The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-01-11
MEYER THE FAVORITE
FOR NAVY POSITION
Present Postmaster General Is Believed to Be Choice
Of the Presidentelect as Successor to Secretary
Newbeny IN Cabinet
by JAMES HAY, Jr.

AUGUSTA, Ga, Jan. u.-Dame Ru-
NOR took a header this morning from
the top Of the ornate cupola Of the Bon
Air Hotel into the suoterranean and
secret places where the Cabinet mill
is now grinding, and came to the
surface five minutes later with the fol-
lowing declaration:
George ron l.. Meyer. the present
Postmaster General, has accepted the
position of Secretary of the Navy in the
Taft Cabinet
Then, somewhat COY as a result OF
Presideut-elect Tafts announcement
that he would deny all reports of Cabinet
appointments except those of Knox and
Hitchcock. the wise old woman again
climbed to the top Of the cupola and
broke all diving records with a leap
into the Savannah river, two miles
away. When last seen she had clam
bered from the water far down stream,
and was making a quick getaway
across country.
The Performance of Dame Rumor
however. is not TO be despised, since
the Cabinet mill was taken out of the
sight Of human eye and moved into the
very deem cellar under the Taft cottage,
where few can hear the Whir Of the
wheels. Occasionally, however, with a
small colony OF politicians quartered
here reports come out. This one j. %
the effect that as soon as Taft and
Knox had their conferences last week,
II was decided to announce HitchcOck's
appointment to the postal portfolio
when Meyer had been given a Cabinet
post.
Desired as Secretary.
Accordingly, the information was con-
veyed TO him that he WAS desired as
Secretary OF the Navy. He accepted the
place without a protest last Saturday.
and saturday evening the Hitchcock an
nouncement was duly made.
Dame Rumar, who in this case weas
trousers and has several masculine
notes in her voice, went on TO say that
Meyer is especially acceptable as head
OF the Navy Department because It IS
assured that he will remain in the
Cabinet four years, and thus give en-
thusiastic and continuous service in the
work Of reorganiziug the Navy Depart
ment, which work is recognized 10y Mr..
Taft as being especially important
In addition to the present Postmaster
General being a close friend OF the
President-elect. and a man who has
proved his ability as q Cabinet officer,
another reason FOR mis- retention in the
official family was that Senator Lodge
of Massac husctts, Meyers native State,
was particularly fortunate in presenting
to both Taft and Knox his arguments
that Meyer should be given q place al
the long table.
In Regard to Loeb.
The dame. who is i'm advance Of her
times and smokes cigars. blew a thin
Whit into the altltudin1us air that
surrounds the hotel and hung another
picture on the ambient atmosphere. She
said that William Loeb, it,. had wanted
the Navy berth and that ne had been
so strongly pushed for il by President.
Roosevelt that for a time he seemed TO.
be the man who would carry off the
prize. However, according 10 the yVhiff
artist an unfortunate presentation of
Mr, Loeb case was made to Mr.. Taft
IN that IL was said Loeb wanted TO be
a Cabinet officer because Of the prestige
IT would give him I'm the business world
or course, You can understand 80
said the wise old woman. that the
could not see his way