The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-10
CABINET RUMORS
 ARE ALL DENIED Taft Will Give Out Nothing
 Until Proper Time JAMES WILSON'S AMBITION The Secretary of Agriculture Wants To Break Record for Long Service
 and When That Is Done He Will Retire.
JAMES WILSON'S AMBITION

Augusta, Ga, January 9.-Beyond the
 reiteration of the announcement that Phil ander c. Knox will be Secretary of State
 and Frank H. Hitchcock Postmaster Gen eral, President-elect Taft has determined
 that no other cabinet appointments shall
 be made known until March | To make this determination effective he will deny all cabinet rumors, predictions or an- nouncements from any source whatso- ever.
 It is predicted that Mir. Hitchcock will retire as chairman of the republican na- | uonal committee at some convenient time to be determined upon after he has as- sumed the duties of his official position. 1 In this event he will designate a vice chairman from among the members of the committee, who will head the commit tee until its meeting in December preced- ing the next national election, at which time the formal election of a chairman will be in order. It is stated that no controversy has existed over this matter; that 1t never has been, and is not now an issue In any quarter MT. Hitchcock, who is here, declined to discuss any views he may have in this connection, and would make no prediction as to what member of the committee he will desg- nate as vice chairman.
 The ambition of James Wilson, Secre- tary of Agriculture. to serve longer as a cabinet minister than has any occu- pant of like position in this country. has developed an interesting discussion ss to whether MT. Wilson does not at the present time hold the record for the longest cabinet service. His tenure of office on March 4, next, will be 12 years and three months, according to informa- tion here. His competitors in this line are said to be William Wirt, who was eight months, and Postmaster General Granger, who was at the head of the postal service for 13 years. but during none of that time was he a member of the cabinet.
 The position of Postmaster General then was not a cabinet place. Should it de- velop authoritatively that MT Wilson will have achieved his ambition on March 4, it is regarded as highly probable here
 
 duties.
 Otherwise MT. Wilson will doubtless be a member of the Taft official family at least for few months. Aside from this place, 1t is regarded as a fair conclusion that MT. Taft has fixed in his mind and has had approved by Messrs Knox and Hitchcock the men whom he is to invite to seats around his council board. This is believed to be the extent of his progress at the present time, as 1t is understood that a number of offers of places besides the two de- termined have been made to any one. The proffer of places Is the next step in order as a matter of course.
 Like a trip into the good old days of the past was the novel experience of the President-elect in being the guest of the Farmers club at barbecue today. The barbecue has been held once month with few exceptions for 70 years. The old darkey, John Yancey, made the "cue" just as he has been doing since long befo' de wa" The plain board club house, with it's holes in the roof and walls. has been the meeting place for the discussion of all questions as well as the feasts served in one of its two rooms, for more than 50 years
 It stands alone in a beech forest about seven miles from Augusta, and in and IL tOudN were BdlHtIeu ldll d hundred farmers, with a sprinkling of city folk, invited from Augusta for the occasion.
 These included Senator Bourne, of Ore gon, John Hays Hammond, Frank H. Hitchcock, all of whom made speeches, Judge J. c. Lamar, Judge Harry c. Ham mond. President Phinizy, of the Georgia railroad, and others.
 Major Henry Hammond. veteran of more than 70 years, welcomed MT. Taft for the farmers and expressed the hope that as the Llama of Tibet is regarded as the incarnation of Buddah. MT. Taft might be the incarnation of George Wash ington, and have the realization of his expressed desire "peace among all na- tions, and the restoration of harmony, equality and fraternity between the solid south and the solid north"
 MT. Taft replied to this with feeling, expressing his gratitude for his recep- ton, and discussing generally the desir- able qualities of the ancient club. After the barbecue had been served, MT. Taft departed in his automobile. while tho ancient negro cook calculated, with tears of joy on his face, "I sho done shook hands with President. If I never shake agin, I done 1t today"