The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-03

corporation counsel when Mr.. Whit
ney went into the corporation counsefs
office. 1850 suits were pending against
the city. involving between si5.OOo,Ooo
and S20,000.0O0. New ones were Instituted
almost every day and Mr.. whitney real
lied that, IL the city treasury wasn't to
be made bankrupt he must establish a
legal barrier for the protection OF the
treasury. He secured a discontinuance
Of many OF those actions. compromised
others. and saved the city. Il Is esti-
mated, between SS,0OO.O0O and Sl0.oo0.oyo-
Besides this he so systematized the
work OF his Office that he saved the city
nearly %. OO0OO0 I'm the first year.
He held the office until 1882 when y"
resumed the private practice OF law lie
did not lack clients. and corporations
seemed to be especially DESTROYS OF his
services
But while he practiced law he did not
abate at all his interest In politics. and
In the Blaine-Cleveland campaign OF
1894 worked hard and with his charac-
teristic skill iu organization for the cleo
ton OF Mr.. Cleveland.
Secretary of the Navy.
The day after CleveIand's Inauguration
Mr.. Whitney was appointed Secretary
OF the Navy. His genius for the man
agement OF great enterprises and his
perception of the demands Of the future
never showed to greater advantage than
I'm his headship Of the Navy Depart
ment. He found the navy. except for
the Chicago. the Atlanta. and the Dol
phin. a collection of antiduated ships.
He believed that there was no reason
why the United States should not have
a fine ships as any power in the world.
The officers OF the. navy had already
raised the cry of modern ships and
men to man them" and Mr. Whftney
h.
Navy Department in 1889 he had caused
to be built thirteen modern ships of war
and had nine under construction. and
the new navy was an accomplished fact
IL has been said that even while Mr..
Whitney was administering the affairs
OF the Navy Department he was locking
TO the future development of Manhat-
tan Island and had in his mind a pic
ture Of the consolidation of all the sur
face railroads Of the island with Will
liam 9. Whitney at its head. Whether
that Is true or not, IL Is now an old
story that he returned from Washing
ton and devoted himself to acquiring
control Of the surface railroads of Man
haitian and succeeded. with the assist
in building up the great corporation
known as the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way Company.
"No Man and No Issue"
In 1896 he went 10 the Chicago con-
vention as a delegate. as he had been
to every national convention since
1srs. There he did all in his power
&C prevent the Democratic party going
over to Bryan and free silver
TWO years ago, when Mr.. Whitney
was asked what he thought of TIE Dem
ocratic chances in the next Presidential
election, he made that famous reply of
his which went from one end of the
country to the other:
80 FAR as / can See" he said. the
Democrats have no man and no issue"
Shortly after that Mr.. Whitney m
nounced that he had retired from poll
tics for good.
Experience as Turfman.
In the spring OF 1901 he announced
| that he had retired from business and
! intended TO spend the rest Of his days
in having fun.
He had become largely interested in
the turf. He got together notable col
| lection OF racehorses and then leased
La Belle Stud, near Lexington. KY.
where he engaged in the breeding of
/ thoroughbreds. 1t Is probable that no
+, one but Mr. Whitney ever knew just
how much his racing stable and stock
| farm cost him, and # is just possible
| that he did not know himself 1t is a
| fact. however. that If he wanted q race
| horse he never let price stand In the
/ way of his getting it.
Having got together large stable in
/ this country. Mr.. Whitney concluded 70
! Try for some OF the classic events of the
! English turf. He secured the we'll
/ known American trainer, John Higgins.
/ who trained Pierre Lorillard's horses in
i England E several years. and estab-
| Hshed tr5inlns stable at Newmarket.
l Altogether, Mr. Whitney's racing ven
/ lures in England were not as satisfac-
/ tory as they might have been. He won
! the Derby with Noiodyovsld IN 1901. but
! Volodyovskt was an English bred horse
! whose racing qualities Mr.. Whitney had
/ leased from LADY MeuN. IL was not
| regarded, therefore. as an Out-anG~out
! Yankee victory. was the victory OF
/ Mr. Loriliard Iroquois in 1881 Il Is
/ true, however. that VOlodyovsh was
! trained by an American trainer and rid
! den by ar American Jockey, Lester ReiR
/ In this country Mr.. Whitney had
/ rather hard luck on the turf. He spent
/ his money literally, but until last year
] he was rather unfortunate In that