The Washington herald., 1908-03-18

some years. he and his elder brother
went TO New York. where he got a posi-
ton as teacher in an institution for
the blind. Returning home AT the age OF
eighteen, he borrowed S25 from friend
and set out for Cleveland Ohio. But he
stopped of at Buffalo to visit a weIl-to-
do uncle. This uncle was preparing a
Short Horn herd book. and got Grover
TO help him with ii. The uncle then got
him into prominent law Office. and he
was admitted 10 the bar by the time he
reached his majority.
AT twenty-four he was made assistant
prosecuting attorney. and was later de-
feated for the prosecuting attorneyship
After this he was elected sheriff. and that
led 70 his nomination for mayor. He
was elected. and his vetoes attracted
Statewide attention He was plain
spoken. II a thing was steal he said
so. He never minced words nor tempor-
lied with wrong. In ISs2 the Democrats
were looking for gubeTnatorial timber.
and he was selected He was the victor
al the polls. Soon the Democratic party
of the nation was looking for Presidential
timber. and again he was selected as the
best possible material
For the first time in twenty years the
Democrats had picked a winner. When
he came 10 Washington. Mr.. CleveIand's
inner life was almost unknown. There
were no anecdotes giving familiar
glimpse OF his life. When he went 10
take the oath on Inauguration day. he
didn't have a note or a sign Of manu-
script. The only President IN the his
tory Of the nation who has delivered his
inaugural without notes was Mr.. CIeve-
land. When taking the oath he put aside
the Bible which Chief Justice Waite had
provided, and took il on the one his moth
or had given him when ne started out
into the world As President he followed
the simple rules Of life that had char
acterized him al Buffalo. lie was more
economical in the expenditure of the
contingent fund Of the White House than
any other President. One Of his first acts
after ne reached the White House was
TO discharge the newspaper clerk. whose
duty il was TO clip the references 10 the
President from the daily newspapers. He
had no valet, because he said he did not
need one. The man who had shaved a
number OF his predecessors lost the job.
fer Mr.. Cleveland shaved himself He
did most of his important writing with
his own hand All OF his vetOes were
written out by him. and he addressed his
wedding invitations and the boxes OF
wedding cake which he sent out
The wedding OF the CIeveIands at the
White House was the only Presidential
wedding that has taken place there. and
il was an event OF national interest. The
bride had just completed a European
trip after her schooling, but the new
honor. enough TO turn the head of almost
ms xr-cr,
least. and she became one OF the most
gracious occupants the White House has
ever had The honeymoon was spent at
Deer Park, and there was much COM
plant about the lack OF dignity with
which many newspapers handled the
story.
Mr.. CIeveland's first official oct was
10 sign a bill restoring Gen. Grant. Who
had met with reverses, to the retired list
OF the army. His first administration
was rather favorably received even by
the Republicans. Theodore Roosevelt.
now President. wrote a magazine article
in which he said that all things consid-
cred, Mr.. Cleveland was doing better
than had been expected. How he vetoed
pension bills, and was defeated for re-
election. is familiar history. He is the
only man TO date who has been called
back 20 the Presidency after an inter
vening term, or that has been thrice NOM
mated. The history of his second term
Is too familiar 10 be discussed here.
When the cold. calm hand OF history
comes TO write the true estimate OF the
public service of Mr.. Cleveland, it will
perhaps be different from that which Is
formed at the close range of partisan
prejudice. He himself has recognized the
widespread hostility to him, saying re-
Gently in a public address that he doubt
ed II any man were ever more belsbored
than he had been for seventeen years,
and that it seemed 10 him that the peo-
pie appear to regard public Office as a
sort OF pillory. But with all that, he
spends his time growing old gracefully.
feeling the consciousness Of duty we'll
done, and willing to let time write the
verdict upon his public career. And
there are perhaps millions who believe
that he need not fear that verdict.
Tomorrow William Jennings
u