The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-02-09

is a poor man. His rich half brother,
Representative Charles 2. Taft. has
been putting up for him ever since
the President-elect came to Washing
ton as Secretary of War. With salary
of 100000 year, Mr.. Taft could
probably save $4,000 year, and by
the time he quits the Presidency could
save up competency for his later
years. For President has practically
all his living expenses in Washington
paid, save his grocery bill and his bills
for the clothing of himself and family.
AS Mr.. Taft has now sailed away to
Panama, the Washington interest in his
plans for the next administration lags
for a while. Senator Knox, his Secre-
tary of State-designate, has been down
South for another conference about the
cabinet. There are evidences that
several Of the portfolios have not vet
been decided upon.
The power trust report that Herbert
Knox Smith, Commissioner of Corpora-
tions, turned into President Roosevelt
is interpreted here as sounding the knell
of at least one cabinet ambition for the
next administration. In the course of
that document Mr.. Smith enumerated
the Central Colorado Power Company
as one of the corporations that has been
active IN purchasing power sites. While
ne did not give that company any par
ticularly evil prominence more than
several other companies, the effect was
to designate 1t as a corporation whose
act1vft1es are not altogether in the in
terest Of the future generations of resi-
dents in that vicinity.
The records of the Forest Service
show that Myron T. Herrick, former
Governor of 0hio, has served for a.
considerable time as the president of
that company. Applications for au-
thority TO cross public lands with
transmission wires are signed by Mr..
Herrick, as president of that company.
all of which, it is claimed, would
prejudice the public against him, were
he to be given the Treasury portfolio
in the next cabinet Although his
name has been prominently mentioned,
at intervals, as prospective Secretary
of the Treasury, there is said to be
little likelihood that he will be chosen.
A considerable element of influential
Republicans has been active in trying
to dissuade the President elect from
bringing into his cabinet men affiliated
with large corporations. Mr.. Herrick
is not the only man who has been, or
is being, opposed in that connection.
The most effective weapon against
Charles T. Nagle of Missouri, who Is
known to have been favorably consid
cred for Attorney General, is that one
of his principal clients for years has
been big st. Louis brewing COM
pany He has ridden around over the
country great deal in the private
car of the president of that brewing
company. The firm s ccat-of-arms is
ccnspicuously emblazoned upon the
outside Of that private car. People
living near railroad lines in the Mis-
sissippi Valley are somewhat familiar
with the sight of that private car fly
ing along at the rear of fast express
trains. The Ahrens fat ton of Mis-
souri, Republicans have not hesitated
TO make the most of that fact in their
verv strenuous antagonism of Mr..
Nagle.
The more radical Republicans, who
have enjoyed very free access to the
White House offices in recent years,
anu HiduS represented loLio
touching anti-corporation crusades, are
watching very eagerly for the names
of the incoming President S cabinet.
They are the ones who tried to TO-
ment opposition to the selection of
Senator Knox for Secretary of State,
although compelled to acknowledge his
ability and all-round qualifications for
that office. There are now no corpor-
alton men in the cabinet, unless Sec
rotary Root can be so-called because of
his record as corporation lawyer.
Mr.. Taft's attitude toward such agi-
tations as that against Mr.. Nagle prob
ably will not be fully known till he
announces his cabinet list. 1t is con-
ceded by those who have been in his
confidence that the objections raised
to the Missourian are serious, be-
cause they might give special offense
to a large and militant prohibition SEN
timent throughout the Middle West.
There are prospects of hard-fought
prohibition campaigns two years from
| now in Ohio, Indiana, Nebraska and
| other adjacent States, in most OF
which the Democrats have been max
ing party gains.
1t is generally and quite authorl-
tatively understood that Mr.. Taft is
trying to find a Secretary of the
Treasury in the West, due in consid-
| cradle part to his unwillingness to in
wade Wall Street in search of expert
| financial talent. Mr.. Wickersham, a
Wall Street attorney and specialist in
corporation law, was thought at one
| time to have been all but finally
agreed upon for Attorney General, but
the gossip about his selection has at
least ceased 1t is attributed here to
Mr. Taft s unwillingness to offend Re
publican sentiment in the Western
States by putting corporation man
into high position.
Such Senators as Mr.. La Toilette of
Wisconsin, and other Republicans from
the West, are ready to emphasize their
dissent if good radicals, from their
point of view. are not continued in
strategic government places, like those
| in the cabinet. Because of their In
| fiuenee with Western voters and their
power to cement the party or to dl
| vide it in fractional warfare, develop
ments in cabinet making are of nc
| mean marty Importance.