Tombstone epitaph., 1921-02-27
A SPOTTED CABINET?

1 The announcement that Marry NJ. Daughcrty has been offered the attorney generalship of the United States in Mr. Hardngs cabinet and that the tender had been accepted. will be received with keen dsappoint- ment r certain Republican quarters, whence there has been carried on in recent weeks drive against the Ohio politician The good effect caused by the ment that Charles E. Hughes had accepted offer be- come secretary of state will be largely offset by the dis Icty.
 The plain truth about the selection of Darghcrty. sccondrate lawyer whose had been carlicl
 y the telegraph wires III interstate distribution W Mr Harding became candidatorial possibility, Is
 that Mr. Harding Is paying personal debt with the at
 orney gcneraship of the United States. and Mr. Hard
 ing somewhat sententionS assertion that ths is going to be Republican cabinet does elevate the sccc ton above that plane Mr. Daughcry has claim the Republican party national political organization and whatever may be the personal debt of Mr. Harding to him. the party to which Mr. Harding belongs and which he insists he intends make jointly responsible with inn m tine next administrations such debt My. Daughcrty
 The selection of Mr. Hughes secretary of state and of Mr. Daughery as attorney general proceeded from al
 together different considerations and this fact illustrates
 in folble manner the conflicting forces which beset the l'eXt administrations Mr. Hughes. though orthodox partisan Is not pocn and the great need of ability m the post of secretary of state undoubtedly taken consideration. All of his experience and training has been III domestic politics and while he have the point of view in international affairs that Mr. Root haS that Mr. Taft has, he is probably equal in n tllal ability and this fact. too. must have weighed ap prcclablv with Mr. Harding who iS not only naOnaisc but provincial Mr. Hughes will uphold the best
 traditions of the >ccrctayShp of in point of native ".
 Daugherty be compared with Hughes in no res pect and It Is difficult to contemplate them being hcrs of the advisory council but his presence in the council will be of comfort Mr. Harding. The primary purpose of his selection probably just that It means that Mr. Dagherty will be the confidential ad wiser of the next president just he has been Mr. Harding became presidential possibility. It may be that the character of other appointments to the new cabinet will be such offset the nedcority upon winch the next administration rely in the toncy generalShip but will intensified until can be taken of Daughcrtys selection is that he is an in timate personal friend and political adviser of the next presidents and that Mr. Harding entitled bv political precedent to that modcm of personal patronage Look Ing at the matter of the composition of the cabinet from narrow partisan view. 1t is pertinent observe that the of responsible Republican leaders corresponds to the expectation of Democratic leaders that Mr. Harding will be unable by of his associations and political perspective, function independently the politicians among whom he moved prior to his sudden clcvation-i Arizona Daily Star