Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-24
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.
rial Correspondence Of The Star and

| Bryan to what are known as the Cleve-
land democracy, sometimes called the Nc
Kinley democrats, concerning his choice
of Secretary of the Treasury in case
of his election and the character of men
| he would select for probable vacancies
| on the Supreme bench. Those were the
most critical danger spots In the Bryan
| situation, and the conservative element
in the democratic party, which opposed
him in 1896 and 1900. insisted upon some
assurance before they would support him
| this time.
| There are several stories in circulation.
All or either may be true without con-
ficting. One of them is that Mr.. Bryan
Gratis of unquestioned ability and integ-
| rity, and promised that he would select
his Secretary of the Treasury from among
them From the same authority it Is
learned that he submitted list of thirty
eminent lawyers who have belonged to the
| democratic party and agreed that he
would fill vacancies upon the Supreme
| bench from among them In case he was
elected. Another version is that he
| offered to furnish such a list and men,
toned several names that would be in
Guided. This was considered sufficient;
| his word was accepted, and the conserva
| tive democrats. who were afraid of
| radical judiciary and radical Secretary
of the Treasury, expressed their salts
faction.
From another source I learn that Mr.
Bryan specifically named Judge Gray of
Delaware to succeed Chief Justice Fuller.
Alton B. Parker to succeed Justice
Peckham, and that he also named two
eminent democratic lawyers. one from
| Kentucky and one from Tennessee. for
the seat of Justice Harlan, when that dis
| tinguished jurist decided to retire.
| AS said. these stories do not conflict,
and 1t is possible that all Of them may be
| true, but have not been able to find any
one who has seen the alleged lists. A
member of Mr.. Cleveland's cabinet told
me that he does not believe any formal
list was ever furnished. but understands
Mr.. Bryan wrote some names upon the
back of menu at dinner party and
passed them around for the approval OF
the other guests. He will not admit hav-
ing seen the list himself, but knows peo-
pie who did see 1t.
But nobody is sorry that Taft is elected.
Since I came over here I have seen men
of almost every trade and every section
of the country-college presidents. clergy
men. lawyers. manufacturers. merchants,
miners. railroad men. bankers. planters
from Porto Rico. Cubans and Fiipinos, |
and every one of them expressed his
qualification and declared that the people
of the section he came from feel the same
way. One gentleman expressed the opin-
ion that no President ever went into the
White House with such friendly and cor
dial manifestations of confidence from
people of all phases Of opinion and
classes of society. They have confidence
in Taft's ability and judgment; they know
he is level-headed man; that he is just
and brave and conscientious. and that he
will be conservative and impartial in his
administration.
Bankers Want Cortelyou Retained.
There is very little cabinet talk over
here. except In financial circles. where
there is a universal hope that Mr.. Cor
telyou will be retained in the Treasury |
Department. He has the confidence of
the banking interests. They regard him
as safe and sane. AS one bank presi- |
dent expressed it:
'tHe does not pretend to be a fnancier |
and has no theories. He is a practical. |
sensible business man. and during the
recent panic proved himself capable of
meeting any emergency |
The Same approval Of Cortelyou's adj |
ministration and the same hope that he |
will be continued in Office are heard from
every source. A Cincinnati banker yes
terday suggested that a committee from
the clearing house be appointed to express
this sentiment to Mr.. Taft. and said he |
was sure the President-elect would not
glad to know their wishes. He was also
confident that the banking interests
throughout the country would indorse the
suggestion, for within his experience
tneTe mas never DceH D. secretary OF the
Treasury who was more generally popu-
lar commanded the confidence Of the
financial interests of the country to a |
greater degree I'VE don't want any
more skylarking in the Urea sury'' he |
said. and we don't want any theories of
finance tested just at this time.
Country Needs Quiet Common Sense.
THE condition OF the country needs |
quiet practical common sense in the ad- |
ministration Of the finances for the next
few years.
At the chamber of commerce dinner the
other night were a number of prominent
western bankers who agreed that the re-
appointment of Cortelyou would be more
accountable to the country at large than
| the selection Of any other man that could
| be found.
There Is no question that Secretary
| Root will be elected to the United States
Senate to succeed Mr.. Plat. The ma
chine" both state, county and city, has
unanimously declared for him, and every
body is for him except Timothy Woodruff
| of BROOKLYN chairman of the state repub- |
| lican committee, who expected that honor
| himself and had good reason to do so. |
| Mr.. Woodruff realizes that he has no
chance. He has no support outside Of the |
BROOKLYN delegation. and is now looking
| for a soft spot to fall on. He has cabinet
aspirations and would accept a first-class
mission. He has reached the point where |
he saws IL the Prestdent-elect desires him |
| to withdraw from the senatorial race he |
is perfectly willing to do so to promote
harmony in the party. but he wants some |
expression of Mr.. Taft's wishes direct |
from that gentleman himself instead of |
second hand intimations from intermedi-
aries.
Taft Wants Root in Senate.
Mr. Taft has sent word nv Mr. Ward |