The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-03-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.

1t is not usual for the cabinet of pres
ident to be announced before his inau.
guration. To the best of my knowledge
there has always been doubt and uncer.
tainity until after the official announce
ment of the President from the White
House. 1t is, however. characteristic of
the candor and non-secretiveness of the
President ELECT that the country now
knows that with the acceptance by Mr..
MacVeagh, merchant, of Chicago, of
the Treasury Portfolio, the cabinet of the
new President is arranged and fixed.
There are only two holdovers from Presi-
dent Roosevelt's cabinet-men who have
sat with Judge Taft at the council table
of the nation. They are Mr.. Meyer, at
present Postmaster General, who will be
Secretary of the Navy in the Taft admin
instration; and Mr.. Wilson, the venerable
Secretary of Agriculture, who will remain
at his present post. The present cabinet
will be distinguished for a remarkably
strong battery of eminent lawyers, with
the President himself on the bench as it
were in the cabinet room. Five members
of the present cabinet are distinguished
members of the legal profession, men of
ripe learning and experience in various
branches of the law.
The President-elect arrived in Wash
ington on Saturday, March Fl, and will
remain as guest of the Boardmans
until after March the fourth, when he
will transfer his activities to the White
House. 1t is announced that soon after
his Inauguration, he will visit the ranch
of Charles P. Taft near San Antonio,
Texas, where residence for him is
building and golf links are laid out.
xt*
Interesting information comes from
China in the form of an official private
letter to the Preident.elect in which the
attitude of the Chinese Government as
represented by the Regent concerning
vital Chinese questions. is explained at
length. This letter confirms the inten-
tion Of the Chinese Government to carry
out the reforms and the progressive
policy which the world has understood to
have depended mainly on the recently
deposed Grand Counselor. II also ex.
presses the wish that the Japanese may
withdraw entirely from Manchuria and
that they, at some future time, may find
it advisable to relinquish their occupancy
of Korea. The President elect is pecu-
liarly well informed in matters relating
to China. His long residence in the
Philippines; his visits to China and Japan
and his tour through China, Siberia and
Manchuria has given him an insight and
sympathetic interest in questions relating
to the policy and the progress of this
great Oriental Empire. This letter of
the Chinese Regent is doubtless a rec
ignition of his interest and his expected
influence in vital matters pertaining to
Oriental civilization and is another indica.
ton of our prominence in world politics.
-
During the past week, went to Old
Point Comfort to see the incoming feet
returning from its around-the-w world
voyage, accompanied by eight big iron.
clads that had been sent out on the At.
lantic to meet and to conduct it home. Il
cannot say that the spectacle was very
impressive. Sixteen large white iron-
clads moved up the still waters of Hamp-
ton Roads at speed of only seven knots
per hour and saluted with boom of can.
non the Presidents yacht, the Mayflower,
as each iron clad passed. 1t is something
for congratulation that so powerful fleet
has circumnavigated the globe without
the firing of destructive shot at any
thing except harmless target. The
ships had anything but warworn or
weatherbeaten appearance and it is hoped
that they are worth as much as they cost
and that in preserving peace according
to the idea of the President, they will
pay for their enormously expensive
upkeep.
Apropos of the Navy, the President has
sent another message to Congress urging
a greater Navy, advising radical changes,
recommending more authority for the
Secretary of the Navy and favoring con-
tinued preparedness for war. He insists
particularly on the cooperation of the
Navy Department aud the War Depart
ment as recently recognized in defensive
preparations and in the establishment of
naval stations, calling attention to the
good work doue in the reorganization of