The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-02-05
GOV. WILSON
THE SPHINX
Not Even Mr.. TumuIty Knows
Anything About the
Cabinet
Did Not Know He Had Been
Picked to Go to Washington
With the Next PreSi-
dent Until the Ten
der Came


the great mysteries that have stood
for ages in the shifting sands of
Egypt. 1t is literally true that no
man seems to have a hint regarding
the Wilson cabinet, save as guessworl<
can be regarded as the basis of
knowledge. The extent to which the
reticence of the president-e1ect ex-
tends will be seen in the fact that
Secretary Joseph P. Tumulty did not
know that he was booked for service
in Washington until the formal offer
WIS made to him by Gov. Wilson;
nor does this devoted friend of the
more about the composition of the
next cabinet than the rest of US. He
would not leak If he did, but the fact
dispense were he disposed to drop a
pointer or two
In such a situation as this, anoma-
lous beyond all modern precedent, the
newspaper men who are closest to
Gov. Wilson and have his confidence
can only exercise their ability as
possibly there may be some tlivina-
tion-try4ng to put one self into MI
Wilson's personality. and so studying
in the light of all the knowledge OBJ
tainable what he is likely to do. This
process is not very satisfying, but it
is the best that can be done here.
The governor has credited himself
with having a ssone-track mind
which, being interpreted, means that
he takes up one thing at time and
becomes absorbed in it to the e1ciu-
be hurried and he does thorough work
from point to point. This plan Of &C
ton gave anxiety to his friends when
he turned from the Presidency of
Princeton to the work of governing
New Jersey and leading the Democra-
cy OF this State into the path of pro-
gressive achievement The politicians,
as you know, then viewed him a
''tenderfoot'' in their realm, and pre-
dicted all sorts Of disaster for Him.
The outcome has been a revolution in
the lines of genuine Democracy that
COMPOUNDED the critics, and so estab-
lished DR.. Wilson's ability as a new
force, in politics and government as
to make him the next President of the
United States.
Because of what has been, those
who have learned to trust Gov. Will
son are willing to abide his methods
in solving the problems of the nation
al government, SO far as his leader
ship is to affect them, and they ex-
pect equally good results. These are
evidently to be reached by processes
unlike those employed by recent pre-
decessors in the White House. So
much by way of leading up to some
speculations regarding the poseibili-
ties of the Wilson cabinet. am Civ
ing you the thought of one who is en-
tirely familiar with the situation
here, so far any observer can know
it. and who has studied Gov. Wilson
at first hand during all his political
life.
of us, that William Jennings Bryan is
to he Secretary of State, but even the
Commoner has not been invited. Con
gresham A. Mitchell Palmer of Penn
sylvania will doubtless be asked to
serve in the cabinet. This authority
looks to- see Congressman Robert Lee
Texas invited. These three were in
defatigab1e advocates of Wilson in the
Baltimore convention. where PennsyI-
vaia and Texas played a large part.
Burke of North Dakota in the cabinet.
The power of his individuality as a
progressive placed his state in the
Democratic column. and he behaved
well toward the Wilson candidacy in
the national convention. He is of the
type to add strength to the Wilson
official family, and Mr.. Bryan likes
him. 1t is not believed that Judge
| Westcott, or any other Jerseyman
| will be in the cabinet, but our fore
caster looks to see this eloquent Will
son advocate given a high legal posi-
| ton in Washington. The work which
| Josepnus Daniels, editor of the Raleigh
| On. CO, News and Observer, did as
| the head of the Democratic press bu-
reau during the recent campaign ie
| held to entitle him TO something-pos-
sibly some lesser honor. Maine did
| we'll by the Wilson candidacy, and
| Senator Gardner would like to head
| the department of agriculture, with
| uncertainty as to the outcome. TIC
| many he does not look big enough II
is believed that Mr.. Palmer will be
Mr.. Wilson's Encouragement. Sen
| ator Hoke Smith of Georgia is a pos
| sibility as Secretary of the Treasury
| but he would not care to relinquisF
| leadership in the Senate unless fore
! ed to do So In that case William G
| NFcAdoo of New York may be asked
to become postmaster general. Tn.
4 possibility of Henry Morgenthau Of
! New York in the treasury department
| Burke may be Secretary of the Inter
i ior, for it is not expected here tina
/ Walter Fisher of Chicago will be ask
l ed to retain that position. If Louis
net it is expected that it may be al
Secretary of Commerce and Labo
| and not as Attorney-Genera1- TIL,
/ of the situation goes. the Governor o
New jersey owes nothing to Massa
| chueetts, thanks to Gov. Foss. Il
/ fact. New Eng1and'S chance of cabi
/ net recognition seems to be slim tf1i
4 time If Mr.. Brandeis gets there i
| will be through the power of his per
/ sonality.
| There you. have as good guesses al
| it is possible to gather from men VIII
are paying close heed to the signs o
the time here. When all has beel
| written, the fact remains that Gov
| Wilson is to make his own cabinet t
| an extent quite beyond any parallel il
| 40 years. The president-eIect is keep
| ing an open nina anu his own cOu1
sci. Not a. hint has he dropped t
| those nearest him of his natures
| purposes. I believe it to be a fac
that his own mind is not made uT
| The late William H H Murray use
| to tell of the policy of the late ST
| John A Macdonald of Canada, VIII
| once said that when entering the Off
| cfal chamber to announce an appoint
| rnent or a policy, he always. reserve
| the right to change his mind Will
| crossing the room. Something like thi
| the president-elect is reserVing t
| himself. This much, however, may b
| predicsted upon the personality an
| public career of the next president o
this republic-that whoever may b
| called to the cabinet, the dominatin
| figure in it's councils will be Woodrow
| Wilson of New Jersey.