The New York herald., 1921-02-22
Cabinet Building.
Cleveland, Harrison, Mckinley, vii
son Took Plenty of Time.

To THE NEW York hTRALD: observe
in my travels and in conversations with
all sorts and conditions OF citizens and
in some newspapers as well. a disposi-
tlon to think that President-elect Har-
ding is rather slow in coming to de-
cision as to his Cabinet selections In
deed. have found some little irritation
IL not impatience. over this alleged de-
lay. some persons being inclined to think
that it is sort Of derelicton on the
part OF the Prosident-elect.
can easily dive into political retro
spect. going back to President Cleve-
lands first Cabinet building. December.
1SS4--March. 1885. Mr.. Cleveland's
Cabinet at that time was not complete
until almost the last hour before his
Inauguration. aud we youngsters can
easily recall the difficulty brought about
by his selection of two members from
New York state, William c. Whitney
for Secretary Of the Navy and Daniel
Manning for Secretary OF the Treasury
There was the same alleged slowness in
making up the complete Cabinet on the
part of Mr.. Cleveland that Is now
ascribed 20 Presidcnt-elect Harding.
r The same alleged slowness was ap-
parent after the election Of Benjamin
Harrison in November, 1883. AS a mat
ter OF fact General Harrison did not
complete his Cabinet until twenty-four
hours before his inauguration on March
4, 1889. The difficulty was over the
selection OF a Secretary Of the Navy and
not until the last moment was General
Benjamin r. Tracy chosen for that
office. There were other factors
troubling General Harrison, but the main
point IS that there were various shifts
almost UP to the last hour, with General
Tracy's selection az the nubbin Of the
difficulty.
with Mr.. CievolanG's reelection IN
November. 1892. lie was ut first inclined
70 announce the selection of his Cab
met as quickly as 81 was determined
in his office in the Mills Building New
York city But as Cabinet building
progressed Mr.. Cleveland could not
carry out his first intention and old time
Cleveland Democrats can easily remem-
bcr the hullabaloo over Mr.. Clcvcland's
announcement that he had selected Wal
ter Q. Gresham, Republican. go be sec;
rotary OF state In those days the Re
publican newspapers harried the Demo-
cratic President-elect just as the Demo
cratic newspapers IN these da. are
harrylng the Republican Presldcni-eTect.
u seems to be part " the political fun
tc do ~. Nobody should really object
e. H. as Il tends 60 give renewed life
to many tired political brain.
with tho election OF Major McKmley,
first ,irnc. IN 1896, there was the same ey-
animation from al ANGLES as TO Cabinet
selections which was "a marked featuro
Of Mr.. Cloveland's and General EIarri-
sons selections. There was q heap Of
trouble In selecting the gentleman for
the postmastcr-Gencralsh IN Mr.. Nc
lIiuloy's nrst Cabinet and there We're
other difficulties which are too tedious
to repeat nc this time
with President McKinlcy's second
election in 1900 there were no particular
difficulties. for he practically curr,od over
lis Cabinet With his tragic death in
tho fall OF 1901 and the advent of Pros
ldsnt Roosevelt thorc were uo changes.
Mr. Roosevelt carrying on Mr. McI<in-
lcy's Cabinet untn 1909. whom change
vas made In the rcstVaster-General-