The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-10
Mr.. Mckinley Rules With
Tact and FirmeSS.
Even His Close Friend Mark
Hanna Is DiSregarded.
Comparison Between the Present
and the Ex-President.

WASHINGTON, March Especial. J.
Already II is the gossip among the big men
OF the Republican party who are assembled
here TO watch the organization of the ad-
ministration on now party lines that Presi-
dent Mckinley is as completely his own
master as Mr. Cleveland or any other presi-
dent ever was. Until recently there has
been n prevalent idea that Mr.. Mckinley
would prove 10 be plastic, easy going presi-
dent. The notion that perhaps Mark Hanna
would he the power behind the throne was
generally entertained, or at least given
thought. The political opponents of the
new administration even went so far as to
sny that Mark Hanna, and not William
Mckinley, was the being inauguratcd as
chief magistrate.
A VIII OF His Own.
These ideas have now been wholly aban-
doned Not even the opponents of the ad-
ministmtion any longer claim that Mr..
Mckinley is ruled by Mark Hanna or any
one else. On the contrary, they are begin
ming TO talk of the straight and stiff spinal
column possessed by the new man in the
White House. l must say that this Is not
a surprise 60 me. have known William
hNhlnitg lof many yctrs, hHu ioNc
known that underneath the softness of his
manner, the tactfulness of his speech and
the manifest kindness Of his heart there
was sort of Imperialism. Here in Wash
ington, when he was member Of congress
and chairman Of the ways and means com.
mittee he generally managed 20 have his
own way. But he got it by easy methods
more often than not by gently Inolding
nsL 49, IL ~ 1..v hx,t,
ticing the art Of the true leader in making
other people believe they were carrying out
their own schemes when in reality they
were carrying out his. Back In Canton
and Stark county, where he was so many
times q candidate for congress, and where
he was the undisputed political captain in
his party, l had, years ago, seen him issu'
ing orders to his followers with something
like military authority. l could see, OF
thought l could, that just as soon as he
was president, just as soon as all power
centercd In his hands, and every one was
under him and no one over him, this i'm
periousness in bis nature would assert it,
self. Ii has come to pass.
But il is all done smoothly and tactfully.
In selecting his cabinet President Mckin'
ley followed his own bent. There are two
or three conspicuous instances Of the self
reliance which led him to disregard the
wishes even of Mr.. Hanna. Much AS Mr..
Mckinley likes Hanna, grateful as he was
TO him, eager as he was to please him, Mt
least two cabinet appointments urged by
the national chairman, and persistently
urged, too, were not made. So il has been
with a number Of appointments TO the dip
lomatic service. It Is only justice to Mr..
Hanna 70 say that he has made no effort to
manage things either at Canton or here in
Washington. He has taken a modest and
sensible attitude. He has given advice
when 1t was asked for, and, save as TO two
or three points, has not been at all insist
ent. During the first four or five days OF
the presidents occupancy of the White
House Mr.. Hanna never went near him.
He saw Mr. Mckinley only once In Wash
ington before the Inauguration. Plenty OF
other prominent men were with the rising
sun much moro than the Warwick of the
administration was.
A Contrast.
President Mckinley made his own cabi.
net, and he Is its master. There Is not
man among the eight ministers who cx.
poets anything elsc than the most complete
and cordial submission to the will OF his
chief, That he will rule the cabinet as
completely as Mr.. Cleveland ruled his cabi-
net no one doubts But he will do IL by
more tactful methods. In the general work
of the administration, In carrying out poll
cies and making appointments, Mr.. Nc
Kinlc: will give much greater appearance
Of Difference To tho wishes of prominent
men in his party, especially senator's and
leading members OF the house Of represent
atives, than Mr.. Cleveland did. In carry
ing out his own sweet will President
Cleveland was sometimes unnecessarily
abruptand even offensive. President Nc
Kinley will bavo his own way, but he will
have IL gently and without offense. Nc
Kinlcy is born tactician; Cleveland was q
bull in china shop. The temperament OF
tho two men Is somewhat alike In sort
Of substrata of stubbornness. In method
they are wholly different.
IL Ia only fair to Mr.. Cleveland to say
that, so far as his cabinet was concerned, he
managed 10 Get along without harshness.
He treated his official advisers as gentle
men and friends. The stories that have
been told of his brutality aro for the most
part apocryphal. He did on one or two
occasions "sit down upon" member of
the cabinet in way which must have left
a sore spot in the heart of his victim. But,
as rule, he was jolly and kindly. Men
who were In the Cleveland cabinet have
told me many times of the good times they
had in their official and personal inter-
course with the late president. Mr. Clcye-
land.was not always so gentle In his treat.
ment of others, and 10 was In this way he
got most of his reputation for being tyran'
nical and domineerlng.
Only a Little One.
A story in point: One day there appeared
IN the newspapers a statement, made by q
cabinet officer unnamed, of the Cuban pol
Icy OF tho Cleveland administration. lt
created quito n stir. So much criticism
did 81 evoke that the president rCpudiated
u, and rcpudiated II In n way which madeit
rather uncomfortable for the cabinet officer
who had given IL out, whoever he was.
Common gossip ascribcd the mistake 20
Secretary Olney, and many newspapers
said plainly that Mr.. Olncy was the man.
That gentleman kept still. He would
neither affirm nor deny. he was willing
Go take the responsibility, 80 far ~ the
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