The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-06-02
MR.. PIATT's ATTACK ON THE PRESIDENT.

thc convention, they are estOppeU from
boiling while the other fellows are not.
MR. PLATT's ATTACK ON THE PRESIDENT.
Nothing smaller in q political way has
appeared for a long time than ex-Sena-
tor Platt's "arraignment" of the Presi-
dent, printed In the Journal yesterday.
The attack is Immediately due to a re-
mark attributed to the President in a
published interview that 81 do not be-
1ieve that individual disappointments
will control the convention at Minneap-
oils" This seems to have touched Mr..
Platt on the raw, and he Immediately
PUSHES into print to show now mistaken
the President is in supposing that the OPP
position to him grows out of individual
disappointments. If the President is
millions of other Republicans similarly
mistaken, for that is the opinion OF a
very large majority of the Republican
party.
The animus of Mr.. Platt's talk appears
in the following:
II IcInbT AOOuU y lUOlSlOubi Qiedp-
p~Ointments" indicates how thoroughly the
President misappreheuds the nature OF the
opposition to his candidacy, and also how
wise Is the American system of frequent
changes In the personnel of the govern
ment. 1t Is astonishing how quick and
easy Is the process by which a man comes
to look upon the place he holds rs his pri-
waite property. He becomes accustomed to
the exercise of power and to the homage
which follows in the train of high author
ity. and be soon regards 1t as little less
than impious to suggest that he would bet
ter make way for another. The President
cannot understand how q man can be q
good citizen without Offering prayer night
and day for the reelection of Benjamin
Harrison.
This shows that an ex-senator of the
United States, in order to make a point
in his W favor. may not be above
grossly disappearing a distinguished
Republican who has served the party
and the country well. Mr.. Plat asserts
by implication that President Harrison
has come to look upon the office be holds
as his private property, that he regards
it as little less than. Impious to suggest
that he would better make way for an
other" etc. This is not only very spite
full. but entirely devoid of truth. No
President we have ever had has shown
less desire for a denomination or less dis
position to control or unduly influence
the action of the party han President
Harrison. His first and greatest desire
has been to give the country such an ad-
ministration as would compel public ap-
prevail and thereby insure the continu-
ance of the Republican party in power.
On the day of his inauguration
he said he hoped that four years
hence he would not have to ride
to the capitol with a Democratic success
sOr, and more than once since he has
given expression to the same idea. He
has repeatedly declared that he was
more anxious for the continued success
of the Republican party than he was for
his own continuance in Office, and that
he had no personal solicitude beyond
discharging the duties of the office to
the satisfaction of the country and COM
polling popular approval of his admin
istration. He has acted OH the theory
that he serves his party best who serves
his country best, and beyond trying to
do the best possible thing for the
try he has left consequences to take
care of themselves. 1t is, therefore,
both mean and malicious for Mr.. Platt
to represent the President as claiming
to have a presumption right on the office
he fills, and as more anxious to be his
own successor than he ia for the success
of the party. The Presidents acts and
utterances show that the reverse is true.
The rest of Mr.. Platt's long talk is de-
voted 70 trying to show that the credit
of the achievements of President Harri-
sons administration is due quite as
much, if not more, to his secretaries
thar to himself. He does not deny that
the administration deserves indorse-
ment; on the contrary. he says, II I'm
more than willing to subscribe to really
enthusiastic praise Of the administra-
tion." Like all the anti Harrison
schemers, Mr.. Plat is careful moi to at
tack the administration. They are too
smart for that But, says Mr.. PIatt,
1.-The President should not assume that
he is the only man who, since 1880, has
contributed to the Republican party's
splendid achievements" The President
has never assumed anything of the
kind. Mr.. Platt attributes this assump-
ton to him and hen attacks him for as
Stunning it. This shows that an ex-Sena-
tor can be illogical as well as spiteful.
Although it is a notorious fact that
President Harrison carried the entire
responsibility of the State Department
for many months, while Mr.. Blaine was
disabled, and brought some of the most
important negotiations to a successful
conclusion. he has never, by the slight
| est word or act, tried to take any credit
to himself therefor, or to detract from
the credit supposed to belong to any
body else. Whatever credit be has re-
| ccived has been accorded to him by the
! people who knew the facts. Ho has
claimed nothing, and much less has he
assumed anything.
Mr.. Platt goes on in this carping and
disingenuous manner and points out
that the main credit of Harrison's adj
ministration is due to his secretaries
and to our able foreign ministers. He
is pro:use in his praises of these, and
strong in his assertion of the injustice of
robbing them of their credit to magnify