Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-14
LIQUOR AND THE TREAsURYsHIP

= 'DEFORE Senator Harding announces the
- list of his cabinet appointments he ought
to insist that each member publicly repu-
diatc and refute all imputations made
against him and his availability. whether
these be inspired by purely partisan motives
or the utmost sincerity.
Specifically, there comes to mind the
charge of the New York World in the case
of Andrew Mellon, the Pittsburgh fnancier,
to the effect that he is heavily interested
personally in the Overholt Distilling Com
pany, which is said TO have S12O0OOOO
worth of whisky still in its bonded ware
houses.
Under no circumstances should any man
directly connected or pecuniarily interested
in the whisky business be made secretary
of the treasury, the post assigned by the
correspondents to Mr.. Mellon. The reason
is patent. The enforcement and admins
tration of the Nolstead prohibition act comes
under the jurisdiction of the treasury, and
at this stage of the country's affairs it would
be folly to leave even the slightest colorado
grounds for charging that the secretary
might be swaycd from his duty by selfish
concerns.
Thus far Mr.. Mellon has not answered
the charge of the World. Perhaps this is
because he does not wish to embarrass Mr..
Harding. by seeming to anticipate his choice
in any confirmative way. Yet it does seem
as if too much\ncety or etiquette ought not
to stand in the road of reassuring public
opinion.
Mr.. Melons most influential hackers have
been Senators Penrose and Knox. Not so
long ago the senior senator was quoted as
saying that his principal concern over tho
cabinet was to hope that "the right kind Of
man be selected for the treasuryship." EN-
IDENTIFY he puts Mr.. Mellon in that category.
1t is well to bear this in mind. The scrce-
tary will have enormous power both admin
istrativey and in the form of patronage,
and if Mr.. Mellon we're chosen ii is not hard
to see how much Of a figure the hand Of Mr..
Penrose would cut in placing 1.-THE right
kind of men, in the prohibition enforcement
Offices. The senior senator has never been
exactly regarded as an enthusiastic opponent
of the liquor interests.
Many years ago when President Grant
wished to appoint A. Il. Stewart, one of the
ablest merchants this country ever produced.
to the treasury Office, the statute disquali-
flying any one engaged in the importing busi-
ness for this post was invoked against him.
That law was adopted because Congress, re-
iecting public opinion, wished to remove
any possibility of faint from the collection
of customs. also a principal function of the
treasury. While there is now no similar law
preventing any one financially interested in
the liquor business from holding the post, the
lack Of it is more due to the newness of
prohibition than to the absence of n need
for it. The public is certain to feel just as
strongly on this point as in the matter Of
the customs.
1t would be a disaster for President Hard
ing and the Republican party to begin the
new administration, from which the Ameri-
can people expect much. with a taint,
whether real or only imagined, on the treas
ury. That is an Office which must always be
above suspicion.