The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-18

the United States and has announceoi the nomination Of his cabinet VII. there be an end to the speculations or voluntary, eablnsts makers Ihe I portance of. the cabilet In American politics has been steadily decreasing while the importance Of the admin's- tratlve duties of the individual men bers of the cabinet as increased. MT Taft has served in the. cabinet as sec ratary of War. his father served as stc- retary of War. and as Attorney-Gener1 and he knows great deal aoout ca .,S inets, cabinet timber and caoinet Du'iN ing.
 William Howard Taft is the first man to be elected President who has served in a Presidents cabinet since the oayS of James Buchanan Experience in act. ual administrative government has not been deemed necessary as a Quailnca- ton for the Presidency MT. Tatts pe- cuitar fitness for tine position was urseu during the late campaign, but It is nevertheless a fact that very few cap inet officers have become President. anu the majority of cabinet members nom- isiated for the highest office have taiieo of election.
 Mr. Taft Is the first Secretary of war to become President since James Moh- roe, if exception be. made Of the case of General Grant who was acting heao of the War Department for a brief time in the stormy Johnson administration. Jefferson Davis, the President or the Confederate States, was Secretary o' War of the United States Five men whof served as Secretary or State sfterward became President Thomas Jefferson, James Maolson James Monroe Martin Van Buren ano James Buchanan. The White House has never been occuped by man who had served as Secretary, of the Ireas- ury, None of the other cabinet omcers has ever been promoted to the chlel magistracy. The State Department nas furnished six Presidents the War De partinent has given two, including IaIl' but none of the others has orousnt ior- ward a man for the head of the Nation. The Treasury Department, however, n credited with two Chief Justices or ths Supreme Court-Roger 5. Fancy anu salmon P. Chase.
 AS MT. Taft's administration will con- tinue the same political party In power there is not the necessity for clean sweep of the cabinet Slate which oc- ours when the party power onanges: g ,: There is little doubt but that MT. Tart will retain in his cabinet some of the men who have sat with him at the council chamber of President Roose- welt =
 It is generally conceded that one Of those who will be retained is James wilson of Iowa, Secretary of Agricuit- ure. He Is the only man who was ID McKiniey's cabinet who has served through the Roosevelt admipistration. The portfolio of Agriculture is the only one that has not changed hands during the present regime.
 -- If Mir, Wilson is re-appointed by Mr. Taft. and. if he serves until November 2s, 1909. -he will have equalled the long est record of continuous service in the cabinet. Albert GalIatin, Secretary Of the Treasury served through nearly all of the two Jefferson administrations, through. all of the first Madison admin iatration and, into Madtson's second term The total length of Gallatin' service was twelve years, eight months and twenty-four days. With the ex- piration of Mir. Roosevelt's term, MT. wilson will have served twelve years It Is probable that no one mans serv- ice in the cabinet has resulted In such great direct benefit to the whole peo- pie of the United States as that Of James Wilson.
 More changes have taken place in the personnel of the cabinet during the Roosevelt administration than under any other President. He has had two Secretaries of State-John Hay and Eli hu Root; three Secretaries of the Treas ury-Lyman J. Gage, Leslie M. Shaw and George B. Cortelyou; three Secre- tariess of .War-Elihu Root, William H. Taft and Luke E. wright; two Secre- taries of the Interior-Ethan A. Hitch cock and James R.. Garfield; six sec- cock and James R. Garfeldi five sec- William H. Moody, Paul Morton, Charles J.. Bonaparte and Victor H. Metcaffe and Truman H Newberry. and one Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson; five Postmasters-Gen- eral-CharIes Emory Smith. Henry O. Payne. Robert J.. Wynne, George B. Cortelyou and George von L. Meyer; three Attorneys General Philander c. Knox. William IT. Moody and Charles J. 'Bonapatte; and three Secretaries of Commerce and Labor-George B. Cor telyou, Victor H. Metcalfe and Oscar s. Straus. The last named office was cre- ated since Mr. Roosevelt became Ppesi- dent.
 The administrative duties of the in- dividual members of the cabinet have increased so rapidly in the past twenty years that Presidents. nowadays arc forced to consider other things than political prominence as a qualification for portfolio. Tn olden days. the cab inet's chief function was to advise the President upon matters of government al policy. Politicians were the men for
 
 were quite generally delegated to sub ordinates The subordinates still do great deal of work. but it is neVerthe- less true that change has come over the cabinet Measured by the old standards. the cabinets of today are conlpa ra lively weak By the rule of the Era of the Card-Index they are strong.
 If is believed that Mir Taft will give Frank H. Hitchcock. Chairman of the
 National Republican Committee. a place at the cabinet table. Mir. Roosevelt 1 shocked the "elder statesmen" of his marty when he introduced Mir. Cortel- vou into the distinguished company of | cabinet ministers. Both men are the products of a, practical age. trained to l do great things with the least possible | friction by means of perfect organiza- | ton and system. MT. Hitchcock will be. as Mir. Cortelyou has been. a success | full administrative officer. They know how to do the big things necessary to be done. But it is to be doubted if the country will ever look to either as the author of a great movement in statecraft. .T
 It is the general belief that Mir. Taft
 will retain in his cabinet as Secretary
 of War his close. personal friend, Luke E. Wright of Tennessee. Mir. Wright still claims to be Democrat. More than one President has invited person. al friends of opposite political faith to serve in the cabinet. Walter c. Gres- ham, an Indiana Republican, served as Secretary of War under President Ar thur. Later he was made Secretary of State by President Cleveland, although he did not renounce his claim to the title of Republican" He is the only