The Progress., 1893-12-30

! He moves, talks, thinks, decides, acts with
| great rapidity. His nervous forces are un-
| der high pressure all the time. Extremes
/ certainly have met in this rare and close
friendship.
Political Adviser.
IL is an open secret i'm the higher political
circles here that Mr. Dickinson eniovs the
rare distinction Of being a man who refused
to take the secretaryship of state when il
was urged upon him 10y a president elect
for whom he entertained the warmeSt feel
ings OF friendship and admiration Dick
inson fairly worships Mr. Cleveland. He
thinks the president the greatest man that
was ever born in this western hemisphere
The president has almost as high an opin-
ion of his friend from Michigan After the
campaign of last year was over and Mr.
Cleveland had begun to look around him
for cabinet, he asked Don Dickinson to
become one of his official advisers. He Of
fered him his choice of the places and final
ly urged him to accept the state portfolio.
But Mr.. Dickinson had had his fiji of off
cial honors. lie declined again and again
to take any Office under this administra-
tion. He refused to be moved from his pur-
pose, saying that he had spent the savings
OF a number of years of hard work at his
profession for the honor of being postmaster
general under the former Cleveland admin
istration, and that his present duty was to
return to his profession and make some
money for his family. But while he could
not accept office himself, he did the next
best thing by helping Mr. Cleveland form
the cabinet. The manner i'm which the
present cabinet was made up was due more
to the influence of Mr. Dickinson fhan to
that Of any other single man, the president
alone excepted.
1t was Mr.. Dickinson who engineered
what was one of the greatest surprises the
political world has known for n long time
the selection of Mr. Gresham to be secre-
tary of state. Mr.. Dickinson was from the
very first in favor of this somewhat radical
departure. He argued that the time had
come when the Democratic party could af-
ford to 90 outside the lines of strict party
service and by recognizing men who had
been in sympathy with the party. but not
members of it, attract still others to follow
their example. In other words, Mr. Dickin-
son believed the party could with profit
reach out for the ablest and most distin-
guished men who had become dissatisfied
with the rival party and bring them into
the fold. Though Mr.. Cleveland was him
self the originator of the Gresham idea, Mr..
Dickinson encouraged him in it and went
to Chicago TO urge the judge to accept the
Office.
He Confounded His Enemies.
During last year's campaign Dickinson
was very important man at the national
Democratic headquarters. Such energy rs
he evinced, such a display of generalship
and masterful activity, have rarely been
equaled in the history of campaigning.
Jealousies arose among the men, who
thought Mr.. Dickinson was swinging too
wide swath, who did not like the influence
which he had over the candidate, and who
were free to predict that the Michigan man
was simply working to get back into the
cabinet in case of Mr.. Cleveland's re-elec- |
ton But Dickinson paid no heed to these |
jealousies, and even when ugly remarks
were made about him by men associated |
with him on the committee, and malicious
tales were put in circulation, he kept his I
temper, went on with his work and bided /
his time. IL must have been a source of /
great satisfaction to him to be able to re-
fuse the highest Office within Mr.. Cleve- |
lands gift, and thus to confound his enc
mics. And it must be source of still |
greater satisfaction to him now to be able |
W Coine uONn 10 w ASnlDRJOn. virtually |
take up his residence Mt the White House .
for several days at a time, to be Mr. Cleve-
lands companion and confidant, to enjoy .
the honor and influence of being "the power
behind the throne" without any of the cares
and annoyances of official life.
The Presidents Health.
There is great deal of gossip in Wash
ington concerning the health Of Mr.. Cleve-
land. Every once in awhile stories are set
In circulation that the president has had an
attack of cancer or of some other virulent
disease. These stories contain but very lit
tie of truth. Usually they are manufac-
tured largely out of the imagination, or are
suggested by a state of facts for which the
newspaper writers are unable quickly to
find any other explanation. Your CORE
spondent is able to state on satisfactory au-
thority that Mr.. Clevelands bodily health
IS all right. lie is in good condition. But
it Is at the same time true that he is show
ing signs of the mental wear and tear to
which be has been subjected during the last
10 years. There are unwelcome evidences