Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-02-27
Shadows Of the Approaching
Administration.
How Mr.. Cleveland Came to Select
Judge Gresham for the Cabinet.


fttlf uutstf'ib me ifitist seiiss&UDIial caDi-
net appointment made by Mr.. Cleveland
was that of Judge Gresham to be secre-
| tary of state. As said in my last letter,
Mr.. Cleveland probably is the only pres
ident we have had for many years. prob
| ably the only one since jackson, who has
| courage enough to do thing like this.
For two weeks the press of the country
| has been full of discussion of the wisdom
of this appointment.
| 1t would not be telling the precise
| truth to say that the nomination of
| Gresham was received with unalloyed
pleasure by the old time Democrats here.
| The fact is they didn't like it bit. The
/ opinions they expressed in private were
naturally much more lurid and pictur-
esque than the expressions they made for
public use Here is what one good old
senator said to ne-and "a prince of Dem
ocrats he is too. There is one consola-
| ton about this selection of Gresham"
he muttered. ''and that is that Gresham
| is cussed sight better Democrat than
| Cleveland himself" But the next day
| the old senator was feeling better over
it and wanted to forget that he had been
so savage the night before. BY this time
nearly all the old Democrats who at first
We're inclined TO be very angry about the
| appointment and to let GO in their opin-
ions concerning it are feeling much bet
ter, thank you, and smiling at their own
anger.
What the old time Democrats like less
than anything else about the Gresham
| appointment is the unlnistakable indica-
ton it gives Of the fact that Mr.. Cleve-
/ land proposes TO have n lot Of fun during
thenext four years doing just about as he
pleases. If you do me the honor to read
! my letters every week and read one
which wrote Just after election last
| fall, YOU will remember then said this
same thing-to wit, Mr.. Cleveland was
going 10 he president this time in his own
sweet way and make mp for the time he
lost trying to please other people in his
former administration. Iou see, l was
right about that, even if was wrong
about some other things.
| We are to have some high old times in
Washington during the next four years..
| that is sure. Mr.. Cleveland is goi.ig to
be picturesque and interesting presi-
dent, and we poor newspaper men will
he kept busy running our legs off trying
to get ut the truth of all the wars and ru-
mors of wars and chickering's and con-
| spiracies which affect the administration.
You readers. whether Republicans or
Democrats. are going to get the worth Of
your money when you buy newspapers
during the next four years. But whether
Republicans ur Democrats or Popuiists
my advice to You is not to get excited
about the situation. Mr.. Cleveland and
the senate viii have their quarrels, and
great Democrats will cry ont against the
administration, and you may be induced
to fear the government is coming TO IN
end and everything going 10 the delnni-
| tion bowwows. But they won't. Peace
will reign again, returning rs quickly us
it departed, and the government at
Washington will continue to live.
| This Gresham outburst is quieting
down already. So is the storm of eriti-
cism that was raised by the selection of
Hoke Smith for secretary of the mte-
rior. In both eases the critics are dis
covering, iii the first place. that it doesn't
make much difference what they say
Mr.. Cleveland goes right along rs if
nothing had happened. And they are dis
covering, i'll the second place, that both
Gresham and Smith are good, strong
men, 1t has been one of the peculiar
| tiles of the unpleasant talk about Judge
Greshain's selection for secretary of
state that even the men who have
most savagely denounced it on political
grounds have warmly commended Mr.
Gresham as man and public servant
There is no lack of confidence anywhere
in his ability and high character.
Judge Gresham certainly is remark
able man. He is like woman in some
ways. He fascinates men on first ac-
quaintance. He does it, too, witho i.
trying to do so, without thought in the
world Of being anything but what he is
and of giving close attention to the busi-
ness in hand But he has voice which
it is a delight to hear, eyes which many a
woman might envy, and a deliberate,
cautious way of speaking without beng
slow at all that is very alluring. When
he talks to man he likes, he is fond of
sitting very near him and of looking him
straight IN the eye. Though as simple as
any old farmer. Judge Gresham has an
instructive courtesy, and never failing
courtesy. which attracts men to him at
the very outset. have heard scores of
men say after first meeting with Judge
Gresham, that he had completely won
their hearts. and the best of il is that
when man is once caught within the
iiubtle mesh whieh this fine American
throws about all who come in contact
with him the spell is rarely broken. for
be is a man who wears and " no sticks
to his friends.
Ir. Cleveland must have been inn
pressed i'll the same manner when lie
first met Judge Gresham. That was
about a month ago. II was in Mr.. Cleve-
lands New York house. have it from
one Of Mr. Cleveland's most confidential
advisers that within half an holr after
Gresham had gone away Mr.. Cleveland
said. There is man I'd like to have in
my cabinet" And now I'm going to
tell you another thing that Mr.. Cleve-
land said that day. 1t was TO Judge
Gresham. The president elect had asked
his callers advice about asking into the
cabinet certain man who had not been
long iii the Democratic party. Hes n
good man." said Judge Gresham. but
don't see that you can take into your
official family man who has 80 recentl;
joined yoyi PARTY Though not intend
ed. this remark cut close to the very
thing that Cleveland at that very mo-
Bent had in mind, for he had asked
Gresham to come to see him so he might
judge what sort of cabinet timber he
was. Gresham. not knowing this. made
the remark quoted above in all inno-
cence. Mr.. Cleveland looked down at
the floor for fully a minute--for so long
a time that the situation became some
what embarrassing to his caller-and
then he looked mp and replied:
I'm not 50 darned certain about that.
And that was tine first intiInation. and
the only one for two weeks. that judge
Gresham had that Mr.. Cleveland might
tender him seat in the cabinet.
4 Gresham's opinion Of Cleveland as a
man was expressed to me some months
: ago. If there is anything in the world
the judge admires, it is courage, and he
has his own quaint way Of expressing
his thoughts. OF Mr.. Cleveland he said,
What l like about Grover is that he is
! not afraid to toe the dead 1ine.s This i
a remark which the friends Of the new
secretary Of state often hear from his
lips this man is not afraid to toe the