Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-03-09
Harding Presents First Nomi.
nations.

"
nations.
Washington, March 4.-President
Harding presented his cabinet noml-
nations to the senate today in person
and they were confirmed by that body
.in less than ten minutes. The presi-
dent later signed the commissions OF
his ten official advisers, who will en-
ter tomorrow upon their new duties,
succeeding the men who served Wood
row Wilson.
In appearing before the, senate in
executive session the new chief exec
utiye revived custom inau$lrated
by George Washington but in dis
use since the day of Thomas Jeffer-
son. He explained that during his
administration he wished to "main-
tained close and amicable relations"
with the legislative branch and for
that reason had appeared personally
TO present his cabinet selections.
Presentation of the nominations
was the first official act of the incom-
ing president and occurred within less
than an hour after he had taken the
oath of office. He had discussed the
question with senate leaders before
his inauguration and when he con-
cluded his address the senate assem-
bled.
While quorum was being obtain
ed Mr.. Harding waited in his room
off the senate chamber. During the
wait he came to the door for minute
to smile greetings to newspaper cor
respondents in the corridor. He had
scarcely reentereG the room before
the arrival of Senators Lodge of
Massachusetts, and Underwood Of
Alabama, the Republican and Demo-
crat leaders who had been appointed
by Vice President Coolidge to inform
the president that the senate was
ready for him.
On Familiar Ground.
Mr.. Harding said he desired to
present his message in person and
was escorted into the chamber, the
doors to which previously been clos
ed with all spectators and newspaper
men excluded. The president was es-
corted across the familiar room where
he served six years before his call to
the higher office and to place on
the rostrum beside Mr.. Coolidge.
Facing his former colleagues, the
president spoke for perhaps five min
utes in happy, cordial vein and then
read the nominations from card
which he held in his hand. He asked
for early action, in order, he said,
that there might be no hiatus in the
governments affairs.
Starting with Senator A. B. Fall of
New Mexico-a courtesy because of
his senate membership-the senate
went through the list and confirmed
all, one by one. No objection was
raised, all committees to which the
nominations ordinarily would have
been referred having been polled in
advance.
The cabinet officers as confirmed
were:
Secretary of state, Charles Evans
Hughes of New York.
Secretary of the treasury, Andrew
w. Mellon, Pennsylvania.
Secretary of war, John w. Weeks,
Massachusetts,.
Secretary of navy, Edwin Denby,
Michigan.
Secretary of interior, Albert B.
Fall, New Mexico.
Secretary of agriculture, Henry c.
Wallace, Iowa.
Secretary of commerce, Herbert
Hoover, California.
Attorney general, Harry M. Daugh
erty, Ohio.
Postmaster general, Will H. Hays,
Indiana.
Secretary of Labor, James j. Davis
Pennsylvania.
Mellon Takes Oath
One of the new officials, Mr.. Mel
lon, was sworn in soon after his nom-
ination, the ceremony taking place
in the Office of Senator Knox of Penn
sylvania. The oath was administered
by Chief Justice White of the SUI
preme court, assisted by Associate
Justice Pitney. David F. Houston,
the retiring secretary of the treasury
stood beside Mr.. Mellon during the