The Portland daily press., 1892-12-24


Grant obtained a second term almost
without struggle. A great military
hero like Grant could never be over
turned in popular election in this coun-
try in the generation of the struggle i'll
which he had distinguished himself.
Mr.. Cleveland will come in with the
advantage Of four years experience and
four years more of observation from the
outside. If he can't make good presi-
dent this time, there is no virtue in OPP
portunity.
There is one thing that do not think
Mr.. Cleveland will do, and that is to APP
point any member of his old cabinet to
place in the new ministry. If there is
any exception to this rule, it will proba-
bly, be found in the case of Mr.. Fair
child, who was secretary of the treasury
after the death of Manning Mr.. Fair
child is not only a warm personal friend
of the new president, but he is an able
and experienced financier. l hear from
very good sources that if Mr.. Fairchild
will make the sacrifice of income neces-
sary to enable him to come to Washing
ton and work four years for Uncle Sam
for salary that will keep his horses and
pay his house rent and leave his other
expenses to come out of his private
purse he may be asked to take his old
post at the head of the treasury depart
ment.
The most famous member of Mr..
Cleveland's former cabinet, w. G. Whit
ney, will not come to Washington with
Mr.. Cleveland this time. Shall bluntly
tell you why? Because Mr.. Whitney
does not wish to incur the risk of quar-
reling with his friend, the president
elect, which service in his cabinet would
ment, but it is true nevertheless. If any
man in the world knows Mr. Cleveland,
it is w. G. Whitney. He knows how
great and strong Cleveland is, and also
how stubborn and unreasonable he is
when the spirit moves him. They man
aged to get through one administration
together and the recent campaign, but
in both of these trials there was often
more or less danger of rupture.
From what have heard | think it
safe to say Whitney is the only man who
could have managed" Cleveland with
out row through the last six months.
If there hadn't been so much at stake
for themselves and their party the fur
would have been flying in the surround
ing atmosphere more than once. But
the election is over, and Mr.. Cleveland's
future is fixed. He will serve as presi-
dent four years and after that will re-
tire to well earned rest. He knows
this as well as any one, and he knows
better than any of us how much fun he
is going to have during the next four
years in the solid way of doing what he
likes, irrespective of Tom, Dick or Harry.
He and Whitney are now good friends,
and Mr.. Whitney is wise enough to
avoid putting any unnecessary strains
upon their relations. There is an idea
abroad in the land that Whitney is to
be the heir of the Cleveland political
estate, and he doesn't want to have any
row with the testator.
Mr.. Bayard won't be in the new cab
met for a good many reasons. Mr.. Bay
ard has lost his grip as public man
and always was somewhat overrated.
dulge the luxury Of cabinet Office.
: Don Dickinson wants to make some
money, too, and doesn't banker for the
job of running the postoffice depart
ment. Mr. Dickinson told me the other
day that the postoffice department. is
the most difficult branch of the entire
government to manage. 1t appears to
10 xx,o11 OVID II, ,,ooot u,o1c
but the duties of the postmaster general
are just what they were when the gov
eminent was started. Technically he is
supposed to do the whole business, and
while this is physically impossible the
law requires him to do SO much, to at
tend to so many matters in person, to
sign such an enormous number of letters
and documents that P. M. G. must
work harder than any slave of mine or
mill.
shouldn't be surprised if General Pat
Collins, Of Boston, were in the new cab
met. Cleveland is fond of him, and Col
Inns isn't a bit afraid of Cleveland. There
is strong probability that Governor
Gray, of Indiana, will be a member.
There is little history about this which
perhaps | shouldn't mention. 1t is to
the effect that during the recent cam
paign things didn't look well for Democ-
racy in Indiana The Gray men were
holding back. They had lost the vice
presidency at the Chicago convention
and weren't happy. sr4
Governor Gray was invited to go and
see Mr.. Cleveland. He went. In order
to get Gray into good humor Mr.. Cleve-
land said just little more than he had
expected to say, and now the governor
counts on being called to a seat at the
council board. The truth is, Mr.. Cleve-
land doesn't want him and yet cannot
just see how he is to get out of it hon
orably. So even the self willed and do
as-you-please Mr.. Cleveland cannot al
ways live on Easy street.
I should be very much surprised if
Mr.. Carlisle were to be secretary of the
treasury. He is talked of, but he doesn't
want the honor and isn't fitted for the
work. He is too great a man to be Sec