The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-15
Winning Public Favor.

Winning Public Favor.
few DAYS ago The SENTINEL took the
trouble to explain to the Washington Post
why il was that Mr.. CLEVELAND was the
object OF what the Post was pleased to term
idol worship. We do not desire to assume
the credit of having converted our contem-
porary to a right view of the matter, but 1t
adopts our ideas very fully in the fol-
lowing statement of the reasons OF the
phenomenal public confidence in the
man:
1t was an abiding trust in bis personal
integrity, in his sturdlness of will. In the
perfect patriotism of his motives. in the
resoluieness OF his devotion to the public
welfare. that. supplemented by his repre-
sentative character advocate of
who esome reforms in the revenue and
his systematic independence of utterance
and action, assured his candidacy and
made certain lie election.
This is true. bul il is no more true than
is the Posts statement Of the manner in
which this confidence was created Com
ing as it does from a paper that has never
been friendly 10 Mr.. CLEVELAND and that
has always had sneer for any profession
of regard for political honesty. it has the
force of the testimony of an unwilling wit
ness:
He entered the public service at Wash
ngton without any special training in the
schools from winch statesmen are COM
monty supposed 10 graduate, vet in the
conduct d national affairs exhibited from
the outset statesmsnlike attributes of a
high order
1t Wa never claimed for him that he
possessed in conspicuous measure the
qualities OF popular leadership, yet, as no
man before him had done. he developed
with his other growth the faculty of sway
lug great party at his will.
lie was never an orator of captivating
eloQuenee, yet is gifted with IA cogency of
speech that on more than one occasion
has compelled a hearing from even deaf
ami unwilling ears
There is little magnetism in his temper
ament as the term is ordinarily under
stood, vet time and again the democratic
party has yielded to the resistiess spell Of
his personality.
he remained at the rear in comparative
secluslOn during the greater part of the
late administration, yet there was al WAYS
potent suggestion OF his presence ct the
'front.'
He was never a politician, as politicians
are usually defined he held the pO tical
machine in contempt; he discarded old
political methods; he made himself OBJ
n0Xlous to large aud powerful wing of
his own party yet when came the final
test OF strength. and without effort on his
part that savJred of partisan aggressive
ness, he thrice captured a nomination and
twice an election to the highest Office in
the gilt of any people.
We doubt that anything more compli-
mentary 10 Mr.. CLEVELAND than this has
ever been said by his most ardent ad-
mirers, but what the Post does not appear
to understand, and what the average poll
tician seems incapable OF understanding
Is that he was successful not despite these
things. but on account OF them. Pleasing
oratorV. personal magnetism and ski in
political manipulation never won public
confidence for any man. There is moth
ing in them on which to base confidence
They may draw, but they cannot hold.
Men enjoy pleasing oratory, but it
does not convince. They enjoy it
as they enjoy music. The su bject
and the sentiment are comparatively I'M
important. True oratory ia that which
convicts which gains the purpose of the
| speaker. Personal magnetism may be
possessed in a large measure and its
possessor dsspised for having nothing
| more. Skill in political manipulation
tends to rspu so rather than to invite con-
| fdencs
We give Mr.. CLEVELAND credit for hay
| ing learned many years ago the simple
truth that the wisest thing an Office
holder can do is 10 perform honestly and
faithfully the duties that are entrusted to
4 him. This is a necessary result of free
government. The masses OF the people
have no direct interest in politics except
the proper administration of governm ent.
They will never discard an administration
that gives them this. except under the in
| fluence OF mistake of some kind, and
then they will be glad enough to get il
back again. If politicians won be- sue.
cessful they should lay aside the ordinary
political armor of false pretense and sctu.
ally do something for the public welfare.
This will be a most startling recommends.
ton to many of them, but il is really
worth trying. AS a means of attaining
public favor it is superior to pleasing elo-
quence or personal magnetism, or the
wire-puller's skill.
| Now In the Euoa I'm nmauf