Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-08-28
Cleyeland's Record.

When the Democrats nominated
Cleveland for President, says the Chi
cago Journal, they supposed that ht
had no record. This supposition prove!
to have been erroneous. He simply
had no good record. He had plenty o.
bad record, and tits all coming out. Ii
fact, the few years of his life during
which he has been in Office must have
been industrious years. No idle mar
could have done so much that was dis
credltable in so short space of time
He was nominated on the ground that,
if nothing or not much could be said in
his favor, at least little or nothing could
be said against him. Those who nomi-
mated him for this reason are the most
surprised and the most discouraged
men that can be fonnd engaged IN this
peculiar political campaign.
The records prove that Governor
Cleveland has been extremely prohigate
and thriftless in the use of public mon
ey, when his friends were to be benefit
ed by its lavish expenditure. A num-
Der of verified instances have been cit
ed in the eastern press, with all the
facts and testimony by which they are
supported.
Two stale and swindling claims paid
under the Administration of Governor
Cleveland have n circumstantial history.
In 1871 the Commissioners of the FL
mira Reformatory made contracts for
the erection of certain buildings. Chas.
A. Danolds and George Worthington be-
came assignees OF some of these con
tracts. 1t appears, rs matter of law,
that the Commissioners had no right to
bind the State by these contracts be-
You'd the power of the Legislature to
revoke the same, and it appears rs 4
matter of fact, that the contracts were
unwise, wasteful and improyident. In
1874 the contracts were resclnded by
the Legislature for these reasons. In
1879 Danolds and Worthington applied
to the, Legislature for the payment OF
damages, not for work done and still
unpaid for, but on account of the pro.
fits which they might have made, but
did not, because they had not been per.
mitted to fill the terms Of their con
tracts. The claim was allowed by the
Legislature. but was vetoed by Cover.
The Democratic Attorney General stig
matted the claims rs based on icon.
jectural profits" which the State as
sumed no obligation to pay. Governor
Robinson's veto was II strong one, anC
should have squelched the impertinen
swindlc But in 1882 the claimant,
again struggled a clause for the pay
ment of these claims into the Supply
bill, and Governor Cornell vetoed it, OF
the ground that. even if they were jus
claims, the amounts were too large, ant
in order not to defeat the right of thu
Ctblc W All GtIitttbit tlitti iVi q SCbNic
ment of the amount actually due
Governor Cornell is Republican, an,
his denunciation Of the frauds which th'
claims involved was much less vigoroU
than that of his Democratic predeces
sor.
In 1888 a Democratic Legislature me
at Albany, with Cleveland as Governor
These stale, unconstitutional. fraudulen
and twice vetoed claims were agar
passed by the Legislature and Governo
Cleveland approved them! The TIVE
claims amounted to the following sums
Worthngton's claim with costs and
interest. ............ .......'.. 9l,u'. :
Danolds' claim, with costs and interest So,a1'.5
This was tolerably generous fraut
for Democratic 'leform" Governor /,
aid in concentrating. 1t is a part o
Governor Clevcland'S unexpected 'rec
ord"