The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-12-20
1T MAY BE WHITNEY.
EFFORTS MADE TO INDUCE HIM TO
CHANGE HIS MIND.
Tho Popular Ex-secretsry Of the Navy ~
Presidential Candidate-Certain EIe-
ments Who Would Gladly support Colo

hnSmts w hO W Vuhu osSaAy ooRPVss 0SAs"
mel Morrison-w Walter welIman's Gossip.
wAsHINGToN, Dec. 10. - Especial. =
Great pressure Is to be brought to bear
upon William c. Whitney during the next
few months to Induce him to change his
mind about the presidency. Manysprom-
inent Democrats with whom have talked
say sir. Whitney Is the strongest man the
party could nominate, and they are afraid
that unless he permits the use of his name
the party will In despair turn to Mr..
Cleveland and place him I'm nomination.
for the fourth time, despite the third term
prejudice. 1t Is scarcely necessary to say
that many of the leading Democrats In
congress are opposed to the third term.
They do not believe In 1t on principle, and
they do not like Mr.. Cleveland. Every
observer of men and events In Washington
knows that the president has not been able
to get along In peace and harmony with
considerable element of his own party.
whitney Holds Aloof.
These men are now determined to in
duce Mr.. Whitney TO be- "a candidate.
Though Mr.. Whitney has always been
classed as a Cleveland man, being secre-
tary of the navy In the first term and
Chicago convention in 1899, he Is never
theless wholly satisfactory to most Of the
men who are on bad terms with the presi-
dent. Since the election of 1892 Mr..
Whitney has carefully avoided activity In
politics. He declined to be secretary of
state He declined to be minister to Lon
don. In fact, when the president elect
told Mr.. Whitney to take his pick OF offices
under the government, Mr.. Whitney
bluntly said he didn't want anything. He
refused to exert his influence with the
president In behalf of others, except in
very few instances, and has held aloof
from the administration and from politics
in any form as far as he could.
An Unhappy Lot.
No one doubts that Mr.. Whitney is in
earnest when he says he does not wish the
presidency. Not long ago 1 had talk
with him, and he told me, with every evil
dence of frankness and sincerity, that he
wouldnot be president IL he could. He
spoke of the enormous labor which pres
ident must perform If he would do his
duty, the nervous strain, the sleepless
nights, and, in general, looked upon four
years In the White House as a sacrifice OF
strength and comfort which he was quite
unwilling to make. Mr.. Whitney believes
that no man was ever happy In the White
House, and that the after life of every
president is necessarily one of unrest and
discomfort.
1t may be regarded as extremely doubt
full If the Democrats who are trying to
bring Mr.. Whitney out as presidential
candidate will succeed in their purpose.
They will represent to him that 1t is his
duty to the party and to the country to
stand next year They will point out to
him that If he should be the candidate in
1896 and fail of election, he will remain
the official head of the party, and may be
again nominated in 1900, when, according
to the law of alienation of parties in pow
er, the Democrats should carry the coun-
try But from what know of Mr.. Whit
ney and his views on this subject do not
believe he will consent.
Mr. Whitney certainly will not consent
to be considered candidate as long as
there is any uncertainty as to the attitude
of Mr.. Cleveland. If the president wants
or is even willing TO take another nomina-
ton, am sure Mr.. Whitney could not be-
forced to enter the field. At the same
time do not believe he would support a
third term movement. He might give 1t
has assistance in a perfunctory sort of way,
but should be greatly surprised If he as
sumed prominent part in the manage
ment of the campaign. The president and
his former secretary of the navy are still
on good terms personally. There never
was real quarrel between them. At one
time they were drifting apart, and a cool
ness had sprung up between them. But
they some time ago re-established rela-
tions, which are much more personal than
| =, .rI
ed as one of the presidents followers in the
sense that he once was, but he surely
would not stand for the presidential nomi-
nation IL he had any idea Mr.. Cleveland
wanted 1t or was willing to take It,
Colonel Morrison's Chance.
There Is great deal of talk in Washing
ton about nominating William r. Morri-
son of Illinois. In fact, Cleveland, Nor
rison and Whitney are about the only men
now talked of for Democratic standard
bearer. Mr.. Morrison Is Democrat of
the old school. He was a tariff reformer
before Mr.. Cleveland came into public
life. He is man Of fine character, plain,
blunt, simple, straightforward, poor in this
worlds goods. He Is much the same sort
of man that Abraham Lincoln was, or
Andrew Jackson. Mr.. Morrison has
great many warm admirers throughout
the west and south. The fact that he has
not been on good terms with the president
has added to his popularity with a certain
element of his party After Mr.. Cleve-
lands Inauguration, In 1898, Colonel Nor
rison declared he would never set foot
within the White House as long as Mr..
Cleveland remained there, and he has kept
his word.
The elements of the Democratic party
who do not like the president or oppose his
policies naturally turn TO Colonel Morri-
son. While Morrison is opposed to free sill
yer he is not as extreme in his position as
the president Is, and the free silver Demo
Gratis would gladly support him. Many
Democrats say they are afraid their party
cannot win next years battle anyway, and
that the best thing they can do Is to i'm
prove the opportunity to place at the head
Of their organization an old fashioned
Democrat, a representative of the old
school, In order to bring the party back to
its ancient moorings.
WALTER WELLMAN.
Il Animal Rubber.
An insect, which produces a species Of
india rubber, has been discovered in the