Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-23
The New Cabinet

Presdent-elec Harding announced cabinet selections
calculated to satisfy reactonares please big business and
disgruntle the JohnsonBorah faction of his party The
selection of Charles E. Hughes secretary of state is
excellent aho Mr. Hughes is anything but diplomat.
Whether Herbert Hoover will consent to be pocketed in the
commerce portfolio is still questionable With these excep
tions there is little to cheer the progressves
John W Weeks, chosen secretary of stand
pat candidate for presidency in 1916 Will Hays for post
mastergenera is professional political organizer and will
restore the posoce spos OF politics Senator FALL for
secretary of interior is notorious eXcanbaiter and
for years sought with Mexico. Neither Henry Wallace
editor of Iowa paper for secretary of agriculture James
Davis exstee worker and head of the Moore fraternity
for secretary of labor Edwin Denby excongresman
from Michigan for secretary of the navy nationally
known figures and few heard Of them outside of their
states.
Two of the cabinet selections will gasp of atonsh
and prove anything but popular. They Harry NJ
Daughery of Ohio for attorneygeneral and Andrew W.
Mellon of Pittsburgh for secretary of the treasury Neither
of them is widely known but what is known about them is
of rather sinister portent
Daughery, who will be chief law officer of the govern
his selection to the fact that he is Mr. Hardngs
political creator rather than to qualification for the
office His practice lawyer has been that OF lobbyist
interests before legislatures state
sons Accused Of accepting brbe member of the Ohio
legislature 1892 to vote for John Sherman senator and
afterwards acquitted he has since met defeat five times in
seeking public office. While welding great power
political boss is shown by his of Harding from
bscurity and rendering valuable service to big business
clients he is not great lawyer If skill in political intrigue
the benefit of corporations requisites for the attor
eygeneral office-hen the selection of Daugherty is
wise they have been and Mr. Harding has evident
y let gratitude for personal services ouWeight duty to
the nation.
Melons chief and only recommendation seems to be his
wealth He is said to control than two billion dollars
capital an officer and director in banks and insurance
companies capitalized at $86O93541 officer and director in
other corporations with assets of $753480923 and head Of
family controlling corporations whose total capitalization
O39 The MELONS rank next to the Rockefelers
haA, IN
publicity.
Billions have never before been qualification for the
treasury PORTFOLIO Ability to amass personal fortune does
not necessarily imply ability to finance government The
successful secretaries of the treasury have been COM
oaratively poor men, like Alexander Hamilton Albert
Galatin and VIM G. McAdoo In England the great chan
eors the exchequer have been like Gladstone and
Lloyd George neither of whom possessed the acqustve
instinct They had the viewpoint of the nation not OF big
business. Whether Mr. Harding has made wise choice
pulling Mr. Mellon from the obscury of great wealth remains
for the future to decide.