The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-05-10
NEW YORK LETTER. :
Cleveland and Dana and That Cele.
brated World Interview.
The Reporter and ths Ex-President 80
Question of veracity = Why the
Statesman's Reputation of the
Interview Was Accepted.
COPYRIGHT, 1891

COPYRIGHT, 1921
have seen of Late some rather mali
cious newspaper paragraphs referring
to the somewhat celebrated and alleged
interview with ex-President Cleveland
published in the World year and a
half ago | refer to the interview in
which Mr.. Cleveland was represented as
expressing some vitriolic opinions of the
editor of the New York Sun, which in
terview was emphatically repudiated by
Mr.. Cleveland. The fact that Mr..
Cleveland was then and is now candi-
date for nomination to the presidency
makes full explanation of the affair
rather pertinent. Besides, as I have
been somewhat misrepresented in that
affair, l propose to place my version
of it before the public. When
the city editor of the World informed
me that one of his reporters had
obtained an interview with MIR. Cleve-
land, in which he had bitterly de-
nounced the editor of the Sun, was
not at all surprised, knowing the per-
sistency and vulgarity of the long-eon-
tinued assaults which had been made
upon Mr.. Cleveland, and naturally won
dering whether he would ever be goaded
to the point of offering some sort of re-
ta1iation or defense. I sent for the re-
porter, and he gave me in substance the
subject-matter of his interview with
Mr.. Cleveland. questioned him closely
as to Mr.. Cleveland's mental condition
at the time he had his talk with him,
and insisted upon having carefully re-
peated the profanity which it is alleged
he made use of on that occasion. The
particular point that made was as to
whether Mr.. Cleveland was cognizant at
the time that he was being interviewed
and had consented to the publication of
his personal remarks concerning Mr..
Dana. was assured that he not only was
aware that he was being interviewed,
but that he was rather anxious to have
his emphatic opinions laid before the
public. My theory was that Mr.. Cleve-
land, goaded to the point of absolute
desperation, had made up his mind to
resent the hostility of the editor in
question, and was absolutely indiffer-
emit as to consequences. I had known
this reporter as one of score or more
connected with the World, and had
known nothing to his discredit4 I
was assured by the city editor of the
World, upon inquiring, that the re-
porter had always been found reason
bly, accurate in his work and that any
statement that he made was entitled
to credence. 1t was upon this sub
sanitation that the interview was
published, and may add that special
ly directed that certain phrases which
the reporter alleged Mr.. Cleveland had
used should not be printed, because
they were really not fit to appear in a
newspaper. Naturally the interview
created something Of sensation. To
the general public it was q revelation of
phase of Mr.. Cleveland's character
which he had not been heretofore &C
credited with. 1t indicated that there
was belligerency beneath his stolid ex-
terror; that he was somewhat sensitive
to unjust abuse, and that he could pre-
sent a rough edge when cornered. +
think that a great many people who had
tried hard to admire him personally
were rather encouraged by his exhibi-
ton of schoolboy pluck.
was greatly surprised on the after
noon of the day of publication to re-
ceive call from Col Daniel Lamont.
The affable colonel, although not in
the actual service of Mr.. Cleveland, had
been so long identified with him as sec
rotary, that he was called upon to con-
vey to me the information that Mr..
Cleveland absolutely repudiatcd this in
terview. He brought with him short
statement from Mr.. Cleveland, in his
own hand, to that effect. Atfrst was
somewhat indignant and believed that
while Mr.. Cleveland had perhaps said
everything that had been attributed to
him. he had not authorized the pubEca-;
ton of the interview, and did not, in fact,
consent to be interviewed My natural
impulse was, of course to stand by the
record Of the newspaper and by the re-
porter who had written the matter COM
planned Of. I assured Mr.. Lamont, how
ever, that I would investigate the
affair and requested him to say to Mr..
Cleveland that justice would be done
him so far as / was concerned. I sent.
for the reporter and he reiterated all
that he had said, and at my suggestion.
declared his readiness to make affidavit
in support of his published account of
the interview. Next day requested
Mr.. Douglas A. Levien, member Of
the editorial staff Of the paper and an
old friend Of Mr.. Cleveland, to accom-
pany the reporter to Mr.. Cleveland's Of
fee and let him be questioned in Mr.,
Cleveland's presence as to the anthem
ITCHY of the interview. The reporter
consented. was informed by Mr.. Lee
wen afterward that they failed to
find Mr.. Cleveland at his Office,
and it was then proposed to Wis
it him at his house in Madison
avenue. To this proposition the re-
porter showed some reluctance. He &C.
companied Mr.. Levien to his home,
which was near Mr.. Cleveland's resi-
dence, and, after considerable OBJ
lection, finally agreed to cab up
on Mr.. Cleveland. He contended
that to meet Mr. Cleveland under