The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
TAFT CABINET IS BEING WEIGHED Who Will Help Most in
 1912? WILSON IS TN" BAD Secretary Nagel Will Be Valuable Asset and Frank Hitchcock Is Relied Upon to Work the
 Mechanical Details
Fly SIDNEY ESPEY


 1 Washington November 4.--(SpeciaD.- l With the shadow of the coming presiden- 1 tiai election approaching so near that it l is beginning to obliterate matters lot 1 pertinent to the big issues, President l Taft is looking over the personnel of his cabinet with a view to determining which of his official advisers will be of the greatest service to him in the strug- | gle of 1912.
 As the date of the national convention | draws near the voting population Is sep- arating the sheep from the goats in the group of presidential possibilities. Poli-i- | clans concede that in 1912 will come ono | of the fiercest struggles for political su- l pTemacy which has occurred for many years. Realizing this fact, President Taft | Is preparing to intrench himself behind formidable phalanx of supporters and to build up an organization which will re- qure much to overthrow. In this organi- zation he is placing much dependence on the members of his cabinet.
 l Those closest to the President seem 10 consider James Wilson, secretary of agri- culture, the weakest link In the cabinet chain, because his vigorous advocacy of Canadian reciprocity resulted in the loss of much republican prestige throughout the rural districts of the Mississippi val lev which has long been his stronghold. From political point of view. many stantesmen consider that MT. Wilson's chief virtues lies In the fact that he has never done anything very bad, and has by a piodding faithfulness won his way into the hearts of the farmers, out in spite of this strength, it is the concensus of opinion that his stand on reciprocity and the recent Wiley inquiry has re- suited in the. forfeiture of q large meas- ure of public confidence.
 As q lieutenant best fitted to handle the machine end of national politics Frank II. Hitchcock, postmaster general, is being relied upon by President Taft to- assist i'll the work of conjuring har- mory out of the hydra-headed mass of politics which the convention will be. His experience as chairman of the Nationai Republican committee has given him such an intimate knowledge of the inner work ings of national politics that he will oc able to handle the organization leaders with ability. MT Hitchcock has the con fidence of party leaders in both the north ern and southern sections of the country and despite the fact that his resignation as chairman of the National Republican committee was in line with an avowed policy of his to break away from machine politics, the political forecasters predict thatsmuch of this sort of work is to be thrust upon him, being the one man in the cabinet best fitted for such labors.
 Secretary of Commerce and Labor Charles Nagel, who is also national com mitteeman from Missouri will be yal- table asset in the coming campaign, being the controlling force which directs republican policies in his state. The faer that Secretary Nagel is at loggerheads with the German-American Alliance, an organization which boasts control of s3lo GOO votes, has tendency to reduce the influence, but confidence In his ability to settle this trouble to the satisfaction of all concerned has been expressed.
 Attorney General Wickersham occupies a position in political affairs which pre- sents a problem. The fact that he had no sooner embarked upon his political career than he proceeded to read the h. surgent element one of the republican party deprives him of necessary virtue, namely the ability to influence the ultra progressive element and swing 1t into line, shoulder to shoulder with the cid guard. His trust busting" proclivities have won him many enemies in Wall street and the world of finance
 The newest recruit to the official family Of President Taft, Henry l.. Stimson, sec retary of war, is expected to attract to the Taft standard many of the support CTS of Roosevelt. who might otherwise hold off Stimson in the recognized repre- sentative of Rooseveltism in the Taft cab met. He was the colonels choice for gov eInor of New York a year ago, and IS strong in the Empire state.
 Franklin McVeagh secretary of the treasury, and Walter l.. Fisher, secrc- tary Of the interior, are both high in the good graces of Congress. and are considered safe and sane by the people. Consequently they add q much desired conservative strength to the Taft cause. To MT. Fisher has fallen the legacy of tho Pinchot-Ballinger controversy, which ragged about the conservation policy of the administration last year. With this and the problems of the Alaska coal .anls and Controller Bay MT. Fisher is in posi- ton to take action at any time calculat- ed to show his hand before the people. It is believed that the burden of hia speeches when he appears on the stump for Taft in 1913 will be "conservation.
 Secretary or State Philander c. Knox, and Secretary Meyer of the Navy are ex- pected to support President Taft behind the scenes taking but little active rart ill the actual campaign. Secretary Meyer has reputation for marked ability In the raising of campaign funds and If assigned to this work will be of rel value to the national committee. Secretary Knox prob- aEly will conduct the end of the campaign devoted to praise of dollar diplomacy" but otherwise will do little stump speak ing.
 From q careful review of the cabinet oc President Taft 1t is seen that he will have no easy labor before him in effect ing the organization of cabinet staff which can be depended upon to do team work or his election with good results