The National tribune., 1910-10-27
THE GOVERNMENTS
BUSINESS.
The President Takes Advantage
of the Absence of Politicians
From Washington to Catch Up
With His Work.

The politician seems to be giving
Washington City a wide berth these
campaign days, but this is not without
its advantages. The President is find
ing time to devote to Government busl-
ness. and considerable progress is max
ing for awhile All of the Cabinet with
three or four exceptions are in town.
There are regular meetings Tuesdays
and Fridays at which all concerned are
getting into touch with Government af-
fairs at close range. To be sure it is
only q few days now before the Presi-
dent will be on the bounding main for
his two weeks journey to the Isthmus
of Panama, but in the interim he will
get his desk cleared and the accumu-
latfon of business waiting for attention
will be less.
A couple of Senators have come to
town of late-SenatOr Nathan Bay
Scott of West Virginia. and Senator
Shelby Cullum, of Illinois, and half
dozen Representatives have stopped off
on their way to fill speaking dates. But
none of them had business of particular
Importance with the President. Dear
Scotty'' brought glowing accounts of
the situation up in West Virginia, one
of the most rockribbed Republican
States in the Union. He comes up for
Reelection this year, and presumably
VIII have a Walk-ON6r.
The illness of his colleague, Senator
Elkins, has given some concern, as at
one stage there seemed doubt about the
Senator's recovery. This would have
meant the election of two United States
Senators by the incoming West Virginia
Legislature But of late Senator ElllinS
is reported as improving. incidentally
ii is noted that this has been year of
heavy Senatorial mortality. Immediate
ly after the session adjourned Senator
Daniel, of Virginia, and Senator Nc
Emery, of Louisiana, crossed over, and
only few days ago there was the death
of Senator Dolliver, of Iowa. At least
two other Senators are in such feeble
health that their hold upon life is not
very tenacious.
The Postal Savings Bank.
One important matter of business the
President and his Cabinet have dis
posed of is the establishment of postal
savings banks. One large town or city
III every State of the As has been select
ed for trying the experiment of postal
savings banks, but at the same time it
has been decided that the banks shall
not go into operation till Jan. l next.
The work of preparation has been far
more arduous than was anticipated The
Board of Postal Bank Trustees. con-
Sisting of the PoStmaster-Gene the
Acknowledgement and the Secretary of
the Treasury, have proceeded with Spe-
cial caution lest mistakes be made that
would discredit the postal bank phan.
The supreme Court.
There has been much pressure upon
the President since his return to Wash
ington to indicate his selections for the
Supreme Court and the new Commerce
Court, but he has announced that the
names will not be made public till early
in December. He expects to send the
judicial nominations to the Senate the
Monday after the Senate and House
organize, which will be Dec. II. The
gossip about the Supreme Court vacan-
cies continues, especially about the Of
fee of Chief Justice. While the Presi-
dent tarried in New York it became
known that he is considering Justice
Edward d. White, among others, for
that highest judicial office. Justice
White is a Democrat whom President
Cleveland promoted from the United
States Senate to the Supreme Bench.
He is accorded jurist Of great ability,
and by some lawyers has been account
ed the greatest and most profound
memher Of the Supreme Court.
Whether President Taft nominates
him for Chief Justice or not, there is
no question that he thinks very highly
OF him. During the past Summer he
invited Justice White to visit him at
Beverly, and took him as a guest on
the Mayfiower when he Cthe President)
cruised over 10 ProYincetOwn to dedi-
cate the Pilgrim Monument
Economical administration of the Ex-
ecutive Departments is receiving atten-
ton anew from the President, but the
work is now well under way, so that it
calls for little attention from him except
in the matter of supervision. A formid-
able list of governmental matters is
mentioned to which he is giving
thought, but most of them have already
been under consideration by him in one
form or another.
Changes in the Cabinet.
Some gossip about prospective
changes in the Cabinet has been heard
of lately, but most of it is regarded as
idle and without foundation. One fea-
ture of this gossip is that the President
would like to see Secretary of War ia
cob Dickinson out of the Cabinet and a
good Republican in his place. This is
not credited, for the President is be-
, lieved to entertain a very favorable
opinion of Secretary Dickinson, even
tho he be a Democrat The Secretary
has been out of the country for four
or five months on a voyage around the
world with a number of society nota-
bles, the Philippines having been their
objective point.
There has also been a revival of re-
ports that Postmaster-G General Hitch
cock was losing favor and that the
President would soon welcome u change
in that Department. Politicians and
opponents of the Postmaster General
are supposed to be back of these re-
ports, which they put into circulation
every few months, apparently with the
hope of embarrassing Mr. Hitchcock
He clearly does not have the political
influence he once had with the Presi-
dent, but that does not mean he is out
of favor with the President.
These two men, Secretary BallingeI
and Secretary of the Treasury Mac
Vcagh, a Democrat, have been the tar.
get of most of the attacks upon the
Cabinet. From all appearances now
there will hardly be any Cabinet
changes for the present The President
probably will be able to keep his Cabi.
net intact till March 4, which would
make a two years period. That is G
pretty good record. Few Presidents
have equaIed it. BY March next som.
members of the Cabinet may want L
retire, as that will be the dividing poin