The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-13
Payne Is Named
As Successor to
Secretary Lane
By JUSTIN McGRATH


Washington, Feb 12.-President
Wilson today named John Baron
Payne of Illinois as secretary OF the
interior squeezed Franklin r.. Lane,
OF California
The appointment of Judge Payne
came as a surprise. His name had
not been mentioned in connection
with the place lit was thought the
presidents choice would he either
/ Alexander T. yogelander Of Ca1ifor-
mia who is now assistant secretary OF.
/ the interior.
Judge Payne was born in Virginia
| in ISl5and practicad-- In that
| state and in West Virginia before re-
moving 10 Chicago. He has spent
most of his life in Chicago and was
at one time judge of the superior
/ court of Cook county and long has
been rega rded as one of the. leaders
OF the Cook county bar. Wien Ed
ward 4. Hurley was chairman OF the
shipping board he brought MIR. Payne
to Washington as counsel for the
! board. When Mr.. Hurley resigned,
! Judge Payne succeeded him as chair
man.
/ In my judgement great political
significance Is to be attached to the
appointment of Judge Payne to a
cabinet position. Fore several days in
these dispatches | have been endeav-
oring to make clear that the South
ern Democrats have deserted the
leadership OF woodrow Wilson for the
leadership of William j. Bryan, The
reasons for the differences between
, the Southern Democrats and Presi-
dent Wilson on the prohibition en-
/ forcement act on the issue of univer-
sal military training and on The peace
treaty haze been fully explained
These differences are based on sec
tional interests.
Or course. Presiden. Wilson and his
close political advisers have been
keenly. alive to this change of atti-
! fude ON the Southern Democrats.
The president knows that Mr.. Bryan
/ is planning 10 be the spokesman for
the Southern Democrats in the San
/ Francisco convention.
President Wilson's political plan,
! apparently is TO isolate MIR. Bryan
! With his Southern support and there
: by make his influence ineffective on
the decisions Of the convention.
/ The president knows that none OF
the Eastern states win accept the
/ leader ship OF MIR. Bryan. From what
i have heard Mr.. Wilson is confident
also that the Democratic delegation
from the farWcstern states will sup
port what he wants rather than any
program of MI. >Bryans advocacy.
The battle-ground between the presi-
dent and Mr. Bryan therefore is the
middle West. Whichever OF them
gains the support of the delegations
OF mat greaf section probably wilt
control the convention.
Within the past six weeks Presi-
dent Wilson has given four cabinet
l. u n N Yt{Ialn
His first appointment of a middle
| Westerner WAS that of Congressman
Joshua Alexander. OF Missouri, 10
succeed Mr.. Redheid. as secretary OF
commerce.
! Next he made Secretary of Agricul-
/ ture Houston secretary of the treas
ury and gave the post of seer utary of
agriculture to Edwin T. Meredith OF
Iowa Now he has aiven the sec
i. retaryship of the interior to John
Barton Payne, OF Illinois So rhe
three most powerful states OF the MIS-
/ sissippi Valley section. Illinois, Mis-
souri, and Iowa, now have four cab
met places
1t is certain that Senator Hitchcock
will be able to carry Nebraska AGAINST
Mr.. Bryan. The presidents friends
figure that Al llinai,s, iasanris Z, lowe,
1 Nebraska vote In thc convention near
ily aft OF the Mississippi Valley aud
middle West states not in the south
ern tier will vote
There IL no question that there Is
AN intense political struggle now go-
I ing on under cover largely between
/, the adherents Of President Wilson
/ and the followers Of Wilhelm J. RryaI,
/ 70 gaiD upper hand Ia the national
Econventfon.
i Broad street staten At 4 n. M.xfaiIv,
instead of r. M. commencing sun.