The Washington herald., 1909-02-26

New York. Feb B.-President-elect Taft
has 10 special engagements for to-mor-
row except the dinner TO be given by
The Peace Society IN honor Of Elihu Root
in the evening Mr. Taft wiz speak there.
and viii leave for Washington and the
inauguration on Saturday morning
Unless something entirely unexpected
turns I'D before March :. Franklin Mac
veagh. the Chicago business man. viii
be Secretary OF the Treasury in the Taft
Cabinet.
The President-elect declined 10 say any
thing in regard TO his selection. but there
is 10 longer any doubt that the post has
been offered to Macyeagh. and that he
has accepted
II Is understood that opposition 10 the
appointment developed among some Hi
nOis Republicans. but they have finally
indorsed #. The Illinois men objected on
the ground that MacVesgh was not reg
ular' in politics. while there were other
Illinois candidates who were free from
--taint OF the Democracy.
Mr- MacVeagh was the Democratic
nominee for Senator from Illinois in 1894
but he b0lted Bryan and took an active
part IN the Gold Democracy movement in
behalf Of Palmer and Buckner. He later
voted for Mckinley, Roosevelt, and Taft.
and worked actively for the two latter.
Not Swayed by Politics.
The further objection vas raised that
AIr. Taft already had one nan Of Demo
cratic complexion in the person OF Jacob
N Dickinson. his Secretary Of War. AIr-
Dickinson is . Chicago lawyer. but he
has held his voting residence in his na-
tive State Of Tennessee. and IL the Cabj-
net viii be credited to that state. Mr.
Dickinson, like Luke z. Wright. the pres
ent Secretary Of War, and Nr. Mac
Feagh, has never been able 10 swallow
the Bryan brand Of Democracy.
II is apparent, however. that Mr. Taft.
in selecting both Dickinson and Mac
Vesgh from Illinois, has not been swayed
% any appreciable extent by the Re
publican politics Of that State
Mr. NaeVeash, it is understood. has
already taken steps to make himself
eligible under the Federal statute. which
prohibits any importer from holding the
Office. Dispatches from Chicago intimate
that Mr. MscEeaEh VIII divest himself
OF all active Interest in his big whole
sale grocery business. and that he Is alsa
several financial institutions.
The MacVesgh appointment was ap-
parently arranged through National
Chairman Frank Hitchcock. Mr. Hitch
cock met Mr.. Taft in New Orleans. upon
the latter's return from Panama. and
went directly 20 Chicago. 4 few days
later ne visited Mr. Taft at Cincinnati.
and was in conference with him again
in this city when the question Of filing
the portfolio was finally settled
Has Large Business.
Mr. MacTesgh Is q native Of Pennsyl-
vania- He was graduated from Yale
with the class Of 81 He practiced law
for several years. and then went into
the wholesale grocery business His busi-
ness IS one Of the largest Of It's kind in
the country
Besides being connected with several Of
Chicago's large financial institutions. Mr
1IacTeagh has taken an active part in
the municipal reform movement in that
city He Is president Of the Chicago Bu-
reau Of Charities and Of the Municipal
Art League, and a member Of The execu-
tive committee Of the National Civic As
sociation.
Mr. Tafts time to-day was taken VI
largely by n0npolitiCal visits Before he
settled down 70 the days routine. though
he took q brisk fve-mfle walk with Na-
ticnaI Chairman Hitchcock The wind
was blowing al good clip when Mr. Taft
and his Postmaster General started out
Il was mighty sharp, too but the Presi-
dent-elect led Of UP Fifth avenue from
Forty-eighth street at a pace that made
the national chairman stretch his legs
With a Secret Service agent trailing
them. they walked up the avenue az fal
as Fifty-ninth street, and then or
through Central Park as far as Seventy
ninth street. Only a few on the Fifth
avenue sidewalks recognized Mr.. Taft.
Taft Receives Callers.
The President-elsct and Mr. Hitchcocl
came back 20 Forty-eighth street on III,
west side Of the town.
Among callers al the Henry ". Taft
house to-day were George R sheldon
treasurer OF the Republican Nationa
Committee; Isaac Seligman. the banker
James Speyer, 4. ". Stevenson formei
Republican National Committeeman. g
Colorado; James R. Sheafield. presiden
Of the Yale Alumni Association: w. N
Barnum. W Fellows Morgan. OF Nez
Jersey, who was trimmed Al golf by tn
President-elect AZ Hot Springs last sum
mer; Gen Horace Porter. Booker T
Washington, Samuel Brill. William Y
Rowe, and two OF three others.
In the evening the President-elect an,
Mrs Taft Joined family reunion at IN,
Henry ". Taft home. Mrs Henry "
Taft and her daughter arrived from
Europe to-day. and Charles p. Taft. hi
wife and daughter. also were in town.
NIL --,-s +1,s,r- - .. .-f--,t. -