The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-28
THE PASSING OF CLEVELAND

-Four days hence, Grover Cleveland,
twenty second and twentyfOurth Prcsi-
dent Of the United States, will step down
and ont from the highest office within the
gift Of mankind
Its the passing Of chief executive,
an all-round sportsman and duck hunter
Of national repute, a man who, by his
manipuations, has amassed a fortune,
within an incredibly short time. He had
the opportunity, and with all due respect
to his honor, he made the best possible
use of IT.
You who have Witnessed the triumph of
Mckinley over Bryan will not in any
retrospect Of such history forget Cleve-
land as one who above all others contrib
uted most potently to that end Elected by
Democrats in 1884, and again by the same
people In 1892, he struck the blow from
which dates the defeat OF the Democracy.
Repetition OF that story has made it mo-
nouonous. In his success he represents
what many term luck; Cleveland solves
the puzzle with the word destiny" Be
| ii what it may, the day has passed and
all readers are familiar with the man.
! History tells rs Cleveland was born in
Caldwell, ". j., March Is, 1887, therefore
he was forty eight when elected to his
| first term, and win be near sixty at the
expiration Of this, the last term When
three years old, his father removed to
| Fayetteville. N. Y, therefore that State
| lays somewhat Of a claim to the paternity
| OF the man whose rule of these United
States has been for veal or for woe. His
| education was limited, for at an early age
he tIerkcd in small store, from which
he went h. New York, share he obtained
a situation in a school for the blind, in
which his broher was a teacher.
! His aspirations to study law took him
to Buffalo, where he was admitted to the
/ bar in 1850. -Four years later he became
| Assistant District Attorney, his first step
/ in a public career. In 1869 he became
sheriff of Erie county. Twelve years later
| he became Mayor Of Buffalo, and in 1882
| he was elected to the Governorship Of the
/ State OF New York, which office he held
/ when nominated for the Presidency by
the Democracy I'm 1884 The civil service
| issue was the one upon which he rode into
Office Four years later the same issue
proved to be his Waterloo. His graceful
acceptance OF defeat, and subsequent re-
! tircment to New York led many to believe
| the public career of Grover Cleveland
was at an end.
! -Four years PASSED and by skillful ma
lnoeuvering, he again became the nominee
Of his party and was elected. You Of the
country know the rest.
! Twelve years ago when he arrived in
! Washington, he was comparatively speak
! ing. a poor man. Now he is rich to the
| point Of millions. The effect of money
getting on Cleveland has been marked
1t has changed him from a servant Of the
/ people to that of the Wall street money
kings. BY way of the position ne held
/ he met men wise in money making; men
who saw in him the latent money making
advantages That lie dormant in every
! President They found co-woker, and
/ they worked.
| What a contrast. jefferson, Madison
Monroe, Jackson and down to our time
one after the other left the White
| Huse, some aibject paupers and most of
them poorer than they came. 1t was not
until Cleveland's day that the White
| House became lucrative, and he will re-
| tire with the record of being the first
| President who leaves richer than when
he arrived. Coming a poor man, he re-
tires with the wealth Of fairylands. He
has millions, and Its heads or tails he
! loses them before its all over When
he ceases TO be President and delivers
up the magic wand, whicA he has only to
wave to make those about him rich be-
yond the air-castles of the poor, those who
| have used him and lived by him, will
strive TO take that which ne has away,
| for it is not believed that he has the mon
ey-wit to retain his wealth.
III. NJ. H0LLEMAN.