Evening star., 1895-08-12
WHITNEY AND CLEVELAND
The E1-Secretary the Only Leader Now in
Touch With the President
All the Others Who brought Him to
the Front In 1854 Are Dead or
Have Drifted Away.

The admirers of e1-Secretary Whitney in
Washington are glad that he has stated
bis own position with regard to next years
presidential race. There was thought to
be the need of such a statement. Some
unsigned gossip was doing him an fnjus-
tice. This was referred to in The Star
Saturday. In that gossip Mr.. Whitney was
represented as being absolutely Indifferent
on the subject of his partys next nomina-
ton. The phrase Used was that "he would
not tuIn his hand over to secure the nomi-
nation for himself" The construction put
upon the alleged deliverance was that he
had little or no faith in the democracy's
prospects for 1896. Mr.. Whitneys own
stateme1 t, as was to be expected repudi-
ates all this. The party, in his judgment.
has very fine prospects of success next
year, and he announces the intention of
contributing his full share toward the
achievement of success.
Three Names as Starters.
1t is no reflection on Mr.. Whitney's can
dor that his disclaimer Of personal ambi-
ton in the premises is accepted in q sense
purely political He Is a very shrewd man,
and as politician knows all the ropes. He
was not to be expected to announce him
self candidate for the presidency. But
neither can he hope to take himself out of
presidential calculations. Neither, it is
suggested, does he desire to do SO. Poll
ticians have a way about such things that
they themselves well understand. and. in
commenting on one anothers maneuVers,
frankly expose When Col. Morrison was
told that Senator Hill had declared for him
for next years leadership, the Illinois man
smiled ard declined to be grateful for the
compliment. He declared that before the
year was out Mr.. Hill would be found ''set-
ting traps" to secure the nomination for
himself. What Mr.. Hill said upon seeing
that Col. Morrison in his comments on the
matter had talked as f,he had not decided
as yet what he would do with regard to
the mention Of his name IN connection with
the presidency is not reported. But, de-
spite all these things, the party managers
have all three names. Morrison. Hill and
Whitney. down on the list Of certain start
ers. and are watching their work as
closely as they are that of any Of the ac-
knowledged entries for the great stakes.
MIR. Whitney and the Administration.
Mr.. Whitney's cordial Endorsement of
the present administration is not construed
as a bid for administration support in the
nominating convention. 1t is accepted as
at once a sincere and diplomatic express
SION In claiming success for the admin
for his own work at Chicago in 1892. He
pledged himself to his party that year to
the full extent of his responsibility as
party leader It is easy to be seen, seen what ma
tunes would have been had Mr.. Cleveland
been defeated at the polls that year. 1t
would have been disastrous for all time
But Mr.. Whitney's work. in the trium-
phant election of Mr.. Cleveland. was in
dorsed, and now Mr.. Whitney indorses the
country's Endorsement. He holds that no
mistake was made that year, and shares
himself, of course, in whatever may be al
lowed Of success to this second term Of
Mr.. Cleveland in office.
Nor will it hurt, 1t Is claimed, for the
candidate next year to enjoy the good will
of the administration to the extent of hav-
ing all of tho office holders friendly. This
support is of great value sometimes. In
fact. 1t has always been charged that Mr..
Cleveland would never have reached the
White House at all had the office holders
under the Arthur administration rendered
to Mr.. Blaine anything like Jealous sup
port. What the support from this source
would be with Mr.. Whitney as the candi-
date next year can only be conjectured
from the relations that have always ex-
listed between him and Mr.. Cleveland.
The Only one Left.
And this recalls the fact that, of all the
men most active in 1884 in bringing about
the calling of Mr.. Cleveland to the leader
ship of the national democracy only Mr..
Whitney remains near to him. Death or
estrangement has disposed Of all'the others.
Mr.. Manning and Mr.. Whitney were Mr..
Cleveland's first sponsors After time
they enlisted Mr.. Tilden In the cause.
Then, leaving New York. they secured Mr..
Randall in Pennsylvania Mr.. German In
Maryland and Mr.. Mclean in Ohio, and
that was the combination that conquered
all opposition and brought Mr.. Cleveland to
the front. Mr.. Tilden and Mr. Randall soon
fell away from him, and Mr.. Manning lost
his health and retired from the cabinet.
Neither Mr.. German nor Mr.. Mclean is
on personal terms even with Mr.. Cleveland
now. But Mr.. Whitney remains in touch
with him, and by his own cordial admis-
sion still adn,ires and supports him. He
has done toward helping to establish Mr..
Cleveland's hold on the party; and it would
be strange, 1t Is thought. il such constancy
should fail to make an impression on the
Still. the friends of Mr.. Whitney insist
that 1t would not be made to appear that
he Is the administrations candidate.