The sun., 1919-10-05

II
Ohio. which could be filled by a very
prominent Ohio politician, as in fact
Il was"
Now venture to assert that no
Cabinet ever formed by a President
was less practically made to hand,
almost without his 1.-THE Presidential
choice In the matter than was Nc
Kinley's. II Mckinley did not give
the closest thought and his own judy
ment to every selection then he COM
pletely deceived all who like myself
were In daily contact with him and
knew how carefully he assayed every
name presented.
For example, was present in Nc
kinley's library during the final effort
OF Mark Hanna to persuade Mckinley
to name prominent Wisconsin Re-
publican as Postmaster General. The
entire Republican national organiza-
ton seemed to be for him. Mckinley
listened patiently, as he always did,
but I saw his face harden. Finally he
said. Mark. there is no use urging
- further. He has been a lobby
list down in Washington, and no lobby
list can sit in my Cabinet"
Do those words sound like the utter
ance of President who would accept
a hand made" Cabinet?
Now as to the Lyman ]. Gage APP
pointment. H. H. Kohlsaat OF Chicago
did more to have Gage named than all
other Chicago men put together. Mr..
Edwards's statement is frankly that
certain Chicago financiers wanted to
get Gage out Of Chicago and there
fore urged him on Mckinley. Such
a motive might have induced McKin-
ley's opponents to burden him with an
undesirable appolntee. but It is hardly
to be expected that his supporters and
well wishers would urge him to make
a Secretary Of the Treasury out of a
man who was not wanted as head Of a
bank.
Finally, as to getttog Sherman out
Of the Senate and int the Cabinet, the
facts as knew them at the time were
the other way round. Mark Hanna
did not plan at first to go into the
Cabinet or the Senate. He had no de-
sire to get into Office holding. His
business interests demanded his atten-
ton. His original idea was to go to
Washington simply as chairman OF
the Republican National Committee,
hire q house there for occasional use
and stand to Mckinley in the power
full but unofficial relation that Colonel
Edward NJ. House has stood and still
stands to Mr.. Wilson.
1t was President Mckinley who
broke UP this plan. He promptly and
thoroughly disapproved Of 1t. He in
sisted that there could be but one place
of authority in Washington--that was
the White House. There could be no
unofficial White House. He told Hanna
that he could go to Washington only
in an official capacity. adding that he
hoped some way would be found for
him to get there.
The entire discussion was carried on
in the most friendly spirit; no doubt
Mckinley regretted having to take the
stand he did, but his decision was In
keeping with the outstanding fact In
McKinley's attitude in all matters that
touched the dignity of the Presidency.
On those he was as immovable as
Gibraltar. No President ever mad
higher conception of the office than
had Mckinley; his denial Of Washing
deeply obligated Is the strongest evil
dence.
1t thus became Mark Hanna's task.
at McKinley's direction, to find way
to get to Washington in an official ca
pacity. Il was not Mckinley who had
to do II, but Hanna. How John Sher-
man was persuaded to abandon the
Senate for the State portfolio-he was
quite old and realized that he was
serving his last TERMS another
story; but in no way can the story be
truthfully told at this day to Justify
Senator T. c. Platt's ante-convention
characterize ton of Mckinley as weak
and impressionable." Plat lived to
know differently as did those Of Us
who at the time knew the true char
acter of the man.
1t surely must have been Mr. Ed
wards's experience as a newspaper cor
respondent. as 1t has been mine. from
time to time to have heard much
about hand made" Cabinets for our
Presidents. Many of our leading
fnanciers and all of our political
, bosses engage in the pleasant pastime
of Cabinet making every four years
between the election of a President
and his Inauguration. How few of
them ever land the man they urge
and how few OF them ever tell of their
disappointment! Usually they claim
the appointee, whoever he might be-
They are alert to learn in advance the
Presidents probable selection, and i'm
mediately secure front seats on the
| band wagon. Hence the talk OF hand
made" Cabinets. Thank God, no Presi-
dent has ever SO far forgotten the
dignity and responsibility of his high
office as to justify such talk.
/ can recall cut Of my personal
knowledge one instance that confirms
the statement 1 have just made. 1t
was during the 1888 campaign. Matt
Quay was chairman of the Republican
National Committee. He believed in
the potency of a big campaign treas
| ury. One day he received a very large
contribution from one Of the biggest
financiers in tine Northwest. Accom-
panying 1t was the calm suggestion
that the donor would expect to be per-
mitted to submit three names for
Secretary of the Interior and that Gen.
eral Harrison would limit his choice to
one of the three. The late James s..
Clarkson was with Quay when the let
ter was received. Both men instantly
agreed that the contribution should be
promptly returned. They did not even
| - H. v,,attar IN Ganaral Harriaop