New-York tribune., 1907-12-29
DUE TO EY-PRESIDENTS.
Dir. CleUeland Writes of What
Duties the People Osce.

In the issue of The Youths Companion" for
January article will appear by ex-President
Cleveland Our Duties to Our ex-Presidents."
In the of the article Mr.. Cleveland writes
of the occupations Of retired Chief Executive as
follows:
He is made target for all manner of pecuniary
solicitation. embracing all sorts of objects. ranging
from large endowment funds and distinterested
offers of fabulously profitable investment to
pathetic and depressing appeals for the rehef OF
ne is almost g?y importunsd to join in the ,d man,
profess to be useful or beneficent or charitable
He is persistently urged TO make addresses on
at times and places that are impossible. His daily
mail furnishes conclusive evidence that his exist
is overlooked by any class or condition of
our people in any corner Of our land and the visit.
melancholy product" of our governmental
system,
OF the proper provision for ex-Presidents, the
only living one says:
Whatever omission there may be OF fair and con-
sdeTate conduct the part OF our people in their
relations with their exPresidents ought to be made
cases alike based upon motives of justice and fair
ness. and adequate TO the situation
and spasnodc relief occasionally furnished under
@ gse 9f Womb # bs Pest met 3 by some ang
pensaton, already accrued or accruing, cependcnJJ
GBf SB9n the discharge of Senatorial or other 0f'''A
The truth is that our people. SO far from treating
seem disposed not only 10 bestow upon them honor
o to- Geee iPfeT 9e' sepSY sq With % ther
return private citizenship and their inrestralned
resumption of the occupations of everyday NE
There is q but none the less I'M
perative. feeling abroad in the land thet one VINO
has occupied the great office OF President hodS III
| trust his fellow citizens a certain dignity,
| which in his conduct and manner OF life he Is
bound TO protect against loss or deterioration
On the point OF the necessities of ex-President
Mr.. Cleveland writes:
Does the honor and respect even the personal
affection generously accorded by his counrymen to
one who has retired from their highest office serve
the purpose of complete acquittance on the peoples
side of the account Unquestionably, from a SEN
trlental point of view. the honor respect and az
/ lection put their credit OF infinitely more
value than any service that can be performed by
an ex-President and abundantly compensate Tor
anv restraint exacted from him at their behest.
But how stands the account in the light OF the ne,
cessities of the workaday world which hold US all
! in unyielding ENVIRONMENT .
Mention has already been made of the require
rnent by the people that the conduct and occupa-
ons of their ex-Presidents should be so restricted
that the dignity OF the position they occupy VIII be
scrrrulnusly maintained. This suggests without
argument a reciprocal connection between the cur
1aiinent of opportunities of livelihood on one side
| and A reasonable obligation of indemnincation On
the other < -
II is not easy. however, TO dismiss from our
minds the thought that the American nation can
not well afford to disregard entirely the conditions
that confront its retired Presidents nor longer to
allow itself be accessory to the pffui incidents
/ that have frequently resulted from such con-
! ditionS