The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-05


They have smart politicians in Indiana
and Thomas A. Hendricks Is one oil them.
An interview with that eminent politician
and distinguished straddler, published IN
the Wabash Courier, and now on the
rounds Of the press, is too important po
litical straw to be allowed to pass by I'M
noticed.
Thee seems to be no doubt Of Mr.. Hem
drick's responsibility for the views therein
expressed 1t is even said that the manu-
script was seen and recognized as his own
handwriting. In this day politicians who
are going to do some big stroke Of business
through the modern vehicle Of the inter.
view have the forethought to do their own
interviewing and furnish the manuscript
TO TIE press. This method Of holding an
inquest on oneself has obvious advantages
Til willing subject is able to put just such
and only such questions as will bring ou
the lsaers which he wants to bring out
He is sure that there will not bO u word too
much or TOO little. He has his choice Of
words and may take time to select them
He trusts nothing to the memory Of a re
porter, and, ii he can write ut all, he tones
d ,wn or points up SO rs to give to his Ian
guage the fine shading Of diplomatic poll
t!s.
Having got the interview ready for print
in home newspaper, gensra!Iy Of no
grea, importance, it is at once sent to the
great newspapers with the idea that the
person most interested really didn't know
that the "intormal talk" or "deSultory
conversation" was to he made so much OF
This is the way the Hendricks interview
has teon ,eat on its mission oil love, with
the accompanying information that forty.
sic democratic newspapers in Indiana IRE
in flvor OF the "old ticket"-TildGn and
Hen Hicks.
Mr.. Hendricks Is at loss to find words
stron! enough to express his admiration Of
M. TiIl,n, whom he finds to be in excel
lie 1t health and quite equal to the strain OF
an ,ther CAM a 81, and he brings in ex-
Senator Mcdonald 10 testify that Mr..
Tiden ais in better health than he has
been for years" In the view oil Mr.. Hen
bricks Mr.. Tilden sis one oil the most re.
markable citizens OF the republic" He is
master Of all good things, "has lived down
every calumny," and was "defrauded
OF the Presidency" In 1889 Mr..
Hendricks "diI not feel the ab3o.
Lutte necessity oil taking the second
place"-greatly preterring the first and
being neatly laid on the shelf by Mr.. Eng
lish-blt now he would consent once more
TO play second Il Idle 10 Tilden. Now Mr.
Hendricks knows that the feeble old money
geIter VINO lives luxuriously in Gramercy
Park on the profits OF railroad wrecking
has hardly one chance in thousand Of
living long enough to be inaugurated as
the successor Of President Arthur; that il
he were 10 reach the White House he would
soon 20 down under its careo, and that
would open the way for another Vice.Presi.
dent to step to the front.
But Mr.. Hendricks is figuring on some,
thing not quite so remote. He apprpci'
ates the political importance Of Indiana,
whose electoral vote each OF the great con.
venlions will have in mind. He knows
that tho nomination OF an Indiana man
for the first place on the Democratic ticket
is far from improbable II the politics Of his
own State can be got in good shape. He
knows that Mr.. Mcdonald has done good
deal to draw attention 10 the Presidential
timber OF Indiana. But there is too much
OF that timber in Indiana, and Mr.. Hend.
riCks means to send some OF il to the pulp
mill.
At this precious moment Mr.. Hendricks
is engaged in the lraternal work otkilling
of Mr.. Mcdonald. His method is not
lacking in shrewdness. There is a strong
Tilden sentiment in the Democratic party,
but Mr.. Hendricks astutely assumes that
it is not strong enough to bring about
nomination. His idea teems to be TO
revise and build up that sentiment, center
1t on the old ticket, command great credit
for willingness 10 sacrifice himself for the
pasy, and ride gracefully on the wave
that carries Mr.. Tilden under.
II the cold ticket" begins to do any real
running that ends Mr.. Mcdonald. This
much gained, Hendricks is nearer the
goal OF his ambition. Mounted on TiIden's
back, his legs locked securely around the
great reformer's neck, 1t is easy to see that
Tilden would be great convenience to
Hendricks in SO ingenious campaign.
The Indications are that the plot is max.
ing healway in Indiana, Mr.. Mcdonald is
losing there, and the situation is getting
thick and murky. 1t must be confessed
that Mr.. Hendricks is displaying great
presence OF mind in this hour OF his coun-
try's peril.
PERSONAL.