Evening journal., 1911-08-30
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
When William c. Whitney
Trusted Nobody
By Holland.


The late William c. Whitney, Secre-
tary of the Navy during Cleveland's
first term as President, and before and
after that period in his career one
OF the leading Democratic politicians
Of the nation was one of the most gen.
erous distributors of campaign funds
the country has ever known, and he
was as successful in collecting funds
for campaign purposes as any man Of
his generation in either party, with
the possible exception OF Governor
Marshall Jewell of Connecticut, who
was chairman of the Republican ma
tional committee during the presiden-
tial campaign of 1880. Yet, despite his
lavishness of distribution, Mr.. Whit
new knew what he was about every
time he distributed campaign funds.
He was not one of those who disbursod
campaign subscriptions lavishly and
then was Indifferent as to the uses TO
which they we're put. He knew Of the
temptation TO which some politicians
yielded Of keeping for personal pur-
poses a part of the campaign funds
that passed through their hands-an
easy thing to do i'm the old days. when
no detailed record Of disbursements
was made.
Mr.. Whitney was a firm believer in
the expediency Of campaign contribu-
tons by large corporations that might
have fayors 10 ask Of the politicians OF
of the Legislature. He warmly ap-
proved of the method pursued by the
late Henry O. Hayemeyer, president
Of the so-called sugar trust. who tes-
a. al =
tee at Washington in 1894, when the
trust was on the Goals of publicity
that his company was accustomed 10
set apart a lump sum when political
campaigns were pending, and then
dividing IL into two equal parts give
on s-half to the Republican and one.
half to the Democratic party, simply
/ for the purpose of obtaining "protec.
| ton" When Mr.. Whitney was the
brains of the old Metropolitan traction
system of New York, Democrat as h'
was, he neverth aless recognized with
perfect impartiality each Of the po'
litical parties The Democratic party
received precisely the same contri.
| button in thu name of that company
which tho Republican party received
and in each case the contribution wai
|
ing that the company would be pro
tected" against adverse legislation anC
against the approach Of political black
mailers
The late Senator Thomas c. Plat
used to tell his friends with much
chuckling an incident which came un.
der his own observation, illustrating
both the generosity and the subtlety
Il -.
paigu contributions.
"I received information one day thai
MIR. Whitney would be glad TO see me
at a certain office and at a certain
hour" said Mr.. Plat. II did not doubt
what tho purpose of the summons was
for campaign was under way. SO
went to the office named at the houi
appointed Mr.. Whitney received ms
| cordially and then he asked: Blu
where is Chaunc7y2 ! sent for him.
'Chauncey who? / started to asl
4 I'm reply. when suddenly il flashed owe
me that Mr. Whitney had also sent TO
Chauncey NJ Depew, and did not pro
pose to go on with the business he hal
with he until Depew was present y
once more a message was sent I
Depew that Mr. Whitney wanted q
see him, and when he had arrived n
the presence of both of us Mr.. Whit
ney made In behalf of his traction com
pany campaign contribution TO nh
Republican party. And he said to u
very frankly, as he handed out Tn
money. that he was treating both par
ties exactly alike-that the Repubh
cans were getting no more and Il
less than the Democrats We're.
But note how shrewd he was; d
was so shrewd and careful that b
didn't purpose TO pay over the cor
tribution TO just one member of IN
party-another member had TO be pres
ent also when the contribution Wa
made He didn't distrust me any NOR
than he did Chauncey; no trusted u
both. but. nevertheless. he wasn't gs
ing to pay over that money until "
both W ere present and could verbal
acknowledge receipt OF the sum. An
so far as I know. he was always thi
way; he never took any chances eve
with men whom he trusted. He wa
the shrswdest, as well as the mo-
generous dispenser of campaign funt
Of any man ever met
Copyright. 1911. by f. j, Edwards. A
rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell
"The Civil War Leader Who Was Il