The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-05-30
THE CABINET ON
THE STUMP.
Continued from first page.


ings. The Treasury Department is SO
important to the public that there are
many topics in connection with its ad-
ministration on which the pubic de-
sires information.
sayed to make public addresses on po-
litical topics. and it is not probable
that he will. When stumping time
comes next year and the dominant
party calls upon the President and his
Cabinet to send out orators from. the
Cabinet membership. there will tie al
most no one to respond. Secretary
Taft. of course, will be available, unless
he is nominated for the Presidency
stated. will not go on the stump except
for a speech or two during campaign.
Bonaparse Good Stumper.
Attorney General Bonaparte. of
Maryland. is probably the next best
stumper in the Cabinet after Secretary
Taft. He MAKES an excellent political
speech, is bright and pithy in his re-
marks, although he has never been
much identified on the stump with ag-
gressive partisan work. Still, in recent
years. since he entered the Cabinet, he
has been the leader of the Republican
Party in Maryland, and first and last
has done considerable political speak
ing In New England. where there is
a large French Canadian population.
Mr.. Bonaparte has delivered addresses
to the Republicans of that nationality,
to whom he appeals particularly be-
cause of his French ancestry.
Secretary MctcaIf.
Secretary Metcalf is a fairly good
stumper, but thus far he has never
taken much time for such work out in
the States. AS a member of Congress
he did not flare forth as an orator, all
though he could express his views for
chilly when he had anything to say.
Secretary Straus. of the Department of
Commerce and Labor is accustomed to
pubic speaking. although he has not
done much work on that line of po-
litical character. He will probably be
drafted during the next campaign to
address during the next campaign to
the larger cities, where there are big
colonies of Jewish voters
The Secretary of Agriculture.
llama JIM Wilson, the Secretary
of Agriculture, is one Of the Admins
tration's old stand-bys in political
campaigns, when some one is needed
to go out and arouse the farmers. Hc
is not a powerful orator, but fills the
bill exactly when it comes to rural .du-
diences. Before city audiences the Sec
rotary never did "cut much ice," but
care about the Department of Agricul-
ture and have not followed the
achievements of that Department as
have the people ont on the farms.
Secretary of the Interior Garfield
is only an indifferent speaker and is
not likely to prove a big factor on The
stump. He is making few addresses
this Summer as he swings through a
big circle on his long Western tour
Perhaps he will develop some stump
ing qualities, SO that he can be of serv-
ice in that line before some Western
audiences, but thus far he has no rep
utation as party orator
Postmaster General George Won l..
Meyer has done quite lot of political
work, but he. too. is without reputa-
ton as a party orator One of his pre-
decessors. Charles Emory Smith. OF
Pennsylvania, was one of the biggest
Cabinet orators of recent years, and
devoted a good deal of his time, while
in the Cabinet, TO public addresses Oh
political and other topics. Mr. Meyer
is more of a business man than poll
tician, and has spent too much time
abroad of recent years in diplomatic
capacity to have kept in close touch
with political questions. He will prob
AMY De Drought out Iof an ADDRESS pr
two in Massachusetts and New Eng
land
OF course all the former Cabinet or
ators. such as ex-Secretary Shaw and
ex-Postmaster General Smith. will be
utilized in the few State campaigns
that are to be waged this Autumn and
in the Presidential campaign next year,
but as eX-Cahinet officers they are not
as good drawing cards as when thev
in hn % Mr. ,a--
became President of New York
Trust Company, he has not entirely
abandoned his custom of making pub
lie addresses, and Is still much sought
after. His friends claim that he is the
best speaker in the Republican Party.