The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-18
OFFENSIVE INTERFERENCE.
Hcndricks's Disposition TO Magnify His Office
and Make Himself Tiresomc.


Hendricks's Disposition to Magnify His Office
and Make Himself Tiresomc.
st. Lons Globe Democrat.
There are indications of positive kind that
President Cleveland will find it necessary at an
early day to suppress the individual who was
elected on the ticket with him as Vice epresident.
LIN to- THIS tisaA tlA eAuernmant has heenv CON
dneest = ith reasonable success under the impress
sion that a Vice president does not bear any
direct and practical relation to the transaction
of executive business, except in the event of
being called upon, as provided by the Consttu-
ton, to assume the duties of the presidency be-
cause of a vacancy in the Office through death or
otherwise. The gentlemen who have hitherto
from time to time enjoyed the vice-p presidential
honors and emoluments have uniformly re-
Trained from assuming airs or claiming privileges
beyond those justified by this view of the case;
and, accordingly, they have never gone out of
their way to interfere in the matter of
federal appointments, or to use their position as
a means of securing Offices for their friends and
adherents. In point of etiquette towards their
superior officer, as well as Of personal dignity
and self respect they have not cared, we should
say, to become patronage brokers. But the
~
ftinguish himself by establishing new policy;
and this policy is fatty contrary not only to the
precedent in question, but also Extensively mimi
cal to the plan of action which the President has
adopted.
Mr. Hendricks does not come forward and offer
to exert himself in helping to hold up Mr.. Cleve-
lands hands as q civil service reformer. He
does not say to his friends that the administra-
ton is pledged to distribution of Offices solely
on the test of ascertained fitness, and without
regard to partisan opinion and service, and that
they must therefore restrain their thirst and
hunger for the good of the country,
like true patriots and unselhsh citizens.
On the contrary, he encourages the
Office hunters to activity and perseverance, and
tenders them his services in every direction.
He says to them, in effect, that the Presidents
talk about the civil service regulationsis is ali
sense and insincerity, and that they have but to
make the pressure strong and persistent and
they will get what they want He goes so far,
indeed. as to visit the Postmaster general per-
sonaly, and virtually demands the right to name
a man for subordinate place in the Chicago
pOst-cGfice, while at the same time proposing a
man for postmaster at Indianapolis against the
wishes and preferences even of the Democratic
local statesmen. Notice has also been served by
him on the Secretary of the Navy that he has
man who must be given one OF the bureaus of
that department.; and if the whole truth were
known it would doubtless appear that he has
brought himself 20 bear upon all the other Sec
retaries in similar way.
From the very outset Mr.. Hendricks has
made himself conspicuous and tiresome by his
disposition to magnify both his own importance
and that OF the Office to which he managed to
get himself nominated only by piece of treach-
cry on his part which should forever condemn
him in the eyes OF all honest and fair-dealing
men. Throughout the canvass last summer he
popped up at repeated intervals in manner that
was not less dscreditable to himself than dis
gusting to the country. If the people, even of
his own party alone, could have had the oppor
tunity to vote directly for or against him on his
personal merits, he would not have been elected,
and could not have carried his own State. He
was drag upon the Democratic ticket all over
the North, and thousands of votes were given to
him under protest, and solely because it was not
practicable to vote for Cleveland without also
voting for him. His past record was stencil in
and explanations only serve to make
it smell the worse. He owes his success to
Cleveland, and to the feeling that while he
was unworthy and undesirable, it would be bet
ter to put up with him for vice-presidential pur-
poses than to lose the election All this ought
to be as we'll known to him as it is to the gener-
al pnblic; and, being known to aim, it should
stances of unusual Stiffness and to make little
exhibition of himself as is consistent with the
most indefatigable modesty.
1t certain. at least, that Mr.. Cleveland can
not afford to tolerate and overlook course on
the part of Mr.. Hendricks which is both officially
and personally insulting. BY what right does
Vice president-and particularly who was
pulled into the office as dead weight and him
drance TO the ticket--assume the privilege OF
saying by his acts THAI tho Presidents declared
purpose of respecting the Offices is not only
unsound in itself, but likewise sheerly.
hypocritical, from the point Of view Of his