The Harrison times., 1911-01-21
Cabinet Would Like to Be Free
from Ills Presence but Ten
neSSee Is Cold.
SMOOT BILLS MENACE ALASKA
Would Give Guggenhelms Complete
Control of Coal Fields and Water
Front at Cordova-Argument OF
Rivals for Canal Ex-
position.
BY WILLIS }. ABBOT.


changes in the cabinet, | can
state on authority, only second to
that of the White House, that no
changes are contemplated. Like the
early Federalists Of whom Jefferson
complained, 1t may be said of the
present cabinet that "few die and
none resign" Nor is there any Sc
rious dissension In the cabinet ranks,
or between any member Of the cabi'
net and the president, with one single
exception-namely the secretary OF
war, Mr.. Dickinson Of Tennessee.
Dickinson Wants senatorship.
Now Dickinson was appointed to
the cabinet as a Democrat. OF
course the fact that he was picked
out for this elevated position by
perfectly partisan administration
shows how much Of a Democrat he
had been, and his acceptance OF the
post shows how much Of Democrat
he is today. But Dickinson just now
is repenting In sackcloth and ashes.
Tennessee is about to elect a United
States senator, and for that excellent
Indoor Job" as Sam Weller said
about the place Of the Archbishop OF
Canterbury, he Is q strenuous candi-
date. Yet somehow in the midst Of
all their turmoil over the assassina-
tion Of Carmack, the pardon Of Coop.
err and the political demolition Of
Gov. Patterson as result Of both Of
these events, the Tennesseeans don't
seem to warm up to Dickinson, They
have forgotten him as resident Of
their state, for his real home for years
past has been in Chicago. They look
askance upon his Democracy, because
he clutched eagerly at place in the
Taft cabinet which was offered him
only to give a veneer Of non-partisan.
ship to that association of notables,
And they shy little bit at the GU.
rious evidence adduced during GER
tain hearings before committees Of
the senate and house which seemed
to show a very decided friendship be-
tween the present secretary Of war
and the Southern Pacific railroad, &C.
cruing greatly to the profit Of the
latter.
His Cabinet Appointment sIunder.
OF course 1t would be delight and
Joy to the administration II Ten.
nessee would relieve the president
and the remainder Of the cabinet OF
Secretary DicKinson's unwelcome
presence. BY that do not mean that
personally he is at all obnoxious. But
we are approaching a presidential
campaign-having only the other day
ended congressional one-and as
cabinet meetings are given over very
largely to talk Of politics 1t is surely
embarrassing to have member at
the council who cannot be depended
upon as defender Of the admins.
tration's political plans, whatever they
may be.
A Republican senator said to me to
day, and must agree with him: This
business OF trying to build up an ad.
ministration by inviting into It men
who are neither for It, nor frankly for
the opposition is folly. You can't
have a bipartisan, or non-partisan
administration Of the government Of
the United States. Ours Is a govern.
ment by parties and we might as well
be frank about It. Cleveland set the
example when he made Walter @.
Gresham secretary Of state, after
Gresham had been a candidate for the
Republican nomination for president,
1t was bad example and when the
Democrats get into power as l be.
lieve they wlll--for very brief term
/ hope they will reverse the prece.
dent"
Fight for Control OF Alaska.
Whether In this session of congress
or the first session of the Sixty-second
congress, cannot tell, but there Is
pending a fight for the principally Of
Alaska that is going to create a ma.
tional scandal and awaken universal
interest.
The mineral deposits of both coal
and copper are Of wonderful richness,
but they can be reached only through
a comparatively few gateways OF trans.
portation. One Of the principal high.
ways toward tho coal deposits is what
Is known as the Copper River q North.
western railroad This Is owned by
the Guggenheims, seven brothers
of well.known phllanthropic Ideas
philanthropic for themselves alone
who, besides owning the railroad
and practically all the steamship lines
connecting Alaska with United States
ports. also control the smelter in.
dustry Of the United States and are
thus practically able to fix the price
Of copper alike to the producer and
to the consumer.
have before me bill introduced
by Senator Smoot IN the last session
Of congress, Smoot will be remem'
bered by some because Of the fact that
there was a savage fight made to keep
aim out OF the senate because OF his
,f1l iIniion with tha Morp,nn church n