The Springfield herald., 1909-03-12

at the University of Leipsiz and in
Paris. He served several times by
special commission on the supreme
bench of Tennessee and was assist
ant attorney general of the United
States in 1851.
Postmaster General Hitchcock.
The first cabinet officer selected by
Mr.. Taft after his election was Frank
II. Hitchcock of Massachusetts, who
gave up his place as first assistant
postmaster general to manage success
fully the Taft presidential campaign.
He has been given the office of post
master general in the new cabinet.
Mr.. Hitchcock was born at Amherst,
o.. in 1867. and graduated from Har-
ward in 1891 and from Columbia Law
school in 1891. Since 1891 he has
been government official.
Nasel Has Commerce Portfolio.
Missouri has been rewarded for its
switch TO the Republican column by
the appointment of Charles Nagel as
secretary of commerce and labor. Mr.
Nagel is leading lawyer of St
Louis and the west He was born in
Texas in 1919, moved to St Louis
when a child and graduated from the
ST. Louis Law school in 1873 He has
been senior member of the law firm
of Nagel G Kirby. professor in the
St Louis Law school and n trustee
of Washington university. In 1888
he was member of the Missouri house
of representatives. and in 1S93-91 was
president of the st. Louis city coun-
Gil He is a member of the Repub-
lican national committee and for years
has been an intimate friend of Mr..
Taft. He was one of Mr. Roosevelt's
most enthusiastic supporters. AS an
attorney Mr.. Nagel was identified with
several important cases dealing with
the numerous complications in the
affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes in
the then Indian territory.
Navy Under Meyers Charge.
President Taft's secretary of the
navy. George Won l.. Meyer of Massa-
chusetts. has had wide experience as
business man, legislator, diplomat
and cabinet officer. He was born in
Boston in 1858 and graduated from
Harvard in 1879 He then entered
business and has been prominently
connected with number of financial
and mercantile concerns. His career
as public official began in 1889, when
he was elected to the Boston common
council He then served on the board
of aldermen. and in 1926 he was
member of the Massachusetts isgisla-
ture, the last two years being speaker
of the house In 1900 Mr.. Meyer was
sent to Italy as American ambassador,
and in 1905 was transferred to Rus
sia. In January 1907 President
Roosevelt called him home to enter
his cabinet as postmaster general.
This portfolio he has relinquished for
that of the navy. Mr.. Meyers home is
Hamilton, Mass
saIlinger Secretary Of Interior
After about one years service as
commissioner OF the general land Of
flee, Richard A. Ballinger OF Seattle,
Wash. has entered the cabinet as
secretary of the interior He is a
native of Iowa. having been born in
Boonesboro in 1858. After attending
the University OF Kansas and Wash
burn college at Topeka he went to
Williams college. graduating in 1884
and afterward studying law and re-
moving to Washington. He was
United States court commissioner in
1S9O92 and later was Judge of the
supreme court in jefferson county,
Wash.
Attorney General Wickersham.
George w. Wickersham who be-
comes President Tafts attorney gen.
eral, has had the reputation of being
one of the ablest lawyers in New
York city. Born in Pittsburg in 1858.
he StuUipl civil anpinooripy In 7 ob;1b
university and in 1880 graduated from
the law school of the University of
pennsylvania. For two years he prac-
ticed law in Philadelphia. In 1884 he
became associated with the law firm
OF Strong & Cadwalladare, to which
Henry w. Taft, brother of the presi
dent, belongs.