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The suggestion is made that an "all-star all-
American cabinet" be selected from among the great
statesmen who have illumined United States history.
It is supposed to represent the strongest administration
since the government was
AU-American formed. One suggestion places
George Washington as President
and Theodore Roosevelt as Vice-President. John Hay
as Secretary of State. Alexander Hamilton, Secretary
of the Treasury; Elihu Root, War; William C.
Whitney, Navy; Franklin K. Lane, Interior; James
Wilson, Agriculture; Herbert Hoover, Commerce;
Roger B. Taney, Attorney General; Amos Kendall,
Postmaster General. This should start a lively discussion.
The originator of the idea wisely avoided
controversy by forgetting the Labor Department.
When we mentally look over the long line of distinguished
men who have served the American
people, we are curious how the conclusion was
reached. Much as we consider Washington "first in
War, first in Peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen"
we do not think he compares with Lincoln and
we would no more classify Roosevelt as all-star than
we would the chronic user of the underslung pipe.
Thomas Jefferson was more able. James G. Blaine
was a far abler and more brilliant diplomat and
statesman than Hay and many would rank him the
best Secretary of State. Andrew W. Mellon, in our
judgment, outclasses Hamilton in the Treasury and
General U. S. Grant, who was Secretary of War ad
interim under Johnson, or Edwin M. Stanton, a
former Pittsburgh lawyer and Secretary of War
under Lincoln, outranks Root, who is a great lawyer.
We suppose W. C. Whitney was chosen for Secretary
of the Navy because he advocated putting the United
States on the map in a naval way. He was a wealthy
man and a man of action but we prefer Gideon
Welles who served under Lincoln. We are sorry
John Paul Jones was not a Secretary of the Navy
so we could rate him first. We have no opinion on
Secretary of the Interior and are willing to accept
James Wilson as Secretary of Agriculture as he was
acceptable to three presidents, McKinley, Roosevelt
and Taft. Hoover is all right as Secretary of Commerce
but we beg to dispute Roger B. Taney as Attorney
General. Jackson appointed him in 1831 and
after two years made him Secretary of the Treasury
but the Senate rejected him. Eighteen months .ater
he made him an Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court but the Senate did not act on the nomination.
Then he made him Chief Justice when John Marshall
died and he lived in history for his Dred Scott decision,
which was based on politics and sectional
prejudice. At any rate we much prefer P. C. Knox,
of Pittsburgh, as the ablest and most brilliant. John
Marshall was not eligible as he was never an attorney
general but Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court for the 34 most momentous years of the country's
history. Amos Kendall was Jackson's Postmaster
General for two years but he was principally
noted for his membership in the turbulent Jackson's
kitchen cabinet and for his ability as a politician in
combatting such foes of his superior as Henry Clay,
Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun. The job of
Postmaster General is one of transportation, distribution
and executive ability. John Wanamaker's
long experience especially fitted him for the task.
Inasmuch as we have had only two Secretaries of
Labor and both are from Pennsylvania, William B.
Wilson and James J. Davis, and of equal and similar
THE INDEX, Saturday, January 7, 1928
^^ of Pittsburgh Life
with commendable enterprise expanded and developed
his inheritance into one of the largest and strongest
concerns of its kinil in the country. No attraction
was great enough to lure him away from a
business which he understood and loved and which
gave him opportunity for work and a display of his
Published Evervj Saturday Blj
talents. Mr. Jones will be looked upon always as
THE INDEX PUBLISHING COMPANY
March] & Hayes Blclg. 233 Oliver Ave.
one of the few Pittsburgh industrial leaders who
retained his deep interest in the city of his birth
and successes and who continued to toil for the
Pittsburgh, Pa.
progress and prosperity of his home community. His
Established 1895 Telephone Atlantic 5323
death is a great loss to the steel industry and to
Pittsburgh and he will be remembered for many
CATHERINE M. PATTERSON, Editor
years as one of its outstanding citizens who accom­
WILLIAM J. HATTON, Business Manager plished much. His modesty and extreme democracy
endeared him to his associates and those who worked
for him to a degree seldom encountered in modern
H a subscriber wishes paper discontinued at the expiration
or subscription, notice to that effect should be sent.
enterprise.
Otherwise it is assumed that a continuance of the subscription
is desired.
Subscription price $3.00 the ijear. Single copies ten We are told that state and local taxes throughout
cents. In sending notice of change of address, please the country have increased about 900 percent in the
send previous address as well.
last 25 years. That should make public administra­
Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office of tions stop and think seriously of the immediate
Pittsburgh, Pa.
necessity to check waste, secure econo-
Vol. LVII. January 7, 1928 No. 1
Enterprise my and bring about tax reduction. The
situation comes home to us when we
find the president of the American Bankers Association
advocating the location of new manufacturing
establishments in small villages although he declares
s ^ w
Hv ' ^M
£;,.;•
that he would not recommend the removal of established
industries from urban to rural sections. The
urge to secure larger and cheaper sites where
modern manufacturing efficiency can be secured
should not be overlooked. This banking official cites
two instances of remarkable rural development.
^•E .jy&g£ MmS
Twelve years ago Kingsport, Tenn., had a population
of about 1,000. Great industries like a famous
camera company, a large cement company and a
number of other industries were located there
through the influence of an outstanding New York
business man. In a little more than 12 years these
H Ijrz*
have brought the population of that city up to 17,000.
Just a few miles away, at Elizabethton, a great rayon
plant is being built, the first unit to cost $5,000,000.
The population of that town is now 2,000 but it is
estimated that this will be multiplied by five in less
A
than two years. It is stated that the total investment
in manufacturing industry in that community
within five years will probably reach $50,000,000.
They say that a mountaineer with a vision and an
ambition started all of the excitement and by rare
energy, foresight and perseverance established ai in­
B. F. JONES, JR.
dustrial district in a section which otherwise might
Chairman Jones and Laughlin Steel Company and one have been doomed to a rural existence. Good living
of the influential industrial and financial leaders of conditions for the workers was one of the first
Western Pennsylvania, died New Year's Day. Mr. thoughts. It might be well for us to look around us,
Jones was one of the real promoters of prosperity in see where workers here are compelled to dwell and
Pittsburgh.
obtain their recreation and amusement and then de­
experience, we withhold judgment. Now let the fight cide whether our manufacturing advantages are
go on.
sufficient to overcome the neglect to make our manufacturing
districts attractive to industries located
Pittsburgh can ill afford to lose an industrial and elsewhere. We have a colossal task ahead of us but
financial leader of the vision, ability and courage of the joy of accomplishment should put us to work at
B. F. Jones, Jr., Chairman of the Jones & Laughlin once to make living conditions here better. Other­
Steel Corporation, who died New Year's Day. Inwise the conclusion and advice of the banker that
heriting the management of a the small town is the logical lure of industry stand
A Great Loss great steel works from his father, as a menace. If we were the Chamber of Commerce
he resisted efforts to merge his we would promptly find how the two Tennessee ham­
company with combinations in the same industry and lets did it.