New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-13
AN INSTRUCTIVE CONTRAST.

No more vivid showing of the difference be-
tween Mr. Cleveland and General Harrison has
been made than IN the respective letters written
by them to the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation of Buffalo The society was to cele-
brate its thirty-sixth anniversary, and its pres
ident wrote to both candidates asking their
views with regard to the work Of such asso-
Citations generally, Mr.. Cleveland responded
eagerly as follows:
Dear Sir; gladly comply with your request, and
tender the expression of my appreciation of the bene
cent mission Of the Y. NJ c. A., so rapidly multiplying
throughout our land. We arc busy Nation. The i'm
petuous rush and enterprise Of people to casual
would to yield no place TO the consdera
ton and fostering Of the influences which radate nom
these institutions, but TO those who know how we'll
daily life is grounded upon Christian principles II is
matter Of no surprise that Young Mems Christian Asso
Citations chaleng attention and 1t seems to
that nothing essential TO continued vel
and prosperity people than tho preservation Of
faith In the usefulness Of such organizations
Yours very truly GROVER CLEVELAND.
1t might be supposed that an expression Of
sentiment was asked of Mr.. Cleveland, or that
he gave it, because of his former residence in
Buffalo, and his old local attachments. But
this is impossible, for more reasons than one.
Mr.. Cleveland was not identified with the
Young Mems Christian Association while he
lived in Buffalo, and there is no allusion in his
letter of local nature. Under the circum-
stances, it would have been ludicrously out Of
place. The letter was simply that Of an
anxious candidate who thought he saw the
chance to make good Impression upon large
and influential class Of voters, and was not
delicate about his way of doing it 1t splain
that II never occurred to the writer that ii was
a coarse action to seek to make political capital
in such a field as this.
General Harrison's letter was equally char
acterstic, and no one win be surprised, there
fore, to find it a communication Of an entirely
different character. Here it is:
My Dear SIR Your letter of September has been
received and think should adhere TO my former de-
termination II there were any occasion for an ex-
preston upon tho subject II would be checrfuly and
heartily given, but to mako occasion does not seem
to to be appropriate The organization is too we'll
known to need any such support advertisement.
Such letter would appear to DO rather in aid Of my
self than Of the organization, and have too much
spect for to TO II in that way. Very truly
yours, BENJAMIN HARRISON.
This letter was evidently written in entire
ignorance of the other, and yet if it had been
meant as rebuke to that, it could not have
been more to the point. General Harrison
says: " Such letter would appear to be rather
in aid of myself than of the organization, and
I have too much respect for it to seem to use
it in that way" This sentiment bespeaks a
man Of dignity and of refinement of character,
and will increase the respect universally felt
for him, both inside and outside of the Young
Mems Christian Associations.