The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-22


= native endowment Mr.. Cleveland
H possessed a just mind, clear
~ vision, manly courage and a
humble spirit. These qualities, chiefly,
made him one of the wisest and greatest
of our Presidents. They make him our
first citizen, honored, respected and trust
ed by his fellow countrymen, who upon
this 10th birthday sincerely wish him
well.
Mr. Cleveland had a sound and true
understanding of the nature of the gov
eminent of the United States, of the pres
idential office, of the character of the
American people, of himself.
The government he accepted as the
work of wise men, approved by the peo-
pie and suited to their needs 1t did not
present itself to his mind as a broken
down mechanism, imperfectly vitalized by
outworn doctrines. His observation of it's
working did not convince him that it
stood in continual need of overhauling
and reconstruction at his hands, or at
anybodys hands.
He conceived it to be the duty of the
President to administer the statute law
within the organic law, to urge upon
Congress new laws demanded by the In
terests of the people and none other. Ma
tional policies he formulated and advo-
Gated with vigor; it never occurred to
him as fitting that he should have a per-
sonal policy.
He conceived of his fellow citizens as
alf
of men, not as blind folk to be guarded
against pitfalls and posts, nor yet as
children to be led by the hand and in
cessantly piled with parental counsel.
In the office of President Mr.. Cleve-
land felt that he was one of the Amer
lean people whom the others had charged
with the duty of looking out for their
public business. 1t was by custom and
prescription a part Of that duty to con-
slider needed additions and betterments to
the nations estate. That he did, but
soberly, with little defamation. 1t was
not essential to his happiness that the
| eyes of the people should be continually
fixed upon him. For weeks and months
at time he would permit them to at
| tend closely to their private affairs I'M
| disturbed by the activities of the execu-
| tive mansion. To those more tranquil
days, and particularly on this anniversary
occasion when the peoples thoughts are
with the ex-President, they look back
with some regret, we imagine.
Personal glory never allured Mr. Cleve-
land. His contentment in the modest per-
| Torrance of duty and his indifference to
| adulation and the splendor of power left
| him at all times free to follow the honest
convictions of his trained mind. He was
advised in 1857 that his tariff reform mes
sage would defeat him in the coming cleo
ton. He might, politicianwise, have de-
| vised a policy that would have caught
the popular fancy. But his conviction that
''our present tariff laws, the vicious, in
/ equitable, and illogical source of unneces-
sary taxation. ought to be at once re-
vised and amended remained mistaken
and he was incapable of the moral cow
ardice OF deserving that issue. There
were trusts in those days. Mr.. Cleveland
might have assailed the combinations
| formed to maintain the price of commodi-
ties at the tariff point, and so have ad-
vanced triumphantly to a second inau-
guration through applauding crowds. He
regarded these combinations simply as
one more reason why the tariff policy
that made them should be changed. He
had been content to serve and serve
again. He was content to retire.
| Power used unsslfshly may be laid
aside without regret. Mr.. Cleveland had
never considered himself a ruler only 4
servant The denomination in 1892 came
I through no scheming of his own, and was
| controlled by. no ambition on his part.
The loyalty and patriotism of leading men
Of his party made him the candidate. a..