The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-04-20
GROVER CLEVELAND D.
A Commanding Figure Before the
American People.
Boston Her1ld-snd.l

figure before the public of exceptional
eminence. He stands distinct in this re-
spect as Jackson once stood, as Lincoln
stood later. as Grant was manifested later
still, though Grants distinction came less
from his deeds in the presidency than
from the deeds that preceded his assump-
ton of that Office. There are only two
ways of accounting for this fame. 1t must
come from greatness OF achievement or
greatness of character. Sometimes it
comes from both. Jackson was heroic,
honest, if sometimes narrow in his hon.
esty, picturesque and fully in sympathy
with the people. Lincoln was great in
intellect, though modest in self-assertion,
sublime in patriotism, intuitive in his
judgment and God-like in his forbearance
toward those who opposed him. Grant
led in the greatest struggle at arms of the
century, was the most inpassive figure in
it, and came out the victor of its decisive
triumph.
1t is difficult for partisans who are op-
posed to Cleveland, and perhaps for
some who are not, to accept him as a
figure on the same plane OF Importance
as the others, yet a cool judgment Of
him seems TO us TO stamp him as the
most influential public man of his gener-
alton. The people instinctively turn to
him, and the instincts of people like the
American people are seldom deceived.
No one will question his power with them.
Many obstacles have stood in the way Of
it, much has conspired to overthrow it,
and yet Cleveland stands out at this junct-
ure more potential than ever before.
| Three weeks ago there was a combination
| OF circumstances which satisfied many of
J the shrewdest politicians that Cleveland
must retire from the contest for the presi-
| dency; il was even believed that he had
! already Withdrawn; yet today the demo
| cratic party on all hands feels his nomina-
| ton TO be inevitable.
Men do not come into strength like this
by accident. Very few men reach it with
| out rare gifts in their personality to win
the hearts OF men, and extraordinary ex-
ertion on their own part TO acquired what
is known as popularity. The nearest to a
| parallel to Mr.. Cleveland in this matter Of
| personal influence over men is in Mr.
James q. Blaine of the other party. Mr..
| Blaine is a man of singular personal en-
| dOwments. He is one OF the finest of
orators, one of the most attractive of men
| in his intercourse with those about him
| He is instinct with tact; he fasci-
mates, he magnetizes even, in his
| association with those who are likely
| TO be useful 10 him. The source of
his power is no secret, it is plain upon
| the surface. John Sherman, a man of
| greater intellect than Blaine, and of i'm
measurably more statesmanlike achieve
/ ments, does not succeed at ali In compari-
son in winning public favor, because he
! does not possess those attributes. Grover
| Cleveland does not possess them, either.
| Grover Cleveland is not winning in per-
| sOnal intercourse with those who might
| be useful to him; he is not tactfuI he Is
not conciliating, neither is he a great
| orator. Yet Grover Cleveland, unlike
| John Sherman, is a power without these
| adjuncts; he invokes as much enthusiasm
as Mr.. Blaine despite all the native gifts
with which Mr.. Blaine Is endowed for
| such purpose.
We will not initiate those who are I'M
| happy enough now in view of the pro-
| gress Mr.. Cleveland is making with the
| people by claiming that he is great above
any man in his generation. We have said
that ne is not effective an orator as is
| Mr.. Blaine, and he is not the accomplished
statesman that Is Mr. Sherman. But why
is it, we calmly ask these people, that,
without these qualities, he stands at least
| abreast of the one and in advance of the
| other? They will agree with us that he
| has taken no step to attain this position
| other than his own inherent honesty of
purpose, soundness of judgment and force
of character. Nothing but these could
have given him the place he occupies to-
! day. How did he obtain it then? They
may say that the people are deceived.
| The American people are not so easily
| Iaoas,.DI Tho Ia,,nnrokia -, 80 -
deceived at oil, is deceived away from it's
natural tendencies, if We may take re-
! publican estimates of it. The less intelli-
| gent portion of it likes snowy men, aud
| Cleveland is not a SNOWY man. But a
| highly important part of Cleveland's
/ strength is outside the democratic party.
It comes from republicans, or from men
| who are not partisans at all. These, il
| will not be denied, are men of the highest
! intelligence and character. They are not
the unthinking republicans whom Cleve-
land attracts; they are the intelligent,
| thoughtful men of the party. 1t was the
Seizures, the George William Curtises, the
| Freeman Clarkes, the Elliotts, that left the
| republican party to support him. It was
| James Russell Lowell who gave him the
highest eulogy in Office. 1t was the pres
| ident of Bowdoin college who came over
| W nlb output AOuA NCdib dEO. ~ 40 lAsS
president OF Brown university who went
out to meet him as he came into Rhode
| Island last week.
Is it anything less than greatness that
compels powerful party into the support
| of Cleveland with large share of its most
influential leaders in opposition to him?
Is it anything less than greatness that
attracts so large a portion of the flower OF
the intellect OF the republican party to
him? We have shown that it is not the
graces of the orator, the arts of the politi-
clan, or the tact of the man who wins and
magnetizes in personal intercourse. What
| is it, then2 We should be gratifed il
some of those who have been in the habit
of depreciating Grover Cleveland would
furnish an answer to our inquiry.