The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-26
A CASE OF MONUMENTAL SELF ESTEEM.

from MS interview with MIR. cleveland IN
huff is given credibility by his own actions,
both before and since he went to Albany.
Never, perhaps, in this or in any other country
has public man given such puerile exhibit
ton of inflated self-esteem and graduation
as has Mr.. Hendricks since his election to the
vice-presdency The spectacle of this man,
bloviating about Cleveland and Hendricks"
Cleveland and "me" is one cal
culated to humiate every self-respecting
citizen of Indiana, and is in marked
contrast with the dignifed and manly bearing
of Mr. Cleveland. The success that crowned
the Democratic campaign has developed fact
not generally known, if known at all. 1t is
becoming quite apparent that of the two men.
Mr. Cleveland is UNNECESSARILY superior to
Hendricks in everything that goes to make up
that confident and decent self possession that
marks the man of large caliber above the
petty demagogue. Mr.. Hendricks conduct
from the day of his nomination to the present
hour has been that of boaster, tickled
as with the petty vanity of boy
with his first pair of trousers. With ill-con
cealed contempt for Mr. Cleveland, he tolerated
him, evidently commissioning the party over
its unfortunate selection for the presidency,
and only too plainly making a bid for himself for
1888, when he would be the Democratic Moses
to lead the party out of the slough of defeat.
But from the Chicago convention onward the
| impression that it was kangaroo ticket rap
| idly disappeared and now it is only too APP
parent that Mr.. Cleveland is incomparably
superior to Mr.. Hendricks in all that consti
tutes craftsmanship.
On the 18th day of July, the day inmedi-
ately following the nomination, Mr.. Hendricks
pitched the keynote of the Democratic cam
paign very low so far as he was concerned,
shamelessly confessing that it was to be afght
for spoils, and that mot less than so, 900 fed
eral officials would have to go" in event of
Democratic success. This rallied to his sup
port the hummer element of his party, and
those bent on getting official position. He
soon supplemented this by the
most debasing, cringing personal APP
peal for support-for votes-ever
made by public man in his own behalf. Nor
was this a mere pleasantly uttered in a mo-
ment of good feeling and in spirit Of levity.
He again and again repeated it throughout In
diana and in other States. Succeeding the
l. l.
arrogated TO himself all the glory of the tri-
umph of his party. 1t has been 81 and
''me, and my" ever since Cleveland has
been mentioned only to introduce Hen
bricks or me" Speaking as one speaking
ex CATHEDRAL he has not hesitated to proclaim
what the administration would and would not
do, and that too, without word of warrant
from the only man who has any say in the
matter. 1t is not surprising, then, to learn
that Mr.. Hendricks does not relish the inev-
liable snub that awaited him at the hands of
his superior. 1t could not be otherwise, and
it is gratifying to be told that Cleveland is
such man as not to complacently tolerate
such of1icious impudence. What right, even
by sufferance or custom, has Thomas A. Hen
bricks; more than Thomas +. Bayard, Samuel j.
Randall or William FL. Morrison to dictate Mr..
Cevelands Cabinet And what would be
thought of either or all of them if they dared
go as far as has Mr. Hendrcksl
The Vice president-elect is represented as
having in a conversation, on Monday last
said in reference to the formation of Cabi-
net Gas for the personnel of the next adj
mnistration, don't think Cleveland has yet
given it thought | know I have not"
This is Hendricksian to an absurd degree
Passing over the improbability of Mr.. Cleve-
land not yet having given a thought to so
grave a thing as the formation of his Cabinet,
Mr.. Hendricks voluntary declaration that
che" knows She has not, is as
could well be produced There is but one of
two conclusions to be drawn from his repeated
utterances--and we say it in all seriousness
either that he is losing his judgment, or that
he never had the aculnen with which he has
been credited. 1t is hard to conceive of such
of1icious meddling by man elected to the
high Office to which he has been chosen. The
shame that Mr.. Hendricks invites, and one
that Indianians would gladly have him avoid,
is that of being fgulatively slapped in the face
by man who, until the past two years, was not
known outside his own city. If Mr. Hen
bricks has no sensitiveness on his own account,
to making such thing possible, he should at
least save his fellow citizens from the chagrin