Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-25
SKETCH OF ACTIVE CAREER
One Chief Executive to Go Into
white House a Bachelor.

twenty-tourth president Of the United
States, was born in Caldwell. n. j.. March
Is, 1897. He was the fifth of nine children
Of Rev. Richard F. Cleveland, a clergyman
of the Presbyterian church and a graduate
of Yale college, and Anne Neal, daughter
of an Irish merchant Of Baltimore.
In 1sn the family removed to Fayette-
vile, n. Y, and here Grover grew to his
fourteenth year among the sturdy country
boys, attending first the district school
and later entering the academy. In 1855
Rev. Richard F. Cleveland died suddenly
at the age Of 40, making a complete change
in the material condition of the family
and forcing the boys TO begin earning a
living. Grover was then 16 years Of age,
and, although aNcollese education was his
dearest ambition, he cheerfully gave It up
and went to work.
Opening of HIS Career.
Grover Cleevland's oldest brother. WILL
lam. was at this time a teacher in the In
stitute for the Blind in the city of New
York. He procured for Grover the place
Of clerk and assistant teacher. William
he'd recently graduated from Hamilton col
leee, and under his tuition Grover devoted
all his leisure time to studying Latin and
English literature. At the end of a years
engagement he returned to mis- mothers
house, where, between the times of seeking
more lucrative employment, he still con-
tinued his studies.
He searched for work in Syracuse and
Utica, but was unsuccessful, and finally he
made up his mind to go west. On his way
he stopped in Buffalo to visit his uncle, a
stock-breeder. named Lewis Allen. Mr.
Allen did not approve OF the western prof.
ect. He persuaded his nephew to remain
O., DpFFo1n g{,rgpr bt,, a pga,a 20 noel -
do in the preparation of a book or Ameri-
can Shorthorn cattle, Sor wAich he was
paid $50. Mr.. Allen then procured for him
a place in. a lawyers office as office boy.
The office was that Rogers. Bowen &
Rogers. He at once set to work with the
logged perseverance, ard unflagging indus
try which characterized his whole career to
! master the rudiments of the law and to
make himself useful. Although living with
his uncle two miles out of towry, he was
always the first to arrive in the morning
and the last to go at night. His industry
as appreciated, and in a few months he
was given a salary of 81 a week. This was
increased from time to time, and shortly
after his admission to the bar in May, 1859,
he was made managing clerk at $500 a year.
In 1861 this had riser to $1,000 a year, and
then. at the age of Is, he left the office
to become assistant district attorney OF
Erie county.
This position. like every other public Of
flee he has ever held, came to him without
any solicitation on his part. He was
reluctant to accept it because the salary
was only $500 a year.
Defeated for once.
In 1865 he was tho democratic candidate
for the office of district attorney, but was
" ~
friends and afterward hrs partner. In 1867
Mr.. Dorsheimer, having been appointed by
President Johnson United States district
attorney, offered Mr.. Cleveland the position
of assistant. but the offer was declined,
and at his suggestion the place was given
to Oscar Folsom, who subsequently be-
came Mr.. Cleveland's partner.
= Mr.. Dorsheimer related that one day IN
the autumn of 1870 Mr.. Cleveland came
into his office and asked for advice on a
personal matter. He had been offered tho
nomination for sheriff of Erie county. For
various reasons he kesitated to accept it.
There were two reasons in favor of doing
so. One was that the office would afford
him much leisure time. which he could de-
vote to sel~f-improvement, and the other
was that he would be enabled to save
money, which he had yet no opportunity
Of doing. Mr.. Dosheimer advised him to
accept. He did so and was elected. He
used the opportunities Of the position as he
said he would. He saved considerable
money, and every moment of his leisure
time was devoted to study.
OnE and BrOade Man.
At the expiration of his term of office
when he returned to the bar he was no
ticeably a stronger and broader man than
he had been before and at once took a
higher position than he had ever held. In
1881 corruption in the city government OF
Buffalo had grown so rampant that II
was felt necessary that decisive steps must
be taken to check it. The eyes OF the
community seemed instinctively to turn ia
Grover Cleveland. He was nominated for
mayor by reclamation and was elected by
a majority OF. $500, although at the same
time the republican state ticket received
a majority of 1000.
During the short time that he remained
in office, being raised to the governorshiT
before the expiration Of his term as mayor
he saved the city more than $l,01l,O-O ~
preventing the contamination Of corrupt
schemes and bargains by the city council
! He displayed indomitable pluck and grit
. thorough knowledge of the law, a clea'
perception of the needs and rights OF TN
: city and Of the best way to secure them
: and a sincere determination TO place tn
public interests above the claims Of party
. He showed how easily a man who Is thor
oughly honest and thoroughly earnest car
gain victory over corrupt denominations
Elected Governor.
Mr.. Cleveland was elected governor o
New York in 1882 by the unprecedented
plurality OF l92, s54-a plurality due to in
tense factionalism in the republican ranks
: On the day before his Inauguration a.
governor he came down from Buffalo Wit
his law partner. Mr.. Bissell, went TO tn
executive mansion and spent the night
The next day the city was excited with tn
u approaching ceremonies. The streets wer,
rowded, but there was no military parad
: and no procession. Mr., Cleveland woul
> not allow II. He walked from the executiv
y mansion accompanied by Mr., Bissell. L
the capitol, a mile distant, making one o
+ the throng that was going that way. H
entered the building u~nrecognized, went I
the executive chamber, where he was me
: by Governor Cornell. The moment the in
u augural was over he passed GU
into the large reception room. which ha
I been set apart for his use, ordered that tn
y doors should be opened to admit everybody
and when the hand-shaking was over h
went Immediately 20 work. Never was a
l-..~v.vV -,,knt. go 80 oar.plafaTy strFr