Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-09-05
IS NOT \ CANDIDATE.
WILLIAM c. WHITNEY DOES NOT WISH
 FOR THE PRESIDENCY
Tells Eis Friends Sincerely He Would Not Turn His Hand to Secure It-His Rela- tions With President Cleveland No Political Ambition.

Turn His Hand to Secure It-His Rela-
 tions With President Gleveland-Has No
 Political Ambition.
 William c. Whitney is not a eandi- date for the presidency He tells all his friends, and tells them sincerely, that if he could win both the nomina- tion and election by simple turning Of his hand he would still put ambition behind him. He means it too. What he would do in tine event of Democracy calling him to the front is another thing. Mir. Whitney does not want the nomination, but at tho same time 1t is safe to predict that he will not decline it if it be offered him. So far as I know no man ever did refuse presidential nomination by one of the great political parties
 It is an odd thing that this man who is in so many minds the most avail able Democrat for 1896 is himself who'll ly without ambition. There is no hum buggery about MT. Whitney's deelara- tion that he is not candidate. He is not waiting to be coaxed. He is not playing the coy maiden game which General Harrison is suspected of anus ing himself with.
 Wherever one goes, in Washington, New York, Boston, Whitney's name is talked of in connection with the presi- dency. have heard 1t from the lips of cabinet ministers and important govern ment officials at Washington. Tine pol iticians and business men of New York echo it. Only a day or two ago, across tho bay at Sorrento, 1 was surprised to hear Chief Justice Fuller say that if Mr. Cleveland Is not to stand for third term-and he had no idea Mir. Gleve- land would permit any such thing Whitney was by long odds the most available man ill sight. This is what the chief justice said, and if any one imagines Melville Weston Fuller is not good politician or judge of political conditions he should undeceive himself
 William c. Whitney is one of the most interesting men in this country Many people do not understand him. They cannot conceive of man with gift for politics and public service with out desire to hold office. It is not too much to say that MT. Whitney has this gift. He today without much question, is the ablest politician before the public eye His ability as an administrative official was abundantly shown while he was secretary of the navy Ill 1899 he showed what he could do as a eonyen- tion and campaign manager. Cleveland had great difficulty in inducing MT. Whitney to take a seat ill his cabinet during the first term. He declined at first and accepted but two or three days before the inauguration at MT. Cleveland urgent appeal. He accepted then more to please his wife than him. self.
 Two years ago, after MT. Whitney had managed the campaign for MT. Cleveland's nomination and election with such signal success, most people thought he would be rewarded with seat in the cabinet Probably not more than half dozen men knew that MT. Whitney would take no office. Every one else supposed man who had worked as Mir. Whitney had worked, who had given so magnificently of his strength and money, was after something. but he wasn t. The victory gained, that was all he wanted. MT. Cleveland wrote Whitney such letter of thanks as few men in this world have received. Later on he begged Whitney to make his choice of cabinet places or of all other places within presidents gift. Whit ney wished only to be let alone. So many tales have been told concern ing an alleged quarrel between Presi- dent Cleveland and MT Whitney that it is we'll to give the truth. This I am able to do authoritatively. There never was any quarrel or rupture. Their rela- tions have always been and still are cor dial It is not true that MT. Cleveland and MT. Whitney have had no personal meeting since the inauguration. They have met a number of times and are likely to meet again in few weeks.
 It is true that in distribution of off cial patronage in New York state the president was less conciliatory to the Hill-Tammany people than MT. Whit ney thought he ought to be, consider ing all the circumstances. But it was only a difference of opinion, and Mir Whitney cared so little about it that he made no effort to interfere
 In the history of American politics probably there never was finer exam pie of managerial skill than that which Mir. Whitney gave us ill the campaign of 1892. Nothing but genius of a high order could have taken hold of the dis contented clements in New York and wrought out victory.
 I am able to say on authority that if MT. Whitney shall change his mind and wish to be considered an aspirant for next year s nomination he will have the support of President Cleveland.
 Mir. Cleveland would be a base in- grate if he were to fail to do everything reasonable within his power to compass the ambition of Whitney, Every one