Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-02
Private Letter Said to Confirm
Alleged "Forged" Paper.
Recipient WITHH0LDS 1T
Written to Government Official and
Marked Personal"
CRITICISM IS NOT QUALIFIED
Commoner Denounced for "Past
Sins"-Ex-Preside Saddened by
Return Of Bryan to Politics.

According to a Washington dispatch &c
the New York Sun. published yesterday
morning. q letter written last spring
by the late Grover Cleveland to a gov.
eminent official here in Washington. tend.
to confirm the authenticity OF the Cleve.
land political articles recently published
In New York.
The dispatch continues:
1.-THE letter. which is written entirely In
Mr.. Cleveland's own hand. does not men
ton the articles recently published. but
the views on politics expressed in the
letter are similar to some Of those which
were set forth in the articles.
1.-The man to whom the letter was ad-
dressed was an ofaceholder under Presi-
dent Cleveland. and q warm personal
friendship existed between them. The
letter expressed clearly and emphatically
the writer's conviction that Bryanism was
no more acceptable to him or to the Amer
lean people at the time Of writing than
1t had been during the last twelve years.
and it stated unequivocally his refusal to
accept Bryan as the candidate this year.
1.-The man to whom the communication
was addressed has shown 1t to several
friends. but entertains the chivalric be-
he has no right to give it out for publ
cation.
"Lettsr Undoubtedly Exists"
Commenting on this dispatch, the New
York Times says the letter referred to
undoubtedly exists. as the correspondent
Of that paper saw it.
The dispatch continues:
ut is written entirely in Mr.. Cleveland's
own hand, and bears his cramped but
legible signature. The same signature
is to be found on scores Of papers on file
in the various departments.
1.-THE recipient Of the letter. an old po'
litical and personal friend Of the former
President, and at present prominent Of
fceholder. declined ito give 1t out foi
publication on the ground that 1t was
marked personal The word personal
ID UNDERSIGNED twice.
1.-THE letter occupies two sides Of q dou'
bic sheet OF ordinary letter paper. but in
late ex-President's opinion Of Mr.. Bryan
Is plainly set forth.
1.-The first paragraph Of the note re-
lates to personal matters which do not
bear upon any public question.
Cleveland Predicts Defeat in 1908.
1.-THE ofi1ceholder had written to Mr..
Cleveland with reference to the political
trend of the times. In his reply. which
was dated at Tamworth. NJ H.. in the
summer Of 1906 Mr.. Cleveland did not
hesitate to express his belief that the
party was going down to defeat again In
1908. He seemed at that time to know
Mr.. Bryan was destined again to be the
candidate Of his party.
not qualified. Mr.. Cleveland wrote that
he was dumfounded by the return OF
the democracy to Bryanism.' He went
further and acknowledged that he was
situation than ever believed 1t would
be possible for me to be-
But the severest attack on Mr.. Bryan
is contained In the closing paragraph of
the letter. He says: No platform that
can be adopted. however strong. will
atone for the past sins Of the candidate.
Cabinet Members Have Seen It.
The man to whom this letter was
addressed refused to allow his name to
be used. He has withstood the entreaties
Of the republican managers to make the
letter public. but its contents have been
a matter Of common knowledge for some
time.
"At. least three members OF the cabinet
have seen 1t. Mr.. Taft is aware Of its ex-
istence, but he has issued orders that
under no circumstances must 1t be used
by the campaign managers without the
consent Of the recipient.
The recipient OF the letter is an ap-
pointee of the Cleveland administration
who has been retained in the service be-
cause Of his value to the department with
which he Is connected. He realizes that
II Mr. Bryan should be elected his posi-
ton would be among the first forfeited
In the event of the publication Of the let
ter. He has q family and is not q wealthy
man, nor one who can afford to retire. u