The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-21
MIR. HENDRICKS IN PERIHELroN.
An Administration Organ Points Out Some
of the Vice-President's Deficiencies.


Washington Post.
Various gossips throughout the country are in
terestng themselves nightly, discussing the re-
lations between Mr.. Hendricks and the admins
tration. The favorite hypothesis is that Mr.
Hendricks is not in sympathy with his chief and
that these migrations Of his have for their object
The authesttic circulation of that fact The idea
sought to be conveyed is that Mr.. Hendricks is
making the grand circuit for the purpose Of de
claring his antipathy to the ciVilservice philo-
sophy, and of letting it be seen that in him the
Democracy would have President after the
partys heart
Reports to this effect are flying about, and a
certain countenance is lent to the story by the
fact that Mr.. Hendricks is flying about also
He has visited different parts Of the country
already, and it is known that he intends visiting
others. He is reported as saying that Indiana
has suffered through not being widely known in
the persons of her great men, and it begins to
appear that he proposes to remedy this defect by
giving himself the widest possible circulation
He is extending his circle of acquaintance-na-
tonalizing himself, so to speak-and concurrent
with this process, he is implanting as ne goes
tho peculiar views he entertains. His visit to
and speech at Boston are cases in point. He not
only expressed regret at not having known
Boston better in the past and his purpose to
know it better in the future, but he simulta-
neously expounded his theory of civil service
which, as the Post showed at the time, is in
direct conflict with the policy avowed by the
administration.
1t pleases great many papers--chef1y Repub
lican, however-to point to this as an evidence
that Mr.. Cleveland is not in harmony with his
party, and to predict conflict between the two
Because Mr.. Hendricks chooses to take posi-
ton antagoniStic to the government and to
carry his propaganda to the four winds,
the prophecy is made that grave perils beset the
Presidents path, and that the party totters on
the brink of dissolution. 1t is noticeable, and
those who are so industriously ventating Mr..
Hendricks and his alleged crusade are careful to
explain that the Vice president always indorses
the administration. A curt and formal preface
to that effect forms feature of every speech or
interview. But the burden and purport of the
utterance always serve to emphasize the fiction
and to show how different things would be if Mr.
Hendricks were in the chair. Mr.. Hendricks
does not say SO himself, but others are at great
pains to say, for him, that he thinks the Cleve
land policy will prove failure, and it follows
that, believing this he expects as result of his
campaign general rally of Democrats to his
own banner. There is a vision of New York,
Ohio and Virginia going Republican this wear in
consequence of Democratic apathy and discon
tent and when this is supplemented by heavy
losses In Indiana twelve months hence, it will be
in order to point the moral
We can hardly believe thats Mr.. Hendricks is
responsible for all this stupid and preposterous
rubbish, or that he is as shortsighted as an even
partial responsibility for it would imply There
is no doubt that he has uttered sentiments bear
ing strange resemblance to unfriendly criticism
of the Presidents civilservice policy; but
crowds often applaud what the individuals COM
posing the crowd do not and could not approve,
and Mr. Hendricks has all the insticts of a
popular orator. who sometimes goes astray in
search of applause. That he is really engaged
in such an undertaking as the publications in
question ascribe to him is incredible upon any
hypothesis which comedies to him judgment,
good taste or an insight into the real sentiment
OF the Democratic masses. The administration
Will continue as it has begun, standing by the
pledges upon which Mr.. Cleveland received the
votes of the intelligent and patriotic majority of
the people, and daily intrenchng itself more
firmly in popular respect and confidence; but it
might be just as we'll for Mr.. Hendricks to make
some formal disclaimer of the silly and mis-
chievous purposes which are being attributed to
him by superservceabe friends