Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-05
Speculation as to President
Taft'S Associates.
SIX MAY RETAIN OFFICE
Thought That Ellis, Hitchcock AMI
Loeb Will Be Added.
MEYER NAY GO TO TREASURY
Roots Election to the Senate or Ap.
pointment as Chief Justice
Might Break the Slate.

Speculation as to the Taft cabinet, al
ready begun, makes the probable lineup
March as follows:
Elihu Root. Secretary Of State.
George Won L. Meyer. Secretary Of the
Treasury.
Luke Wright, Tennessee, Secretary Of
War.
Wade Ellis, Ohio, Attorney General.
Frank H. Hitchcock, Postmaster Gen
eral.
William Loeb jr. Secretary of the
Navy.
James r. Garfield, Secretary Of the In
terror.
James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture.
Oscar S. Straus, Secretary of Commerce
and Labor.
But all the speculation is based upon
the supposition that Hitchcock will be
made Postmaster General as return for
his work for President-elect TAFT TO
Won l.. Meyer, now Postmaster General
Meyer stands so well with Prestdent-elect
Taft that he can have nearly anything
he wants.
Root Requested to Remain.
He would naturally prefer to be Score
tary of State. but 1t is understood that
Taft asked Root to stay where he Is.
There are two contingencies that may
take Root away from that position,
though.
One is his election as senator from
New York, for which place he will have
the backing Of President Roosevelt. and
another is his appointment as Chief JUS
tice of the United States Supreme Court,
in the event Of the retirement Of Chief
Justice Fuller. But with Root remaining
In the State Department Meyer would
have to be put in as Secretary OF the
Treasury. This would displace George
be left of the states for cabinet honors
Is not precisely clear. Speculation that
entirely leaves Cortelyou out of the cab
met may be enormously based. He has
been a success as head Of the Treasury.
has the confidence of business and imam
cial interests generally. and his relations
with Taft have Deen most pleasant. Cor
telyou. too. Is about the closest friend
1t was Cortelyou who brought Hitchcock
from the obscurfty Of q departmental
clerkship and advanced him by degrees
to higher places. Hitchcock Is not charged
by anybody with ingratitude: and he may
personally urge Taft to hold Cortelyou.
who. however. has many good business
offers and may decide to accept one OF
them and leave public life.
The retirement Of Bonaparte is also fig.
based upon the fact that Taft will want
to reward personal friends and supporters
Bonaparte himself is said to want to re-
sumo his private law practice In Balti-
more. His coming into the cabinet has
been costly to him from q financial view
point He has expended much more
money than he received here. 49,
Opportunity for Loeb.
As to William Loeb. jr.. It is generall,
conceded. because Of the knowledge Of
his close relations with Taft. that he car
enter the new cabinet II he desires. Some
Of his friends believe he will become Sec
rotary Of the Treasury and that he would
not accept a position as Secretary Of the
Navy. His personal wishes are to 90 into
business. and he Is known TO have good
opportunities to do so. Much will depend
on just what offer he gets from Taft
Secretary Metcalf will leave the navy
to go back into the practice Of law. He
Will hand In his resignation March 4. II
fact every member Of the present cabine'
will hand in his resignation to Taft imme
diately upon the inauguration OF the new
President This will leave the latter fret
to make such changes as he desires, with
ont embarrassment.