The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-28
This 10 q Blooded Administra.
ton.

Whatever may have been the political
shortcomings and sins of JOHN SHERMAN
in the past, it is hardly possible for any
man of heart to consider seriously the
present position of the Secretary of State
without genuine pity for him.
AS the result of events and combinations
not of his own shaping. Mr.. SHERMAN now
holds the highest appointive Office in the
Government OF the United States. There
is no good reason to believe that he sought
or desired the Office. 1t is doubtful If the
post is suited particularly to his tastes or
his talents. Nevertheless, he accepted,
as a high honor at the hands of
Major MCKINLEY, the appointment which
makes him, at least nominally, the princi-
pal figure in the Cabinet and the chief per-
sonage in the Administration next to the
President himself. 1t is not according to
human nature that Mr.. SHERMAN, or any
other man in his place. should view with
complacency or even indifference the at
tempts now making in certain quarters to
represent him as a doomed incompetent,
sure to be replaced in the immediate future
by a successor better qualified to admins.
ter the fairs of the Department of State
uuTluB MI. l1Ch1SLEt . CcTh.
Even more unpleasant yet must 1t be for
Mr.. SHERMAN to watch the i%ntrigues and
note the selfish calculations of those who
are ambitious to supersede him.
We observe that the process of ejectment
has gone so far that the candidates
for Mr.. SHERMAN's Office are begin
ming to show themselves. Conspicuous
among these, If we are to believe reports
current in the daily press, Is the Hon.
WHIrELAw REID, now returning across
the Atlantic after a season of eloquent
service as Special Jubilee Ambassador to
the Court of Queen VICTORIA.
1t Ii unnecessary to explain why the an
nouncement that the Hon. WHITELAw
REDS name is mentioned as a possible
successor to Mr.. SHERMAN Is equivalent
to a declaration that he is personally a
candidate for the Office. and means to
obtain 1t If he can Spontaneous and
altruistic movements in favor of the eleva.
tion of Mr.. REID to high posts of public
trust are not a familiar idea to the people
of this country. They belong rather to the
class of things inconceiyable.
But it is perfectly legitimate for the Hon.
WHTrELAw REID to aspire to a Cabinet
Office, and to procure one for himself If he
car do so honorably. That is his privilege
as an American citizen. 1t may be OBJ.
served that since the experience of
1892 his ambition Is more likely
10 Concern itself with political honvrs
to be obtained by indirection, as
it were, han with those which involve a
test of personal popularity at the voting
places. In 1883 HARRISON and MORTON
carried Mr.. MoRToN's State by ii, z plu.
rality. In 1892 HARRISON and REID
the REID on that ticket being the
Hon. WHITELAw REID-lost MI. REDS
State by an adverse plurality of 40, 1918. In
1888 HARRISON and MoRToN's percentage
of the total vote of New York was 40. 10.
In 1892 HARRISON and REID's percentage
of the total vote was 44.59. 1t was the
same HARRISON in both years the differ
ence was only in the tail of the ticket.
These well-remembered circumstances
afford sufficient ground for the expectation
that whatever further honors the Hon.
WHITELAw REID may seek at the hands OF
the Republican party will be sought by
him through the channel of appointment
rather than through that of election by the
votes of his fellow citizens.
We observe, likewise, that whereas the
only plausible motive previously perceived
for the publication in the Nei0 York Tribune
of the letter of instructions from Secretary
SHERMAN to Ambassador HAY was the
interest of Mr.. D. o. MILLs's North Ameri
can COMMERCIAL Company, there now begins