The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-06-24

copylSt In law Office was secured III
1855
Grover Cleveland at once set to work
with perseverance and industry to
make himself useful and to master
the rudiments of the law, with the re-
suit that in 1859 he was made manag-
ing clerk of the firm and was admitted
to the bar.
During the war his two brothers
served in the Union army, and the sup
port of his mother and sisters devolv-
ed upon the young law student. I'm
able to enlist, he borrowed money to
pay a substitute In 1868 he was ap-
pointed assistant district attorney OF
Erie county, serving with zeal and en-
ergy. He attended every one of the
twelve grand juries that met during
each of the three years of his term
and presented a majority of the cases.
In 1869 Cleveland went into the law
firm of Lanning, Cleveland and Fol-
som. The following year he was elect
ed sheriff of Erie county and perform
ed his duties faithfully, using his leis-
ure to further prosecute his law stud
"A
he joined the law firm of Bass, Cleve-
land and Bissell, acquired increasing
success in practice, and took higher
position at the bar than ever before.
In 1881 the citizens of Buffalo under
took to check the fragrant corruption
in the city government. Cleveland
was elected mayor on the democratic
ticket by large majority. AS mayor
he displayed a thorough knowledge of
| the laws, a clear perception of the
needs and rights of the city, and how
to secure them. He insisted upon
placing public interests above party
claims; saved the city over S1OOO,OOO
| by preventing corrupt schemes and
| bargains, and won the gratitude of the
people and press irrespective of party.
On September %, 1882, he was nomi
mated for governor Of New York state
and was elected by the unprecedented
majority of 1920 votes.
AS governor, Grover Cleveland con-
Quoted a thoroughly business like adj
ministration, making frequent use Of
his veto power, but his vetoes were al
ways clearly sustained by his duty
under the law.
His record as mayor and governor
won for Grover Cleveland the demo-
cratic nomination for president in
1884 The ensuing campaign was very
bitter, and political issues were lost
sight of in the disgraceful attacks
made upon the character and personal
ity of the two leading candidates. At
the election, Cleveland received 219
electoral votes to 1S2 cast for his re-
publican opponent, James G. Blaine,
and was inaugurated president on
March 4, 1885.
What He Advocated.
Only the briefest mention can indi-
cate the important and difficult ques-
lions that crowded his administrations.
His first message recommended re-
duction Of the tariff, the extension of
civil service reform, regulation of the
presidential succession. and the settle
ment of the fisheries dispute with
Great Britain. His removals from
non-political offices were less sweeping
than those of any president since
Jackson. In 1887, he devoted his en-
tire message to the existing tariff, de-
nouncing it as vicious and unnecessary
and demanding an abolition of duties
on raw material.
Defeated for reelection in 1888. he
retired to the practice of law in New
York City, where he remained until
his second election in 1892. He took
the office in 1898, in the midst of
threatening currency and financial con-
ditions. His inaugural declared that
so far as the executive branch of the
government can intervene, none of the
powers with which it is invested will
be withheld when their exercise is
deemed necessary to maintain our ma
tional credit or avert financial disas-
ter"
Accordingly he forced the repeal of
the Sherman Silver purchase act. killed
the bill for coming the seignorage,
maintained the treasury's gold reserve
by the successive issue of government
bonds, and saved its credit through.
out the world, despite furious opposi-
ton by large sections of his own and
the republican party, favoring the free
coinage of silver. He repudiated the
Hawaiian annexation treaty made by
President Harrison, enforced the neu-
trality laws during the troubles in
Cuba. while firmly supporting Hmeri
> can interests there, and compelled
Great Britain to arbitrate her dispute
with Venezuela. During the Chicago
strike, in 1894, he effectively asserted
the executives right to interfere in
state matters in the interest of law an6
order.
At the close of his second term, in
1897. Grover Cleveland settled in
Princeton, n. j., where he resided with
his wife up to the time of his death
| He has delivered an annual series Of
| lecture on public affairs at Princeton
University, and written a number Of
periodical articles on important ques
| lions with which he was required tc
| deal while president. In 1904 he was
| much talked of for third term, bu
| emphatically declined to be so consid
| cred.
APPRlSES ROOSEVELT.