Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-26
GROWERS KINDNESS.
Ex-Solicitor General jerks Tells a
Good Story About Cleveland.
HE STOOD BY 4 POOR REPUBLICAN,
The Chief of a Division, With an Army
Record, Who Wanted to Quit.
1T WAS NOT ALL POLITICS WITH HIM

If George A. jerks would tell what he
knows of the inside history of the last ad-
ministration what mighty interesting read
ing it would make, but the ex-Solicitor
General, though genial and always willing
to talk to reporters, is also very polite.
He certainly enjoyed the fullest conf
dence of Mr.. Cleveland, or he never would
have been selected as the diplomat to feel
the Old Roman on the subject of the vice
presidency. Mr.. jerks is great admirer
of the late President. and never tires laud-
ing his virtues and good qualities.
The other day when Mr.. jerks was in the
city attending to some legal business he re-
lated an incident which illustrates Cleve-
lands generosity and his love of a straight
forward man.
SIT is the general impression among Re
publieans, said Mr.. jerks, "that Cieve-
land is a cold and unsympathetic man. but
people say this because they don't know
him. 1 never met a man with a kinder
heart, or one who was always so willing to
do a friend favor, or help people in dis
tress. 1 remember one day when calling on
the President to consult him about some de-
partment matters, found him looking over
lot of papers. He kept glancing at some
of them while we talked.
HE ADMIRED THE LETTER.
Suddenly he stopped and said:
"'Jenks, here is resignation that like.
There is something so straightforward about
the style thar must know more about the
man and his case before accept it.
SIT was the resignation of the chief of a
division, and quite the common thing at
that stage of the game, since he was Re-
publican. / forgot all about the affair, but
some weeks afterward the President met me
on the street and said:
"'Do YOU remember that resignation
showed you some time ago?'
"I confessed 1 didn't remember it. but
after Mr.. Cleveland had prodded my memo
ry little further 1 recalled the event.
"Well, he replied, "that chief of the d.
vision will not resign if 1 can prevent it.
have looked up his record, and l find he is
a deserving man. In the first place he is
fully competent to do the work, and that is
the first consideration. He is Southerner,
but served in the Northern army. After
the war he drifted into one of the depart
ments and has worked his way up to his
present position. He has nine children,
ment so long that it is almost impossible for
him to turn his attention to other business
and make living for himself and family
GROVER NEEDED HIM.
HE conceived the idea that as he was a
Republican, his services would be no longer
needed, but he is just the kind of man we
want 1 wrote on his letter of resignation
that it was not accepted, and the President
desired him to remain at his post.
"There," continued Mr.. jerks, "that is
the sort of man Cleveland is. Amid his
distracting duties he went to the trouble to
look up the history of an unknown man. the
chief of division, and finding him deserv-
ing, asked him to stay. But this only seems
to illustrate his kindheartedness and SYM
pathetic nature. 1 could relate other incl
dents in which the ex-President figured that
reveal his noble qualities, but it is not
necessary. 1 don't want to hear anyone say
that Grover Cleveland is cold, indifferent
man. He is not, far from it.
Twill the Democrats run him again?"
was asked.
81 am out of politics, he replied.