The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-11-30
MIR. CLEVELAND'S FUTURE.
1T IS NOT YET DECIDED WHAT
IT WILL Be.

IT IS NOT YET DECIDED WHAT
II WILL BE.
Perhaps He Will Travel for Time and
Then Become u Isa.ker-How Other Ex-
Presidents Have Occupied Their Time
After Leaving the Highest Office.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Nov. l0.-There has been
much speculation for sonlo days concerning
President Cleveland's future. The president
is only 81, has been but q few years married,
and in the ordinary course Of human events
should have many years Of activity and COM
fort before hirl. After leaving tho White
House the president will probably soon come
face to face with the necessity of adding to
his income by professional labor. He is
worth no more than $50 900, a large part of
his property being unproductive. He owns
Oak View and some other outlying property
here in Washington, and small business
block and residence in Buffalo, but the in
come from all this could hardly be sufficient
for the needs of his family.
According to the presidents friends nothing
is settled concerning his future except that
he will not return to Buffalo. The prevailing
opinion is that after journey to Europe he
will sell his Washington property and seek to
place himself at the head of some financial
institution in New York city. Though
trained and successful lawyer it is not thought
probable he will care to resume the practice
of his profession. Certain it is that until
within the last few days the president has
hardly given a thought to his future, not so
much from blind confidence in his re-elec-
tion as from pressure of other duties and
topics and his characteristic disinclination
to borrow trouble For the president this
problem of his future now becomes
more serious one than is apparent to the
casual observer. Even were the question of
income so settled as to give him no further
concern, and by modest living and prudent
management his rentals might suffice to sup
port his family, there still remains the prob
lem of congenial employment. Mr.. Cleve-
land is not old enough to find contentment in
retired life and not enough OF student to
find in his declining years tho solace of a
scholar
In the after life of his predecessors Mr.
Cleveland cannot find much to comfort him
Washington lived only two years after his re-
tirement, and tho peace Of even this brief
period of release from public duty was
broken by the rumblings of a war with
France and by labor at the plans of reorgan-
ization of the army, which were intrusted to
him by President Adams. After twenty-five
years Of public service John Adams retired
toprivate life feeling bitterly his defeat for
re-election-a bitterness which was in no
wise relieved by consciousness of tho fact
that while he had saved the young republic
from a war which might have ended in its
ruin the country had chosei, for his sue
cessor the leader of the war party. Though
C when inaugurated, John Adams lived
twenty five years after leaving tho White
House. But he had the immense advantage,
which so few Of our modern presidents en-
joy, of the possession of a farm and fond
ness for its cultivation. Adams left Wash
ington in hasto at the expiration Of his term,
not waiting even for the Inauguration cere-
monies, and took up his residence on his farm
at Braintree, ten miles southwest of Boston.
There he read much, enjoyed correspondence
with jefferson, the men having been recon-
ciled by the aid Of mutual friends, and served
in state constitutional convention when 81.
His declining years became more and more
tranquil as the bitterness engendered by poll
tics slowly disappeared.
Jefferson's after life was much harassed
by financial difficulties, and the fifteen years
tho White House cannot be described as years
of contentment Madison was more FORUM
ate. Retiring at G6, he spent nineteen years
with his books and his friends at Montpelier.
Monroe was G7 when he left the White House,
and the cloud Of his declining years was the
inadequacy Of his income He lived till he
was 73, but his wife died soon after his re-
tirement from public life, and he spent tho
remainder of his days in the home of his
daughter, Mrs. Gouverneur, i'll New York
city.
Only two presidents have re-entered public
life after bidding good-by to tho White
House. One of these was John Quincy
Adams, who retired in 1899, and two years
later appeared in the house of representatives,
where he remained, the 'Old Man Eloquent"
till stricken down ct his post seventeen years
later. This reminds me of a prediction
recently made by one Of Mr.. Cleveland's
Buffalo friends
"If the president fails of are-election," said
he, 81 expect him to return to Buffalo in o
couple of years and resume the practice of
law. also expect to see him once more
mayor of Buffalo or member OF congress
from our state. Ho may not be second
John Quincy Adams, but l know that Mr..
Cleveland does not look upon the presidency
as an office which precludcs its incumbent
afterwacd returning to his former vocation,
or performing further public service, no mat
ter III what capacity, il called thereto by his
fellow citizens"
Andrew jackson lived eight years after
leaving the White House, and the evening Of
his life was noteworthy calm and in strik-
ing contrast with his tempestuous career. He
became devout Christian and took great
delight in reading the Scriptures to his fam
lily and servants
Martin Van Buren retired from the presi-
dency in ~, and lived in quiet and elegance
at Undertook. n Y. till his death in 1862.
Van Buren was elected president in 1886, was
defeated in 20, was much talked Of for the
nomination in ~, and in 4S ran once more,
this time as the candidate of the anti-slavery
wing of the Democratic party. After leav-
ing the executive chair Tyler lived seventeen
years in contentment at his ideal home Sher-
wood Forest, Charles City county, Va. Polk
died within few months after retirement.
Fillmore Travelled in Europe after his defeat
in 53, and in '56 accepted the nomination of
the American party. He lived quietly in his
palatial home at Buffalo till his death in ~
When Mr. Cleveland retires from the
presidency he will be q younger man than any
of his predecessors was on leaving the White
House Next to Cleveland in point Of youth
was Pierce, and it is to be hoped Cleveland's
after life will be more pleasant than Pierce's
was. Pierce failed of a denomination by bis
party, Travelled three years in Europe, lost
all his sons and his wife, and his own almless
existence was terminated by death at the age
of 65. Buchanan lived but seven years after
leaving the presidency.
johnson is the other president who re-
entered public life, though he reappeared but
for moment Upon his retirement in go
johnson at once set about securing an official
return to the Capitol in which he had been
the center of so much turmoil He was de-
feated for the senate in 1870 and for congress
ut large in ~, but in 1874 vas elected to
the United States senate He died the next
year.
Gen. Grant lived but nine years after re-
firing from the presidency, then &areiy past
his prime, aud his last years were not with
out many troubles and disaplointments.
Hayes, the only living ex-president seems
placid and content in his 66th year. while his
immediate successors met their fate untinlely,
the one while yet in office by an assassin's
bullet and the other of a broken heart be-
cause of his p;rty's failure to make him its
candidate.
What is to be the future of President
Clevelande Robert GRAVES
Something of q Einancicr.
A wealthy but innocent merchant, wishing
to ircu!cate habits Of economy III his son and
ha;r Dron,iSad hin, 81 for every 81 Ee might