The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-15
OLD TIES. SEVERED
Present ana Former Cabinet Of
ficers Arrayed Against
Each Other.
ROOSEVELT FIGHT TIE CAUSE
Allegiance Of Taft's Official Family
and OF Roosevelt's Former Advis-
ers Strained by Contest for the
Presidential Nomination.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Presidential Nomination.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-In truth. though one
must speak flguratively, the presi-
| dents cabinet table is a round table.
Men sit in order of precedence, where
IN spirit there is no precedence. One
cabinet officer ranks another cabinet
of1cer traditionally, and in one sense
in law; but when seeking advice upon
subjects Of general moment not con-
fined to the administration of any ono
Of the executive departments the pres
ident is as apt to seek light and knowl
! edge from the left hand as he is from
the right hand. p
1t is a matter of much more than
rumor that when some great national
legislative question is before the cab
met for discussion, the president, TAX.
Ing his cue from the rule governing
the army court-martial when a vote is
to be taken, asks the cabinet men,.
Der at the foot of the table to give
his opinion before any opinion or any
suggestion is asked from a cabinet
member at the head Of the table. Z
In voting upon the guilt or inno-
cence Of man who has been tried by
an army tribunal. tie second neuten-s
ant member of the board gives his
vote verbally before the captain or the
major is heard. The reason is plain.
II the second lieutenant votes first.
there can be no shadow Of suspicion
that the verdict which he voices has
been Influenced in any way by the
vote of his senior, for when he votes
he knows nothing Of the minds Of his.
ranking officers.
Roosevelt's Round Tak!:>, -,
Ihere are ,nrse men IL President
1aft's cabinet who had seats at the
round table during the time Of his
predecessor: Philander Chase Knox,
secretary of state; George L. Meyer,
secretary of the navy, and James Will
son, secretary Of Agriculture. When
Mr.. Knox was in Mr.. Roosevelt's cab
met he was the attorney general, while
Mr.. Meyer at the same time was the
postmaster general. Mr.. Wilson; Of
course, held the same Farmer posi-
tion,' secretary of agriculture, that
he holds today Elihu Root, who was
secretary of state in Mr.. Roosevelt's
cabinet, is now a senator Allthe other
men living who held cabinet Office un-
der Mr. Tafts predecessor are now
in, >f
kind or another in cities other than
Washington. Two members of the
Roosevelt cabinet have died, Paul Nor
ton, secretary of the navy, and Ethan
Allen Hitchcock, secretary of the in
terror
The campaign between Mr.. Taft and
Mr. Roosevelt for the Republican pres
1dential nomination has brought into
the field some Of the former cabinet
! members, either in support or in an
tagonism to their former chief Sena:
tor Root, Mr.. Roosevelt's secretary of
! state, is strong partisan of Mr. Taft.
So is Secretary of State Knox, who
also served the man who is now try
ing to come back" George B. Cor.
| company in New York city,, has a
strong personal affection for Theodore
Roosevelt, but he is supporting the
present president. Leslie M. Shaw,
| secretary of the treasury under MT.
Roosevelt, is loyal politically to hfs
former chieftain. James r. Garfield,
secretary Of the interior under Rooses
velt, is one of the most active of the
antagonists of Mr.. Taft and also one
! of the most militant of the support,
srs OF Mr. Roosevelt. Trueman c.
| Newberry who for a short time under
Mr.. Roosevelt was secretary Of the
navy, is now at the head Of one of the
campaign headquarters from which
| endeavor to renominate the colonel fe
being directed.
| Broken Past Mending.
{ 1t would hardly do to speak of Mr..
Roosevelt's former members and IT,,
more the one on whom the mantle of
the presidency later fell-William
Howard Taft. Mr.. Taft's position ip
the present campaign does not need
! defining. He is opposed to his former
| chief. Their friendship is said to havt
been broken past mending, but there
are some people who believe that one
day they will come together again ih
affection. Mr.. Taft himself thinks
so, it is said, and it is also said that
Mr.. Roosevelt hopes SO, though what
ne thinks is another matter '
! 1t is only men who were close in
PERSONAL way to Mr. Roosevelt and his
yecretary of war, Mr. Taft, who can
appreciate the difference in their rela.
! lions between now and the days of the
ormer administration.
! Mr. Taft was the ranking member OF
the cabinet, in Mr.. Roosevelts es-
imation, although In reality the SEQ
eetary of war is ranked by the secrs.
ary of state and the secretary of the
treasury. ..: ., r.
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