Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-23

stand against the Presidents trip to
Europe.
Keeps Railroad Post Till January
Mr.. McAdoo will retire as Secre-
tary of the Treasury upon the quail
tication of his successor on December
,. but he Will remain at the head of
the railroad administration until
January l, the date upon which he
| asked TO be relieved.
Mr.. McAdoo's letter of resignation
and President Wilson's letter of ac-
| ceptance We're made public, MIR. Nc
| Adoo's letter gives as the sole reason
/ for his retirement from public office
| the necessity of engaging in private
| business in order to recoup his finan-
! cial resources which, he says, have
! been depleted during the five years
and eight months of his official serv-
! ice. While telling the President that
/ his health Is good. Mr. McAdoo says
/ that he needs a rest from the strain
/ to which he has been subjected.
After the announcement Mr.. Nc
Adoo said that he contemplated TAX
! ing vacation for three months and
| then returning to professional life,
| probably resuming the practice of
law in New York
Finds Living Cost BurslcnSOmc
/ The announcement was made by
Mr.. McAdoo personally to group
| of newspaper men who had been in
vited to his office. After discussing
! questions concerning government
! finance and government operation of
| railways, Mr. McAdoo told of his
| resignation. Orally he stressed that
! his sole reason for leaving official
| life was that given in his letter to the
! President-the depletion of his per-
sonal resources through the very
! burdensome cost of living in Wash
| ington,' which necessitated that he
return to private life to retrieve hiss
/ personal fortunes for the sake of his
! family. He spoke in glowing terms
of his admiration for President Will
son and the cordial relations between
them. The letter from the President
accepting the resignation of Mr.. Nc
Adoo from the two offices he holds
is of the same cordial tenor as that
of Mr.. McAdoo and it is signed
Gratefully and Affectionately Yours,
Woodrow Wilson"
Mr.. McAdoo said he had no idea
who his successors might be and
added that he would make no recon-
mendations to the President
! Regardless of the appointment to
the Treasury post. it is considered
improbable that there will be any
great change in future fiscal policies
of the government
AS for the railroads the new di-
rector general doubtless will have
much to do with the formulation of
policies for future management. Mr..
/ McAdoo recently indicated that he
had planned to continue consolida-
tions, pooling, short hauling and
other reforms looking to efficient
operation, regardless of the fact that
To-.
ton to this course now appears to
! be developing and the issue of
whether railroads are to remain
permanently under government di-
Fection and even government owner
I ship, or be returned shortly to their
private owners is taking form. This
issue is a principal legacy which Mr..
/ McAdoo will leave to his successor.
Mr.. McAdoo this morning found
his desk piled high with personal
| kilograms from friends throughout
the country commenting on his
! resignation.
Goes on Inspection Trip
| Tonight he plans to leave for an
! inspection trip of southern railroads,
arranged more than a week ago.
/ He will be in Atlanta tomorrow
I and later will go through Florida
and to New Orleans, returning to
i Washington before President Wilson
sails for Europe.
Political Significance
Members of Congress and politi-
tcians generally are discussing the
political significance of the resigna-
ton of William Gibbs McAdoo, who
is regarded not only by Democrats,
| but by Republicans, as the logical
| nf fhn Ilnp1 npFgtip Marty
for the Presidency in 1920. Mr.. Nc
Adoo is believed to cherish a Presi-
Dental bee, and many stories are
being told indicating this. His eX-
treme cordiality to certain visitors.
who told of strength for him in
various parts of the country, was
recalled by senator's and members of
! the House.
/ =. 1t has been generally accepted
! here that Mr.. McAdoo's chief rival
/ for the Democratic nomination was
4 Secretary of War Newton ID. Baker.
! Mr.. Baker, it is generally believed,
/ is much more the Presidents own
! type. He is considered to think
/ like the President, to be more in
sympathy with the Presidents radi-
cal views and to be altogether the
man whom the President would
normally prefer to favor for the
nomination were it not for the near
er personal relationship of Mr.. Nc
i Adoo.
McAdoo More Popular
In addition to having married the
Presidents daughter. Mr.. McAdoo
/ has borne much more of the burden
of the administration than has any
other one man. His personal popu-
! larity, not only throughout the ad-
ministration, but on Capitol HUI,
and, it is. generally believed in Wash
! ington, throughout the country, is
much greater than that of the Sec
retary of War He is generally
credited with having more force and
determination. 1t is known that he
did much to force Mr.. Wilson's hand
! in the declaration of war.
! Certainly the political leaders of
! the party seem to have warmed to
the McAdooIcandidacy much more
! than tn the Baker BOOM