Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-12-09
WILLIAM {. WHITNEY.
WHAT PART WILL tE PLAY IN
THG NEW ADMINISTRATION
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GFeat taattsa.

Nobody in Washington really er
poets that William q. Wh,taoy will d,
part OF tho incoming administration
Nobody believes that he cares for n
place ia the cabinet. and yet II woald
be thoroughly IN Keeping with his
character n exhibited here II, after
everybody bad settled down 81 the
conviction that he Was not 10 be q
member oi President Clevcland's of.
fetal family. hc should suddenly take
IL into his head that he would like ~
continue in Washington the successful
political career lac began here eight
years ago. He il more apt than not
To disappoint all expectations; but
those who know him best as u mem.
Der OF the last Democratic admins.
ttation believe that he has other OBJ
iects in view. whitney 10 "a man oi
expansive ambitions. There is only
one political Office 10 which lac would
probably aspire. and that IL the Presi.
dency of the United States. Any
place beneath that which he might sc.
cept would be regarded by him only
AS stepping stone to the higher iunc.
ton. Whether the succession in lS96
will be more likely TO follow . second
experience as . member OF the cabinet,
tho administration OF political inAc.
tivity 10 for him 70 determine. Those
in Washington who ought TO under.
stand hita beat believe that his mind
10 not sct on cabinet position. ON a
diplomatic career or on . period Of
political inertia. but tha, he will ap-
pear two years from now ~ the Dem
ocratic candidate for the governorship
Of New York, aud that from this van
tage ground he will reach out for tho
Presidency.
whitney seldom does anything es-
actly rs other men would do H. Others
begin at the center OF = project aud
gradually work their way out 10 the
circumference. adding a little here and
. little there. calling into requisition
the assistance Of one individual after
another as the developu ent oi the
project seems Ia require aid Whit
ney begins at the circumference aud
works In. He srasps the whole -ig.
niticaDce Of . scheme al the beginning
and throws out his scntinels at once
10 take possession 81 all the outposts.
He works through Others much as
Abraham Lincoln use 30 do. re-
member hearing Alexander Mcclure
In one oi his rcminisocntial moods re-
marx that the man Who pretended 10
have been In the confidence Of Lin.
coin 10 either very easily gullible or
else 10 trying 10 gain oredi. for an In
timacy which never existed. Lincoln
took nobody into his secrets any fur
ther than was absolutely necessary for
the particular project he happened to
have In hand. lie played HE agents
with consums,s skill aud never con.
ided In QUO the part assigned 10
another. II 10 much the same with
whitney. II there ere four thing. To
se done 10 accomplish . project he
~ili set four men At work, keep each
In 'gosance Of the employment Of the
others. aud 81 last hand over the pro.
duct of their individual effort. 20
nf,h agent With instruction. 10 carry
the proiec, 30 completion. lie un.
defs,ands better The art Of controlling
others" says my informant. than
any other public man I have ever
tno~n."
whitney 10 not indolsnt lie has
that reputation. but u 10 undsservei.
I, 10 true that he lacks the capacity
ior continuous shsoshing labor. In
,hs, he differs from h.s successor In
the Navy Department, Who pos.ss.e. .
wonderful aptitude fos work. Gen.
rfscey Is able ,o apply himself con.
tinuously fof days at . time so piece
oi public business. aud then turn
without . shadow OF res, iato . new
aud equally sriuous lias oi effort.
This would ee impossible vlth whit
nsy lie csn devote himself inr day
az ,so untlfinsly ,o one thing. bu, O.
s'on ss that ,s accomplished u ls the
end II lshos ~ all tisds ior while.
Then he 10 oH iof sn cutting. q west .,
h,s eoan,sy place os . hyiag trip 10
another to~a
whi,nsy iss man oi freaks fof
weeks 81 . time he ~lli ,ate u Into hls
head ~ do his wost In some particular
say whsn hs ~ss O, the head ~ the
navy be ~oali ifrguently take . fancy
., Intervals ~ have hls secretary cums
~ his house 81 y O'Clock every sveains
sud write o. hls dic,ation ualli hong
after mldnish,, dlsPosias oi oorre.
spondenes 90 other business ,hs,
would ordinarily 10 attended to in
once hours. Then. after . ie~ days.
the fancy -ould suddenly leave him
all hs .ould return Zoe a ~hils to
she more commonplace ms,hols
Assls. smother meAi would prevail
sud hs ~osld have ~. s,snoyssphsr
., his house ., nish, 81 the, ~ the
misis, ~ The mess hTilliaat feoe,,iioa.
be co,.ld steal s~sy from hi. guests "a
private of'ies ars,si's and there
snatch Intervals II aisssa maiaa,ss os
bali sa h"aT ,hToashca, TIE evening
s,las oss' hi. correspondence An
iacldsa, 10 related ~hlvh illustrates 90
sell &c saythlns this pstulisfitf of