The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-12-31
CLEVELAND ONEX-2RESIDENTS
Urges That the Country Should See
That They Get Generous FL
nancial Support.

Ex-President Grover Cleveland, un-
\der the title of "Our People and
Their Ex-Presidents,' has contribut-
ed an interesting article to the
Youths Campanion for January 5.
referring to the poverty Of Jeffer-
son after he left the presidency as a
low to national pride, Mr.. Cleveland
eclares th"t definite and generous
fovision should be made for the
maintenance of chief magistrates at
ne expiration Of their terms. He
kals with the subject at length and
plains that he feels he can do so
6hout his sincerity being question
since he is beyond the need Of
i'd from the public treasury.
"The condition is, by no means
1 met" Mr. Cleveland writes, "by the
! meagre and spasmodic relief occa-
sionally furnished under the guise of
military pension or some other pre-
text; nor would it be best met by tax
} ing compensation dependent upon
the discharge of Senatorial or other
duties. Our people ought to make a
definite and generous provision Tor
all alike. based on motives Of justice
nd fairness and adequate to the SIT
9ation.'
Mr.. Cleveland describes the hmlta-
! tons that his former higher office
place on a retired president IN nls
choice of occupations and means OF
} livelihood, and how popular concep-
ton of him as repository of nation
al dignity enforces scale Of living
that may not be within his private
means.
'.There is sort of vague, but none
, the less imperative, feeling abroad IN
! the land" says Mr.. Cleveland, that
!. one who has occupied the great Office
! Of president holds in trust for his TEL
low citizens. certain dignity IN
which in his conduct and manner ne
is bound to protect against loss or de-
terioration. Obedience to tnls obll-
cation prescrIbes for him only such
work as in popular judgment IS not
unidentified. This suggests without
argument a reciprocal connection be-
tween the curtailment Of opportunl-
ties and reasonable obligation OF IN
Identification on the other.'
\ One division of the Cleveland artl-
ele is devoted to the "occupatlons OF
an ex-presiaent. and in it the form
i er president reveals the multiplicity
of things which persons endeaVor to
bring to the attention Of the retired
statesman and the manner OF al
fairs ne is asked to engage in.
HE is deluged with books. " Mr.
Cleveland says. "most Of them ]ndlt-
ferent or positively worthless, and
these he is expected to read and com
mend for advertising purposes. he
is made target for all sorts OF pc
cuniarv solicitations embracing all
; sorts Of objects. ranging from large
endowment funds and disinterested
owners Of fabulously profitable III
vestments to pathetic and depress-
mo anneals for the relief of ladlvl-
.sual distress.
s. HE is almost daily importu1ed to
3 ioin in the management of public or
s s serni-publie enterprises, which profess
) to be useful or beneficent or charlta-
bic. He is persistently urged to make
addresses on topics and for purposes
that are 5ewildering and at the times
and places that are impossible. His
dailv mail furnishes conclusive ev1-
dence that. he is not overlooked. by
anv class or condition of our people
in any corner of our land, and the
visitors ne receives forbid the retlec-
hor that he is only melancholy
nro6uct' of our governmental sys-
tenn.
lit IS most gratifying to note no"
fhe lives Of our. ex-presidents are
made grateful and bright by the gen
zrous attachment and spontaneous
: : kindness manifested toward them by
e4aeir fellow ccuntrymen.