Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-11
He Is MASTER.
Mckinley Rules With Great
Tact But With Firmness.
Comparison Of Mckinley and CIeye.
land Latter Lacked Tact.
Story That Reveals kindness. Although Always
Had His Own Way.

Of the Republican party who ara assemble,
here to watch the organization Of the ad
ministration on new party lines that Presl
dent Mckinley Is as completely his owl
master US Mr.. Cleveland or any other presi
dent ever was. Until recently there ha
been prevalent idea that Mr.. McKinle,
would prove TO be a plastic, easy going presi
dent. The notion that perhaps Mark Ham,
would bc the power behind the throne wa
generally entertained, or at least giyer
thought. The political opponents Of th,
new administration even went so far as t.
say that Mark Hanna, and not william
Mckinley. was the being inaugurated ~
chief magistrate.
A Will Of His Own.
These ideas have now been wholly aban.
doned. Not even the opponents Of the ad.
ministration 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. must say that this is not
q surprise to me. have known william
Mckinley fer many years, and / have
known that underneath the sOftness of his
manner, the tactfulness Of his speech and
the manifest kindness Of his heart there
was u 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 to have HE
own way. But he got 1t by easy methods
more often than not by gently molding
others TO his way Of thinking. or by prac
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 10 many
times candidate for congress, and where
he was the undisputed political captain in
his party, / bad years ago, seen him issu.
ing orders to his followers with something
like military authority. l could see, OF
thought could, that just rs soon as he
was president, just AS soon as all power
centcrcd in his hands, and every one was
under him and no one over him, this inn
reriousness in his nature would assert it
SELF 1t has come to pass
But it Is all done smoothly and tactfully
In selecting his cabinet President McKin
Icy followed his own bent. There are two
or three conspicuous instances of the self
reliance w,,ch led him to disregard the
wishes even Of Mr.. Hanna. Much as Mr.
Mckinley likes Hanna, grateful as he was
to him, eager az he was to please him, Ut
least two cabinet appointments urged by
the national chairman and persistently |
urged, too, were not made. So it has been |
with a number Of appointments TO the dip |
service. It is only justice to Mr.. |
Hanna to say that he has made no effort e |
manage things either at Canton or here in |
He has taken modest and |
sensible attitude. He has given advice |
when it 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 more than the Warwick of the
was.
A Contrast.
President Mckinley made his own cabi.
net, and he is its master There is not a
man among the eight ministers who OF.
poets anything else than the most complete
md cordial submission to the will of his
chief. That he will rule the cabinet as
as Mr.. Cleveland ruled his cabi-
net no one doubts. But he will do it by
more tactful methods. In the general work
Il the administration, in carrying out poll
lies and making appointments, MIR. Nc.
xinley will give much greater appearance
Il Difference to the wishes Of prominent
men in his party, especially senators and
eading members Of the house of represent.
tivcs, than Mr.. Cleveland did In carry
ny out his own sweet will President
cleveland was sometimes unnecessarily
brupt and even offensive. President Nc
Ainley will have his own way, but he will
ave it gently and without offense. Nc
Iinley Is born tactician; Cleveland was q
ull In china shop. The temperament of
he two men is somewhat alike in sort
substrata OF stubbornness In method
hey are wholly different. /.
1t 10 only fair to Mr.. Cleveland to say
bat SO far as his cabinet was concerned, be
lanaged to get along without harshness
lie treated his official advisers as gentle
len and friends. The stories that have
cen told of his brutality are for the most
art apocryphal. He did on one or two
ccasions .sit down upon member Of
he cabinet in way which must have left
sore spot in the heart Of his victim. But,
rule, be was jolly and kindly. Men J
Tho were in the Cleveland cabinet have !
lid me many times of the good times they
ad in their official and personal inter
purse with the late president. Mr. Cleve-
md was not always 50 gentle in his treat re-
tent of others, and it was in this way he
Of most Of his reputation for being tyran- : :
ical and domineering
Only . Little One.
A story in point: One day there appeared
the newspapers statement, mnde by
lbinet officer unnamed, Of the Cuban pol. '
y of the Cleveland administration. It E
eated quite a stir. So much criticism r
ID 1t evoke that the president repudiated 8
i, and repudiatcd 1t in way which made It :
'ther uncomfortable for the cabinet officer h
no had given II out, whoever he was.
ommon gossip ascribed the mistake to
scretary Olney, and many newspapers I
Id plainly that Mr.. Olney was the man.
hat gentleman kept still. Hc. would Z
'ither affirm nor deny. He was willing
} take the responsibility, 80 far as the :
lblic was concerned. in order to shield
How member Of the cabinet But when
Q real offender learned that Mr.. Olney
rs being uniustly accused he went h