The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-07-01
GROVER

Luz Acknowledgement VI VIC uC0SA VI
ex.President Cleveland came as a sur.
prise to the public. News of his re.
cent sickness had appeared In the
press dispatches, but there was no in.
timation that a fatal result was appre.
hended by his physicians.
AZ the only living ex.president, Mr..
Cleveland was regarded as the most
distinguished private citizen of the
United States. Since his retirement
from the presidency, Mr.. Cleveland
had not taken al active part In poll.
tics, but his advice was sought and
followed on various occasions by
many of the leaders Of his party. E.
While Mr.. Cleveland was not in &C.
cord with western sentiment upon va.
rious matters of public concern, and
was not popular in this part of the
country, he enjoyed the confidence and
esteem of a large number of his fellow.
citizens. His election to the presidency
on two occasions demonstrated that q
majority Of the voters had faith in his
patriotic purpose to secure good gov
eminent for the American people. Mr..
Cleveland was awarded the unique dis
tinction of being elected to succeed q
president by whom he had been pre-
viously defeated, and was the only
democratic president in half a century
of American history.
The political opponents of the ex'
president we're compelled to concede
and admire his sturdy Americanism,
his sincerity of purpose, and stern de-
termin alton to follow the path of duty
as be saw it. In sending federal
troops to Chicago to quell serious la.
Dor riots he probably exceeded bis
constitutional powers and incurred
the displeasure OF powerful interests,
but he believed the situation called
for q prompt and effective measure Of
relief and supplied it without regard
to the strict letter of the law. Wher
a democratic congress enacted the
Wilson-G orman tariff bill. a measure
that was false to the platform prom
Uses of his party, Mr.. Cleveland de
: nounced the enactment as one OF "per
. fdy and dishonor," and refused tt
{ afix his signature to 1t. His ultima
u tum TO the British government in con
= nection with the Venezuelan trouble
: in which he announced that the Unite
d States was prepared to uphold tn
Monroe doctrine by force, If neces
= sary, was another incident of tn
Cleveland administration that vii
c occupy a place in American history
- Mr.. Cleveland had the courage OF hi
> convictions, and pursued the cours
he believed to be proper and RICH
10 regardless OF consequences.
"a Graceful tribute to the memory
Mr.. Cleveland is paid in q proclaim
81 ton issued by President Roosevelt
'e which says In part:
y In his death the nation has been d
~ prived of one of its greatest citizen
BY profession q lawyer, his chief Sc
u vices to his country we're rendert
10 during a long and varied and homo
able career in public life. AS may
OF his city, - governor of his sta
W. and twice as president he showed 81
nal power as an administrator, co
nv pied with entire devotion to the cou
try's good and courage that quail
Gu before no hostility when only he W
80 CONVINCED where his duty lay. Sin
Gu his retirement from the presidency
lis has continued we'll and faithfully
serve his c%ountrymen by the simplici'
wv dignity and uprightness Of his pub
o. life. In testimony Of the respect
We which his memory is held by the &C
ernment and the people Of the Unit
70 States, do hereby direct that
flags on the white house and the 81
no eral departmental buildings be d
'c' played at half mast for Q period OF
oer days: and that suitable military q
10 naval honors, under the order Of
'ch secretaries of war and navy, be r
as' dered on the day of the funeral.
the