the Hebrew Orphan Asy-
lum.
Ambassador Meyers Record.
Ambassador Meyers served for five year
as ambassador 10 Italy before being
promoted 10 the Russian post. March 6,
1895. He was born in Boston in June.
1858. He was graduated from Harvard in
1879. and fer many years was engaged in