Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-08-08
rs NOT A CANDIDATE.
WILLIAM c. WHITNEY DOES NOT WISH
FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

Tells His Friends Sincerely He Would Not
Turn His Hand to Secure It-His ReIa-
tions With President CIeveIand-Has No
Political Ambition.
William G. Whitney is not a candi-
date for the presidency. He tells all
his friends, and tells them sincerely,
that if he could win both the nominal
ton and election by a simple turning
of his hand he would still put ambition
behind him. He means it too. What
he would do in the event Of Democracy
calling hia TO the front is another
thing, Mr.. Whitney does not want the
nomination, but at the same time it is
safe to predict that he will not decline
it if it be offered him. So far as / know
no man aver did refuse a presidential
nomination by one of the great political
parties.
1t 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 Mr.. Whitney's declara-
tion that he is not q 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. I have heard it from the lips of
cabinet ministers and important govern
mcnt officials at Washington. The pol
iticians and business men Of New York
echo 1T. Only a day or two ago, across
the bay at Sorrento, ] was surprised to
hear Chief Justice Fuller say that if
Mr.. Cleveland is not to stand for a third
term-and he had no idea Mr.. Cleve-
land would permit any such thing
Whitney was by long odds the most
available man in sight This 10 what
the chief justice said, and il any one
imagines Melville Weston Fuller is not
a good politician or judge Of political
conditions he should undeceiye himself.
William Q. Whitney is n Of the
most interesting men In this country.
Many people do not understand him.
They cannot conceive Of o man with a
gift for politics and public service with
out desire to hold Office. It is not too
much to say that Mr.. Whitney has this
gift. He today, without much question,
is the ablest politician before the public
eye. His ability as an administrative
official was abundansiy shown while ne
was secretary of the navy. In 1892 he
showed what he could do as a conven-
tion and campaign manager. cleveland
had great difficulty in inducing Mr..
Whitney to take a seat in his cabinet
during the first term. He declined at
first and accepted but two or three
days before the Inauguration at MI.
Cleveland's urgent appeal He accepted
then more to please his wife than him
self.
Two years ago, after Mi. Whitney
had managed the campaign for Mr.
Cleveland's nomination and election
with such signal success, most people
thought he would be rewarded with a
seat Ia the cabinet. Probably not more
than half q dozen men knew that MI.
Whitney would take no Office. Every one
else supposed q man who had worked as
Nh. Whitney had worked, who had given
so magnifcently of his strength and
money, was after something, but be
wasn't. The victory gained, that was
all he wanted. MI. Cleveland wrote
Whitley such a 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 a 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 Mr.. Whitney that it
is well to give the truth. This / am
able to do authoritatiyely. There never
was any quarrel or rupture, Their rela-
tions have always been and still! are COR
dial. 1t is not true that Mr.. Cleveland
and Mr.. Whitney have had no personal
meeting since the inauguration. They
have met q number Of times and are
likely to meet again III a few weeks.
1t is true that in distribution of Off
cial patronage in New York state the
president was less conciliatory to the
Hill Tammany people than MIR. Whit
ney thought he ought % Be, consider
ing all the circumstances. But it was
only q difference of opinion, and Mr.
Whitney cared so little about it that he
made no effort to interfere.
In the history of American politics
probably there never was a finer exam
pie Of managerial skill than that which
Mr.. Whitney gave us in the campaign
of 1892. Nothing but genius of q high
order could have taken hold of the dis
contented elements in New York and
wrought ont victory.
] am able to say OF authority that il
MI. Whitney shall change his mind and
wish to be considered IN aspirant for
next years nomination he will have the
support Of President Cleveland.
MI. Cleveland would 5e base in
srateif lie were to fail to do everything
reasonable within his power TO compass
the ambition of Whitney. Every n
who knows anything of the inside work
ings Of the 1899 campaign knows that
Mr. Cleveland could not have been
nominated at Chicago w;.hcr. Whit
ney's g~eneralship. He might have been
elected without Whitney at tho head Of