The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-18
TWO WEEKS OF PRESIDENT HARRISON.

can be asserted confidently that Presi-
dent Harrison has made an excellent i'm
preston and given evidence of pos
sessing qualities that are likely to con-
tinue and strengthen it. The charac-
teristics which his fellOw-statesmen in
Indiana, his fellow-townsmen, friends
and neighbors long since discovered in
him are those which he is now display
ing, viz: Clear perception and prompt
performance of duty, readiness to ac-
cept responsibility, absolute fearlessness
and independence, great firmness
mingled with great courtesy, and con-
trolling motive of justice in every act.
These are some of the ruling traits of the
Presidents character. They are traits
which the American people respect and
admire, and which, as time passes,
they are likely to recognize as control
ling influences in President Harrison's
administration.
The first few days after the Inaugural
ton were given up almost entirely to
receiving the thousands of people who
had gone to Washington from great dis
tances, and who were not content to go
away without seeing and shaking hands
with the President. The throng of
office-seekers also absorbed considerable
time, and continue to do so. But even
with these heavy drafts upon his atten-
| ton, the President. has found time to
pick up the lines of administration,
| to make number of excellent appoint
ments, and, through his Cabinet officers,
to introduce a new order of things in
the departments. In his dealing with
Office-seekers and Congressman he is
| frank and explicit. In several instances
he has cut applications short by kindly
informing the applicant that the par
| ticular place desired was already prom
Used, or that, for public reasons, no
change would be made Immediately.
This is infinitely better than holding out
false hopes. His territorial appoint
ments have all been of citizens of
the Territories, and excellent in
every respect. His acts, as well
| as his words, evince a purpose to
take all the time necessary to en-
able him to make good appointments
and to satisfy his own judgment and
conscience whether he pleases the peo-
pie or not. They also show that he real
ICES the fact that he alone is answerable
to the people for the manner in which
the executive responsibility devolved
| upon him is exercised.
Perhaps the most notable result of the
| change of administration thus far is the
change in the official atmosphere of the
departments. In all these there is re-
turn to business methods and a rapid
| disappearance of the exclusiveness
and red-tapeism that characterized the
Democratic regime. There never was
| in Washington so aristOcratic an adj
ministration as the last one. The
heads of departments seemed to
| try to atone for their inef1iciency
or lack of acquaintance with public af-
| fairs by surrounding themselves with
the dignity of a mock court and making
it difficult to do business with them. In
their official methods they were exclu-
| sive to the last degree. Under former
Republican administrations members of
| Congress always had free access to the
heads of departments. During the
| Cleveland administration even United
States Senators were required 20 send in
their cards, and were sometimes
kept cooling their heels in an ante
room till their patience was ex-
hausted. Democratic Congressman
protested loudly against this sort of
thing, and contrasted it with their treat
ment under former administrations
The heads of departments were not men
of affairs. They affected the style of
little tin gods on wheels, and this was
the tone of the departments. Now there
| is sudden change from all this, and a
return to the business methods of Re-
publican administrations. The Presi-
dent has impressed himself on his
Cabinet officers, and his per-
sonality is already felt in the
departments. The heads do not find it
necessary to resort to extraordinary ex-
clusiveness to prove their greatness.
Heel-cooling for Senators and Repre-
sentatives and those who have business
with the departments is done away with.
The atmosphere of the departments has
been Americanized. The reins of gov
eminent are in the hands of party that
know how to handle them. The man on
the box knows how to drive. President
Harrison is making good impression.
Even the New York Herald, which Wig
orously opposed his election, says ed
ltorially:
1t is. perhaps, little early to speak, be-
| cause he has been in Office only twelve days,
| but we have been watching his course with
i q good deal of care and interest, and so far.
| at any rate, we are glad to see that the new
| President is actually President. Few men
| in that high office-certainly not Mr..
| Cleveland, and scarcely his predecessors
since Lincoln-have been exposed to so
| vigorous and determined an attack from
| all sides as Mr.. Harrison. There were
many in his own party who dolorously
prophesied that he would be the tool of Mr..
Blaine, the obedienI servant of the im-
perious senatorial set, the prey of the great
| herd OF office-seekers. the victim of faction
leaders. But so far he is none of these
things. Mr.. Harrison remains President,
| and we may as well tell him that In this he
has greatly pleased the mass OF his own
party and the people in general.
If we remember rightly the Journal
/ aoourad tho ennr<,xv 10th hafora Tho