The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-06
NIB. CLEVELAND's CABINET.

1 y
The Alleghenies seem to be the boundary of
Mr.. Clevelands horizon The territorial dis
trihution of his advisers, even more than the
| question Of their characters and capacities,
will at once arrest attention. No such Cab
met, we venture, has been constructed since
Mr. Jefferson's Northwest Territory has be-
come the real heart of the Nation and con-
tinent, with its vast resources, its teeming
millions, its pressing demands, its supreme
political Importance, and its steadily increas-
ing greatness. To the entire territory of the
country west Of line drawn north and
south through Baltimore, making debouch
on the 35th parallel to take in the "South, Mr.
| Cleveland has assigned one man, Colonel Villas,
who is known to the country simply and solely
because of speech he was fortunate to de-
liver at banquet in honor of General Grant;
man who is not so known and honorcd, even
| in his own State, as to have ever held public
office, and who must be taken entirely on
| trust even in the purely executive department
to which he is assigned.
| The surprising feature Of the new admins
tration-though the surprise has been dis
counted by several weeks well-grounded ru
mors-is that three members should be from
the State of New York With dan" Man
ming in charge of the Treasury, Whitney of
the navy, and the President as chief execu-
tive, all from the same State, it has an ap-
pearance of Capitalization not often seen.
These three will undoubtedly constitute the
power Of the executive branch Of the govern
ment We do not separate the President from
the Others for the reason that the arrange
ment is undoubtedly a personal one,
above all other considerations. The
''chums' will work in harmony, and
with the palpable advantage of having one of
| their number to cast the decisive vote OF
| Mr.. Manning little can be said, for the reason
| that but little is known beyond the fact that
he has been 'offensively active in partisan
politics." He is better known because of his
manipulation of State politics, and latterly of
Mr. Cleveland's interests, than for anything
else he ever did or undertook. But for his
prominence as political manager he would
probably never have been dreamed of in con
nection with the Treasury portfolio-a recon-
mendation fitting him equally we'll for APP
pontment to the court of st. James, or for
the head Of the army in the field. What is
true of Mr.. Manning is largely true of Mr.
Whitney, the obligations of chumship, added
to the known influence of Mr. Tilden, over
riding all other considerations. We have
therefore, two principal places-places to be
of unusual and extraordinary Importance
filled without special regard to the demands
of the duties pertaining thereto, and quite
evidently as personal compliments from a con-
fidental friend, just as one might ask either
to act as ticket taker at ones benefit.
The selection of Mr.. Bayard is more in con-
formity with the fitness Of things. He
went with his State in favor of secession;
but he stopped with his State just short of
open treason. His appointment is, there
Mr.. Bayard has a good reputation as sound,
conservative and honorable man, he has never
been regarded as great man. His name is not
associated with any important public act or
measure; heis respectable gentleman, has
made good average senator, is in harmony
with the high-stock. silk stocking traditions
of the aristocratic elements of his party and
State, and that is all that can fairly be said Of
him. The history and legislation of the
country will be searched in vain for any act
of his that has made ripple in the current
of events. The State Department will be kept
in the same rigid responsibility it was under
the grandfatherly care Of Mr.. Frelinghuysen.
| Mr. Endicott, for the War Department, is
an eminently respectable mana kind of
! Massachusetts "NTr. Littimer'--a man whose
ancestors came over in advance Of the May
flower, so that, if possible, his responsibility
overslladows the respectable responsibility of
the most respectable respectables Of the Bay
State. 1t is to be presumed that he will make
respectable and acceptable man for the
place
Villas, for the Postoffice, is as has been said,
the only bit of sop thrown to the ''rowdy
West" Mcdonald, one of the ablest, stanch-
est and most consistent Democrats, was passed
over, presumably because of the jealousy and
fear of his more adroit and less scrupulous
''friend,' Thomas A. Hendricks. BY this
division of honors, New York, with plurality
of 1,200, gets two places, in addition to the
President, while Indiana, with Democratic
plurality of nearly 1000, gets nothing except