The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-15
new YORwS DELEGATION
Talk Of the Probable Action Of the
Empire State Men at
Chicago.
The Position Occupied by Mr..
Whitney in the Hill Cleve-
land Contest.
Tho Ex-secretary's Ambition Effect Of
the Unit Rule--If New York Votes
for Palmer?

NEW YORK, April H.--Dlscusa1nR the p0-
litical situation in New York gentleman
we'll known in the councils OF the demo-
cratic party in this state said: II will give
you some inside political information bear
ing on this critical situation. The Cleve-
land managers think they have it all fixed
to secure part Of the New York delega-
tion. You may not know it, but number
of mon are in that delegation who feel very
friendly to the sx-president, such men az
Mayor Manning, of Albany, and John
Boyd Thacher. But still more important
Is the peculiar position in which the dele
cations from New York city ana Brooklyn
fnd Themselves. 1t ia we'll known that in
the midwinter convention the Tammany
delegates opposed ironclad instructions for
the delegates who were to be sent to Chi
cago. So did the Kings county men. Now
Kings county is for Cleveland and Tam
many hall is for whomsoever three or four
mon say she shall be for. Who is the real
master Of Tammany hall2 Not Croker,
not Mayor Grant, but William G.
lands secretary of the navy. II
Mr. Whitney says the word the rammany
delegates to Chicago will vote for Cleve-
land, and happen to know that while Mr..
Whitney has for some time been rather
cold toward Mr.. Cleveland as presidential
aspirant he is now back in the ranks and
pretty eager for his old chiefs success.
Whitney has been accused of having presi-
dental ambition himself. It has been said
he is scheminR to throw both Hill and
Cleveland aside and push himself to the
front as compromise candidate. with the
New York delegation at his back. But this
is not true. Mr.. Whitney ia not an aspir-
ant for any elective Office, ana will not ac-
cept any nomination which requires him to
stand before the people as candidate. I
know why he has determined never to be a
candidate before the people. but am not at
liberty to state his reasons. Mr.. Whit
ney's political ambition is to return to
Washington as member of the cabinet or
to represent this COVER nment as minister to
Great Britain or France.
| "Mr. Whitney is one of the shrewdest
and most resourceful politicians in New
York. Eight wears ago he was the leader
of the county democracy. There is no
cieties, and as the county democracy dis
appeared Mr.. Whitney began schemlng for
control of Tammany. He planned and
built for it. and finally succeeded. One
leverage which he has used is the street
railways of the metropolis. Nearly all the
surface railways of the city are under the
control of syndicate, in which he aud his
brother-in-law, Col. Oliver Payne. are
moving spirits. Tammany hall is made up
of few bosses and great many men who
work for their living by the day or week.
Every employe of the New York surface
railroads controlled by the Whitney syndi-
cate is Ta1nmany adherent. In all, am
told, 6,OO0 Tammany men work for the
| Whitney railroads. A man cannot get a
job on one of these roads unless he presents
u certificate signed by Tammany employ
ment bureau.
"Now, supposinR that Mr.. Whitney, ex-
Mayor Grace and other friends of Mr..
decide to throw the Tammany and Kings
county votes in the Chicago convention to
Cleveland. Can they do it? That is very
important question. Heretofore the unit
rule has prevailed in the New York delega-
ton. It was the unit rule, adopted against
the protest of large minority, which made
possible the nomination of Cleveland in '84.
adopt the unit rule then were Daniel
Manning, w. G. Whitney and w. r. Grace.
II the unit rule is adopted this year, as it is
likely to be, and Gov. Flower and Senator
Hill persist in their present programme.
the solid vote of New York state
tor Palmer in the Chicago convention.
Without the unit rule one-third, or pos
sibly nearly one-half. of the New York del
egat1on may vote for Cleveland. With the
solid vote of New York against Cleveland
and for Palmer, the latter would surely be
nominated. With part of the New York
delegation standing by Cleveland and
choice of the party at large. the expresi-
dent MIGHT viuH