Board Thread:Speculation House/@comment-27404492-20170709002747/@comment-14138255-20170714184408

I have a feeling Jacques is more gender neutral about succession and originally wanted Winter to inherit (possibly on account of being the oldest) but she joined the army so he gave it to Weiss. Eventually, after it seemed like Weiss would just galavant across Remnant as a huntress, he pretty much prepared to give the SDC to Whitely the moment he thought Weiss wasn't worth it.

On Nick: He didn't have to hate Willow to pass her over in favor of Jacques, he was probably just a bad judge of character for Jacques, waving off any of Willow's complaints.

As for Jacques, he probably doesn't see himself as muddying the Schnee name with his actions. Like I said, he probably missed the point of Nick's SDC, and only saw the business end rather than the human one. From an economic standpoint he's done wonders, but can't grasp how his workers can be so miserable in dark, dangerous mines when he's giving them a wage to live on (ish).