Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-27
BURLESON SEEMS
SURE Of PLACE
IN CABINET
Texans Retirement as Caucus
Chairman Candidate Viewed
as Confirming Selection.
gv JAMES j. MONTAGUE.

WASHINGTON, Feb, 27.-All the
talk now is of the cabinet.
Whom has Wilson selected?
Nobody seems to know; therefore.
nra guess is as good as another.
representative Burleson, Of Texas,
chairman of the house caucus and
bosom friend of President elect Wilson.
las announced that he will not again
he candidate for caucus chairman.
Al the same time friends of A. Mitch
Oh Palmer, also bosom friend of the
nresident- elect, began an active cam
naigu to get for him the job Burleson
4s 10 vacate. From these moves the
cabinet builders fastened to infer that
BurIeson is going into the cabinet and
Palmer IS not.
The Palmer part of this inference was
strengthened by the fact that Repre-
sentative William B. Wilson will prob
ably be secretary of labor in the new
cabinet.
Wilson comes from Pennsylvania. So
does Palmer. 1t is not considered good
politics to have two cabinet members
from the same state, although President
Taft has two Chicagoans, Fisher and
MacVeagh in his cabinet.
Post Thought Sure For Texan.
40 one who knows Burleson is will
ing to believe that he would relinquish
the caucus craftsmanship unless he had
q chance to get something better. He
has held 1t since the Democrats took
command of the house and he could
have it for the next two years if he
went after it.
In this position he ranks next in i'm
portance to the chairman of the ways
and means committee. He can always
get caucus when he wants one, and
consequently has to be reckoned with
when any important legislation is at
stake
Palmer in this position will be highly
useful to the president after March 4.
Palmer hoped hard for a cabinet posi-
ton for long time, but it is known
that Wilson didn't want to lose him
from the floor Of the house He is ag-
gressive, ambitious and a hard fighter,
and the president elect has taken a
great fancy to him since the Baltimore
convention.
As the fight Palmer's friends are
making to get him into the caucus
workmanship is a real and not a fake
fight. It seems pretty certain that he
has been asked to serve his new chief
in congress instead Of In the cabinet,
and is trying to get himself into posi-
ton where he can be of real service.
Signs of Party Strife.
The elevation of Palmer to this posi-
ton will Immediately start a small
sized row, which may grow into big
one as the extra session gets into full
swing Palmer has never been in high
favor with Leader Underwood, and I'm
derwood will not go to any great length
To favor him for the place, or after he
gets it.
Palmer, Of course, will be the presi-
dents man, and will draw the fire of
Underwood who is a power, under his
superior which will not make things
entirely pleasant for the superior.
1t is argued by Palmer's friends,
however, that Underwood will begin
me next session at enmtty with Bryan,
which will keep him out of touch with
the administration, and that the slight
added irritation of having Palmer in
position of influence can make little
difference.
Of Underwood's collection to the
craftsmanship of the ways and means
committee, which carried with it the
house leadership, there is no doubt.
Both Underwood and Clark will be
chosen to succeed themselves, although
there may be show of opposition from
the Wilson people, and the Bryan con-
gressmen will surely enter the lists
against Underwood.
Both men, have, however, enough
friends to make their reelection sure.