The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-20
RECORD OF FOUR YEARS.
Mr.. cLeveLAND's ADMINISTRATION.
a Review of It's Salient Features, OF What
It Has Accomplished and Sought to
Accomplish. and the Difficulties
1t Has Had to Contend With.

Less tban three weeks OF PRESIDENT CleVe-
lands four years occupancy of the white
house remain and the record of his admins
tration is practically made up. A review of
the salient features of the administration; of
what it has accomplished and sought to accom-
plish, and of the difficulties with which it has
had to contend is therefore appropriate at this
time and not without value to the country at
large.
The keynote of Mr.. Cleveland's policy from
the beginning has been to give the people
practical, business-like administration, ire
spective of personal considerations. No one
who has talked with Mr.. Cleveland; who has
observed the perfect candor and openness of
his language on this point and has watched the
animated play of his features when discussing
IL, as the writer has done, can fail TO be con-
WINGED of the earnestness and sincerity of his
purpose, his high sense of public duty and his
devotion to the best interests of the people.
There is probably no American in public life
who has a deeper, more genuine sympathy
with the people, and there never has been
president more accessible or one who surren-
dered so much of his time 10 crafty the natu-
raj curiosity and interest of the bone and sinew
of the land in their chief executive as Mr..
Cleveland.
In conversation with the writer to-day, he re-
marked with feeling that his afternoon re-
ceptions, or hand-shakes as he calls them. were
the pleasantest incidents of his life. he de-
rives genuine enjoyment from meeting people
who come from every section of the country.
not in search of Office, or with any favor to ask,
but merely for the sake of exchanging pleas
ant word or two with the president
The close of Mr.. Cleveland's administration
finds him as busy and, perhaps, even buster
than when he was indicted into Office. There
is now mass of work before him which will
tax even his robust energies to dispose of be-
fore Inauguration day. He works as hard as
any department clerk, because he is not con-
tent to take things for granted, but insists
upon informing himself as to every question
he is called upon to decide. The pressure of
official and social duties throughout the day is
so great that he Is seldom able to address him
self TO the documentary work and correspond
ence which is accommodating upon his desk dur
ing almost every hour until o'clock at night,
and he is seldom able to retire
before OF o'clock in the morning
He is in the Office again by $3.50 in
the morning and from 10 to IL is busy
receiving members Of congress and their con-
stituents.
Much Of the time is consumed. unnecessarily,
By the want Of consideration displayed By con-
Sressmen in introducing persons who call mere
~ to pay their respects. The afternoon reccp-
lions we're set apart for this class of visitors,
but it often happens that an influential con-
stitrent bObs up at the capitol, and the member
from way-back or some other district, wishing
70 impress his importance or influence upon
valuable a supporter. or to tickle the latter's
tn al fo
20 see the president" and does so during the
hours set apart for official business.
The president has never complained of this
inconslderate treatment but he was greatly
gratiied and impressed by the conduct of the
late Representative Burnes of Missouri who
always presented his constituents who merely
wished to see the president at the public re-
ceptons.
Notwithstanding his patience under these
sxactions, and the fact that almost his entire
time during the day has been given mp to the
public, the president has been criticised for
being exclusive and the complaint has been
freely made shat he would not give the repre-
sentative men OF his party the opportunity of
consulting freely with him. There has never
been time" said the president on this point.
when ! have not been willing and anxious to
talk with members OF congress and leading men
in the party"
u is known to his friends that the president
feels acutely the charge that he has held aloof
from men whose character and position ell
titled their opinions 10 weight and has been
disposed to take the bit between his teeth and
act on his own responsibility. He has all along
hee1 animated by high and serious sense of
his duty 10 the people, and this has often
prompted him 10 Z course of action in opposi-
tlOn 70 the wishes or opinions OF personal
friends. Ii IS the secret. too, OF his laboriOus
devotion 70 matters OF routine. He ex-
presses himself very moderately on the latter
point and shows no disposition whatever TO
exploit MS industry 1T may be because | am
awkward at il" he said to-day, that have 10
work so hard"
Il may be stated that the president is
thoroughly satisfied with the practical outcome
o. his administration and its effects on the
fortunes OF tie democratic party. He is
very earnest in predicting great
future for democracy and in asserting
his unqualified devotion to the party
at Is grand party" said he, "and was
never in better shape than il is at present.
When We consider the condition it was i'm be-
fore the tariff issue was formulated, the want of
unaniminity, the wide divergence of views on
many points, and the hearty united support it
gave me during the campaign, who doubt
that ITS status has been improved and that it
has glorious future before it"
The president is as firm now as he ever was
IN the opinion that tariff reform is the great
living issue Tor the democracy. He regards il
a. an issue in harmony with the spirit and
traditions OF the party. and one involving
enormous benefits 10 the people. He be-
Deves that sooner or later the tOlllng
masses will be thoroughly aroused TO an indig-
nant perez ptiOn of the burdens uniustly
imposed upon them by the tariff laws and of
the fact that the taxing power of the nation is
being reckleSsly used for the benefit of ia
vored class. He does not tolerate the idea that
the democracy was beaten on the tariff issue
last fall "Had certain conditions been elimi-
mated from the campaign" he said, 1--WE would
have won a decisive victory"
20 far as be is individually concerned he
has no regrets at laying down his trust. He
thinks the defeat of the democracy is TO be de-
plored because of the injury resulting to the
public interests, but personally he experience Z
profound sense of relief at the prospect OF
speedy release from the ordeal to which
he has been exposed during the past four
years. The strain has been so great
that no of less robust health and rugged
virility could have withstOOd it. One OF the
most trying features of his position has been
that, in the discharge of his official duties. he
has been called upon so frequently to offend per-
sons whose friendship and good opinion he val
ued. Mr.. Cleyeland's sympathiesare warm and
easily reused. The insensibity with which he
has so often been accused is a supposed trait of
character which has no existence. He has
often hesitated between his personal incina-
tons and his sense of what exacted of him
by the dignity OF his position, the interests OF
the public and his oath of office. He has had
70 fight for the right at almost every step of
his official progress and he is naturally tired
OF the continuous wear and tear OF the contest.
il is an open secret that ne accepted
the democratic nomination last summer with