Evening star., 1899-03-20
THEIR VISITS NOT SIGNIFICANT
Opposition to The Administration
Policy Not Popular.
ONE AMBITION

tire Congress without becoming more at
tached to each other by reason of their
proximity. With every opportunity for in
timacy Mr.. Reed has been at the White
House but once, and that was at a time
when the war cloud was bursting and it
was hardly possible that there should
not be some sort of cooperation be-
tween the executive and the Speaker
of the House. 1t is felt, therefore,
that Jekyl Island is big enough for both
20 visit a. the same time without signin-
canoe necessarily attaching to their being
there. Every assurance that could possibly
be desired is given that as far as the Presi-
dent and Mr.. Reed are concerned at least.
their being on the island at the same time
is without design. If there was any design
in the mind of any one else 1t is a thing
that cannot be accounted for The friends
of the President say that as far as he is
concerned there is no motive to avoid Mr..
Reed and no disposition to be less friendly
than the conduct OF the ex-Speaker may
compel The White House door has always
been open for Mr.. Reed to enter whenever
he might desire, ard there has never been
any open personal difficulty between them
that would require a clandestine meeting
for a reconciliation. 1t is intimated that
Mr.. Mckinley can hardly be expected to
apologize for having been nominated and
elected President, and that as to the inter
ests of the party at large, both men ought
to be desirous of preserving them.
Mr.. Reeds Wishes Complied With.
In the face of the resistance by Mr.. Reed
of the administration policy, the President
Immediately after the failure of Barrows to
secure confirmation rendered the appoint
ment of librarian of Congress to MIR. Put
nam, whom Mr.. Reed wanted Nor could
this be regarded as tardy compliance with
Nj Reeds wishes in the matter, since
similar tender had been made to Mr.. Put
nam before the appointment OF BarroWS
and had been declined by him.
1t is suggested that it would be difficult
to find a concliatory tender the President
could make to Mr.. Reed. unless 1t were
promise not to again run for the presidency
or else an offer to abandon the entire pol
icy of expansion, including not only the
possession of the Philippines and Porto
Rico but that of Hawaii and the aban-
GonInent forever of the idea of construct
ing the Nicaragua canal.
The Presidents One Ambition.
As to his candidacy for denomination,
the President is quoted as saying just be-
fore his departure for the south that it
was of 1899 not of 1900 he was thinking.
This, the Presidents friends say, truly
represents his state of mind. He wants
his present administration to be Il success,
both for his own credit and for the good
of the country. Upon the development and
successful prosecution of policy for the
settlement of the !nSular questions which
confront the country must depend both
the Presidents reputation and the well
fare and prosperity of the country. The
two things cannot he separated. The
President has had presented to him more
difficult problems than any that have con-
frCnted another President since the rebe.-
lion His task is now but half done, and
his friends say that his only ambition now
is to carry out successfully the policy of
advancing liberty and humanity, and If he
can complete this work before the end
h g-E.,Nt bsS
glad to welcome retirement to private life.
He would gain great honor by not seeking
more honOrs after his work was done. But
he wants to complete the work he has be-
gun, and if this cannot be done within the
time remaining of his term, little doubt
is felt that he will seek and will secure
renomina don and election. 1t is naively
ST ggested that Mr.. Reed is not serving
his own interests if he antertainS an idea
of being a candidate by opposing and re-
tardng the progress of the administration
in the carrying out CT policy, He is not
only making himself unpopular by opposing
the wishes of the people with respect 10
some very important matters, but is also
possibly rendering it difficult for Mr. Nc
knley to retire, however much he might
desire to do so.
Has Not Been Sulking.
member of the cabinet, in speaking of
Mr.. Reeds relations with the President,
said: Reed has been running along near
thS -idiiiiiiioli dtiolI "dSOi, Jul lle has not
been pulling in the harness. Some of his
friends may want to see him pull his share
of the load. Reed has not been sulking, but
he may have felt that he was not welcome
in harness along with the other horses"
There has been no interruption in the
personal relations of the President and the
Speaker of the House, but Reed has sim
ply held aloof from that freedom of COM
munication with the White House which
has characterized Senators Allison, Cullom
and others who were supposed to have been
in the combine to defeat Mckinley at the
st. Louis convention. Every man who op-
posed the President in 1896 has become
friendly at the White House if he desired
to resume pleasant relations with the chief
executive. The President has In no way
retaliated on a single leader for his epposi-
ton. Senator Allison is a frequent visitor
to the White House, and on matters of ad-
ministration policy is sent for and his ad-
vice asked. He today possesses many OF
the administration secrets and is apparent
ly as close to the President as any man.
except possibly few close personal friends
He was offered a place in the cabinet after
the campaign had resulted in McKinley's
election.
Senator Cullom goes to the White House
repeatedly, and his advice is sought along
with that or other leaders in the Senate and
House. There is apparently no discrimina-
tion against those who had preferences and
ambftions of their own in the days gone by
Senator Cullom's influence Is so strong that
many men. 1t Is said that Illinois has real
ly secured more good places than New York
or Ohio.
The Few Visits to the White House.
During the few times Speaker Reed has
been to the White House on business mat
ters he has had pleasant interviews with
the President. At least twice during the
past social season he was a guest at the
White House. and both occasitius he
and the President found quiet places to
talk together over affairs of state or what
ever interested them. Only on one i'm
portant occasion during the war with Spain
did the Speaker engage in a conference at
the White House. That was when every-
body had concluded that war could not be
averted. and when It was thought best to
begin preparations by voting the s50,eoo. 600
defense appropriation When the confer
ence was hsld to talk ever this Speaker
Reed was present by invitation of the Pres
idenf. along with Cannon, Senator Allison
and others The conferences lasted some
time. Only once since then did the Speaker