Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-21
THREE PLACES In CABINET
]. M. Dickinson of Tennessee Will Be
Secretary of War.
NAGEL TO SUCCEED GARFIELD
50. Louis Man said tn BE slated for
Secretary of Commerce and Labor
-BallinRer for Interior
Department..

COLUMBUS, o.. Feb 2o.-J. M. Dickinson
OF Tennessee will be secretary OF war in
the Taft cabinet.
Charles Nagel OF st. Louis will be Mr..
Taft's secretary of commerce and labor and
r. A. Ballinger will be secretary Of the
interior.
This statement is not made upon the an
nouncement OF Mr.. Taft, but its correctness
may be accepted without question. Mr..
Nagel was caller upon the president-elect
Friday and Mr.. Dickinson had a conference
today.
Mr. Taft will permit OF no announcement
from him as to these conclusions. 1t has
been known for some time. however, that
he had practically decided upon Mr.. Nagers
appointment and the interview yesterday
bears all the earmarks Of having been ar
ranged for the express purpose of an offer
and acceptance.
Mr. Dickinson came to Cincinnati from
Chicago today. He has not been under
consideration as a cabinet possibility for
so long a time but has been personally
and most favorably known by Mr.. Taft for
many years. His legal record and acknowi-
edged ability are such as to commend him
peculiarly to Mr.. Taft Mr.. Dickinson is a
Tennesseean, although temporarily residing
in Chicago, where his duties as general
solicitor OF the Illinois Central Railway
system required his presence. He Is a dem
ocrat. although always having opposed
Bryan
At Xenia, o., Mr.. Taft's car was sur
rounded by an eager crowd and he came
out on the back platform and asked for the
support and prayers OF the people that the
duties OF the responsible position he is
about TO assume may be discharged for the
best good OF all.
Mr.. Taft win reach Philadelphia in the
morning and will be the guest Of DIR. s.
Weir Mitchell. Mrs. Taft will Join her hus-
band there, coming from New York. where
she has been spending a few days.
On Monday Mr.. Taft will make an ad-
dress before the Pennsylvania university
and leave for New York Tuesday.
Taft Confers with DiekiaSon.
CINCINNATI. Feb. eO.-The presence
here today CT j. NJ. Dickinson, general
counsel of the Illinois Central railway
system, and an immediate conference be-
tween himself and President Elect Taft,
presents strong clrcumstantial evidence at
least that decision is to be reached as
TO who viii be Mr.. Taft's secretary of war
Mr.. Dickinson has been under considera-
tion for this post for some time and that
he would come to Cincinnati for a confer
ence would seem to make the reasoning
good that II he was sent for by Mr.. Taft
II was for the purpose OF extending the
honor, and II he came at HIS own inltiativs
It was for the purpose OF declining the
honor.
The presence here yesterday OF Charles
Nagel of st. Louis is likewise regarded as
the opportunity for an offer to him by
Mr.. TAFT OF the commerce and labor port
folio and its acceptance.
The Treasury department head. accord
ing TO all that can be learned here Is per-
haps the one remaining place In the cabinet
regarding which no decision has been
reached.
This. Mr.. Tafts last day in his home city
before becoming president. was made the
occasion for many calls upon him by his
old-time friends and neighbors. and the
Pike street mansion OF Charles p. Taft.
where he made his headquarters. was
crowded with callers. Mr. TAFT left at 3
o'clock for Philadelphia. from where on
the 2od be viii so 70 New York Tor several
esyA