The Washington herald., 1921-02-18
Former Governor Def
nitely Declines Place
Offered by Harding.
DENIED TREASURY,
HLINOISAN BALKS
Kentucky Party Leader
Believed Likely Sue
cessOr on Slate.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, Feb. IL
Former Gov. Frank c. Lowden' Of
Illinois. has declined the Secretary
shin of the Navy in President Hard
inC's Cabinet. Neither will he be
Ambassador to the Court OF 81.
James or take any other post in the
new administration. Mr.. Lowden
pleads desire TO devote himself
to his private affairs for his dis
inclination to enter public service
under Mr.. Harding.
Definite announcement of the for
mer Illinois governors decision was
made by the President-elect today
following conferences held during
the past forty eight hours with his
triumvirate of political advisers
viii II. Hays, Harry NJ. Daugherty
and a. Tobias Hert.
Speculation forthwith concerned
itself with the most promising can
didate for the togR Mr.. LOwden has
put away.
Mr.. Hert. the Kentucky Repub-
. Iican National Committeeman-him
self a Lowden leader in the pre-
convention contest and at Chicago
itseIf-loomed into the picture with
little delay.
Arrives From California
He arrived at St Augustine this
morning, fresh from California
where he saw Lowden, presumably
the former governor is taking
holiday at Pasadena-and promptly
went into consultation with MI
Harding.
The President elect spoke in terms
of genuine regret when making
known Lowden's refusal to join his
administration.
81 am sorry" Mr.. Harding said
{ Il esteem Lowden very highly
! would like TO have brought him into
the activities of the new regime
/ But he made It plain he preferred
I to remain out of public service un'
/ til his personal affairs are settled
/ Lowden had no direct tender from
me. but l did invite him TO let me
/ consider him, and he said he'o
rather ! would not"
There will be as lively interest IN
| Lowden's motives as there is in tho
| identity of the peg now to be fttec
| into the Cabinet hole reserved fol
/ him. believe it will turn out tC
be true the Illinois man was moved
nv two main considerations - hrSt
his notorious disappointment oVei
the failure to land the Secretary
ship Of the Treasury, and secondly
his future Presidential ambitions
The two reasons, indeed, are inter
woven.
Considers Oner Inadequate.
Lowden's friends feel he missed
nomination at Chicago and inevits
Bile election in November purely OF
account of the Missouri primar!
scandal They also feel the throw
: ing of the LOwden strength to Hard
ing at a psychological moment Lee
directly to Hardings nomination
They are said to have understood
the reward for Lowdcn's self-sacri
fee would be anything he wanted
under the Harding administration
1t was something like the dea
Bryan made with Woodrow Wilson
at the Baltimore convention in 1912
What Lowden wanted was thu
Secretaryship Of the Treasury. H,
! was ANXIOUS 10 ludub VI dlt the 40
tional budget policy and achieve. il
its administration, a record equtva
lent to the one he made in the samt
direction as governor of Illinois. II
accomplishing that eminent con
lstructive work for the nation, Low
den figured incidentally on adding
appreciably to his own politica
prestige.
i He is said to have felt he coulC
legitimately aspire for presidential
honors in l924-provided for an,
reason Warren G. Harding were no
eligible for renomination-if ther,
lay behind him four years Of epoch
making achievement in the Treas
ury. Lowden is 60 years old. 1
is 1924 or never for him, as far al
4 the White House is concerned.
! Opens Way for South.
The elimination of a Lowdel
Navy Secretarship is seen as open
ing the way to the South for tina
portfolio, maintaining the preceden
Grover Cleveland set when he ap
pointed Hilary A. Herbert, of Ala
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.