The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-03
President elect Has Stated II
He Can Make New York
Man Chief Justice, He Will
Be "Dee-Iighted."
NEW SENATOR WOULD
PROBABLY ACCEPT IT
''What Shall We Do. With Jim
mic GarfieId?" Is a Question
Which Is vexatiouS-WaSh-
ington Gossip.
BY Sheldon s. Cline.

BY Sheloon 3. Cline.
Washington, March 3.-Ehhu Root,
of New York. will be the next Chief
Justice Of the United States Supreme
court-provided Mr.. Root will accept
the appointment at the hands Of Mr..
Taft. He has told his friends that
were he able to make Root chief JUS
tice, he would regard 1t as the crown
ing act Of his administration.
It is we'll known that Mr.. Taft's life
ambition was to sit on the supreme
court bench, and until the little pres
idential bee began its buzxing he had
looked upon the chief justiceship as
the most exalted place to which NOR
tai might aspire. It ia not surprising,
then. that he wants man of large cal
ibre to place In the seat now occupied
by Chief Justice Fuller. The latter Is
long past the age Of retirement and it
is well understood that he will not re-
main ON the bench throughout Mr..
Taft's term in the White House.
A Graceful Compliment.
At banquet in New York q few
nights ago, Mr.. Taft said that he be-
lieved that Root instead Of Taft should
have succeeded to the presidency. No
man ever paid another q higher COM
pliment, and the compliment was q
peculiarly graceful one because of the
well known fact that Mr.. Root aspired
to the nomination last year, but gave
way to TAFT because he believed the
latter would make tho stronger candi-
date. II Mr.. Taft. having bean elect
ed to the place which Mr.. Root wanted.
should appoint Mr.. Root to the posi-
ton which Taft himself wanted, 1t
would be an unusual demonstration of
the capaciousness OF fate.
Whether Mr.. Root would accept the
chief justiceship Ii not known except
possibly, to few Of his intimates, and
Mr.. Root has few intimates. When he
was elected senator from New York,
there was very widespread belief that
he hoped the senatorship would lead
to the presidential nomination four or
eight years hence. There isn't chance
though, that he will oppose Taft for
tuV AOAl4A0IAOA IA AO1&, anu AL AOAo
Mr.. Root will be q years old. Under
such circumstances it would not be
surprising II the chief justiceship ap-
pealed to the New York senator.
0arfield's Future.
What shall be done with Garfield ~
appears almost as vexatious prob
lem to some people as the old query.
what shall we do with our ex-presi-
dents?" About every position within
the gift Of President Taft has been
picked for Mr.. Roosevelt's secretary
Of the Interior, but 80 far none Of them
has materialized. All the early cab
met states put forth by Mr.. Taft's en-
thusiastic volunteer assistants contain
ed the name Of Garfield, but he was
dropped out Of cabinet reckoning about
q month ago. Since then he has been
reported as siatsd for almost every
thing on the FL Of presidential plac-
es. from ambassador down.
About the only man who doesn't
seem to be worried by the situation ID
Jimmie Garfield himself. The
diminutive isn't often used now. since
he became Mr.. Secretary Garfield. but
II he carried out hts announced inten-
ton Of returning to Ohio to practice
law. people probably will get to calling
him Jimmie again. Perhaps this
would not be altogether displeasing to
Mr.. Garfield, ~ it Is not likely he has
put beyond him all further political
ambitions. and II he is going to look
to the people for prsferment it isn't
a bad asset to be known as Jimmie
or '.BilI'' or Teddy"
The secretaryship of the navy was
the cabinet berth the slate makers
originally picked out for Garfield. He
didn't get the place, but the fact that
he didn't. serves to call attention to
the fact that Ohio has never furnished
| secretary OF the navy. Except for
the comparatively new departments Of
Agriculture and Commerce and Labor,
this is the only cabinet position Ohio
men have not filled. There have been
only four secretaries Of agriculture
and only three of commerce and labor.
Jobs for Ohio Men.
Ohio men have filled other portfoli-
os. IS follows: Secretary of state. three;
secretary OF the treasury. five: secreta-
ry Of war, six; secretary of the int.
rior. four: postmaster-general, three;
attorney-general. four. There has
been considerable comment on the fact
that Mr. Taft begins his administra-
ton with no Ohio man in his cabinet.
This is not especially remarkable. how
ever, in view Of the fact that Garfield
did not have an Ohio member Of his