Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-09
Mr.. Cleveland and Wall Street.

The extract from the memoirs of Henry
Willard which appears in today's Star is of
particular interest at this time when the
money kings of New York are again ma
neuvering for the return of Grover Cleye-
land to the White House. Again we are
told that the preservation of our institu-
tons depends upon that one individual
Again there is an effort to put him at the
head not of a party but of a huddle of
factions-some facing this way and some
that-and persuade the people that their
interests will be safe only in his hands.
Mr.. Willard was very prominent in the
maneuver of 1892, and his story is told
frankly and refreshingly. He represented
wall street In the premises-was combi-
nation, limited, of Pierpont Morgan and
James j. Hili-and he went about his bust
ness with all of the Wall street skill and
persistence He got his man nominated
and elected, but failed in the matter of an
immediate extra session of Congress. He
breaks off at the Inauguration. There was
no need, however, for him to go on with
the story. That stands recorded in the
disruption of the conglomeration which
had elected Mr.. Cleveland, and in the four
years of the most appalling experience
this country has known since the days Of
the civil war. Another such Saving" Of
the country would wreck it,
Here are two points likely to make the
Cleveland worshipers vince:
His (Mr Villard's) efforts to persuade
the President to call an extra session were
faithfully seconded by other close friends,
ana by none more so than by Don NJ Dick
inson of Michigan. One morning in Febru-
airy the latter came into his office with a
beamlng countenance, waving a piece of
paper and exclaiming: I'VE are all right
now. He mad spent the night with Mr..
cleveland at Lakewood, and. after hours of
argument, got him finally to agree to the
extra session The paper contained the an
nouncement in Mr.. CIevelands own hand
writing that the President-elect had de-
cided to call an extra session directly after
his inauguration for the repeal of the sill
ver-purchasing act, and that members Of
Congress might take notice that appoint
ments for Office would not be considered by
the executive until they had done their
duty and abolished the obnoxious law. The
announcement was to be made In the after
noon papers. Mr.. Willard was oyerjoyed,
and at once telephoned the glad news to a
number of friends. In less than an hour
he was obliged to recall it in consequence
of the temperance of Mr. Dickinson with
the disappointing message from MIR. Cleve-
land that he had changed his mind and
would do nothing before the 4th of March.
Some other friends, who were opposed to
an extra session, had talked him out of his
purpose in the meantime.
And yet we must believe, if we accept
the Cleveland myth, that the great man
never errs, never makes a promise that he
does not keep, cannot be talked into or
out of anything, sees clearly and walks
straight, and in all things is sufficient unto
himself. Who was the gifted individual
that upset the apple cart over night after
Don Dickinson left Lakewood?
Note also how members of Congress were
to be brought to a sense of their duty
that is to say, to vote as Mr.. Cleveland d.
rected. What a suggestion that was to
make to a civil service reformer! What a
broad intimation of how Wall street want
ed patronage distributed-wanted the Of
fees placed where they would do the most
good! Remember. too, how at later day
the patronage was distributed. and what a
merry joke there was every day in Con-
gress when the f1imsies containing the list
of the latest appointments were passed
around for inspection.
-Four more years of Grover? 1t seems
impossible.