The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-07
THE CASE OF MIR. SHERMAN.

Ex-Secretary Sherman is exemplifying the
art of how not TO grow old gracefully.
Every person who would grow old graceful
ly must realize and accept without murmur
the fact that the time comes in a mans
life when he ceases to grow, loses his grasp
of affairs and can no longer keep up with
the procession. This is particularly true of
public man, who is held to a stricter ac-
countablity for the exercise of his best
powers than is a private citizen. No public
man has right to complain if. when it be-
comes apparent that his mind is failing or
his powers waning. he is kindly relieved of
public duties. Even if consideration for
him does not require It, duty to the public
does, and he is a wise statesman who ac-
cepts the public verdict on the question. 1t
is a sign of weakness rather than of great
ness in a statesman, of senility rather than
of strength. to protest against the logic of
events or the verdict of the public which
requires him to give way to younger men
with a clearer vision and firmer grasp of
affairs.
In the case of Mr.. Sherman the public saw
that the time had come when he should be
fore any decided step was taken by the
President in that direction. Perhaps if he
had remained in the Senate his familiarity
with the duties of that position would have
enabled him to serve the country salts
factorily for some time longer but as secre-
tary of state it became evident that if his
powers were not failing. at least he was not
gave away state secrets, was sometimes
gushing and sometimes almost truculent,
and showed singular lack of diplomacy
The President did not retire him any too
soon. His retention during the war would
have been not only very embarrassing to the
administration but dangerous to public in
terests The contrast afforded by his sue
cessors management of the State Depart
ment, his reticence, tact and diplomacy.
the skill ard frmness with which he handled
delicate questions emphasized Mr.. Sher-
mans deficiencies and the timeliness of the
change. Everybody this now except
the ex-secretary himself, who. now that he
is out of office, seems more determined than
ever to be in evidence. From his present
point of view everything has gone wrong
since he ceased to be a member of the
Cabinet. The war blunder that could
and should have been avoided, and its man.
agement was the worst blunder of all. He
reproaches Congress for having interrupted
the progress of peaceful negotiations with
Spain and censures the administration for
mismanagement of war which he thinks
should have been avoided. In short, Mr..
Sherman is in danger of degenerating into a
common scold. He is getting out of touch
with the live, progressive part of the Ameri-
can people and in line with the chronic
kickers The people do not regret the war,
and no respectable portion of them condemn
it's management. If Mr.. Sherman, as>secre-
tary of state was trying to patch up a
truce with Spain it is another reason for
his retirement. A retired statesman should
try and keep in line with the march Of prog
ress even if he cannot keep up with it. He
should face in the right direction, and if he
does not move. mark time. Mr.. Sherman
should stop talking, furnishing texts for
Democratic editorials, and try and grow old
gracefully.