The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-11
DISAPPOINTED IN MISS CLEVELAND.
"General Reform Peoplen Astonished at tho
Goings On at the White House.

General Reform Peoplep Astonished at tho
Goings On at the White House.
Lockport On. W Journal
It is sincerely to be hoped that Miss Cleveland
sister OF the Presidents not to disappoint ia
certain directions her many admirers and we'll
wlsners tnroughout the country. When her
brother went to the White House and installed
her as mistress thereof she became, by proper re-
cogniIion, the first lady of the land Exalted to
such PEDESTAL of position and influence, the
probabilities of her course in social life--her
main sphere of action-were speculated upon
with eager and soicitous interest In proportion
as the public conscience has become especially
tender of late years with regard to great re-
forms was tB interest intensified to know in
what direction Miss Cleveland proposed to cast
the weight Of her high and responsible
place. 1t is within truthful bounds
to say that up to a very short
time ago the temperance and general reform
people OF the land-especially the women OF the
land-had the utmost confidence in Miss Cleve-
lands rigid temperance principles and her gener-
al intiexlbe purpose to countenance only that
which was of recognized good report. 1t was
believed that Miss Cleveland would be worthy
successor in the virtues named of Mrs. Hayes.
whose noble adherence while in the White
House to what she believed to be right won the
plaudits of all who thought she did and the
admiration even of the whole world as a rule
careless of social reform.
1t was known that Miss Cleveland was of sub
stantially Puritan stock. Her father was faith
full and honored Presbyterian clergyman at Hot
land Patent in Oneida county, this State, who
was quite content to do his whole duty in the
limited circle of his acquaintance. In later life
Miss Cleveland, at Houghton Seminary, at Clin-
ton, N. Y. and afterwards as a lect-
urer, was pronounced advocate
of nearly every good move thrown to
the surface by constant agitation, including
temperance. Surely with this record, aud very
naturally too, high hopes were entertained when
Miss Rose Cleveland was installed frs. lady of
the Land. We are not prepared to say that Tina
has wholly shattered these hopes. We believe
Miss Cleveland. well her distinguished
brother, intend at heart to do just about what is
right as they understand it. Outside of his De-
mocracy, the President has never shown-that
we have discovered-any very bad traits of char
acter. On the contrary, there is much to ad-
mire in his sturdy indifference to shackles which
have bound SO many chief magistrates. So
also with Miss Cleveland, on general principles.
but, in the wild social gayety at the White
House, broken only when death puts stop to 1T
temporarily, and in the reported wineglasses at
Miss Cleveland's receptions to her lady friends,
the moral sense of the reform element, which
expected and hoped for better things from their
ideal is disappointed. to say the least.
Again, this simple, trusting confidence does
not know whatto make of Miss Cleveland's pres
ent sudden conversion to the aristocratic ways
of the world. This is another bad fall in the
same estimation. In servile imitation of Wash
ington butterfly society, Miss Cleveland sends
out her correspondence stamped with a crest.
The fact is, perhaps, not conclusive of original
sin in her case, but it is strange proceeding to
the plain country folk who used to know her as
an ardent reformer of popular frivolities. and
even public lecturer against silly convention
alities These characteristics form the spirit of
her recently-published book, made up largely of
her essays. 1t is remembrance OF these things
that makes Miss Cleveland's present actions in.
COMPREHENSIVE to some, and to others a moral
downfall.