The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-06-27
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S DEATH.

The announcement of ex-Presdent Grover
Clevelands death last Wednesday the signal
for expressions of universal sorrow throughout the
length and breadth of the land. President Ceve-
lard was great man.. Any man who is elected to
the highest dignity which a free and intelligent
people can bestow must possess some qualities of
greatness above the ordinary individual. The sue
of kings and emperors may be very inferior
persons. but inferior would be elected to the
exalted dignity of President of the United States
President Cleveland was three times nominated and
twice elected In his first presidential campaign
1899, he defeated the branest and most brilliant
man on the opposition ticket, James G. Blaine. AT
the expiration of his first term his policies con-
servatism, dauntless and fearless character made
him the idol of the Democratic party, but at the
polls he was defeated by Benjamin Harrison who
received 233 electoral to his 1853. In 1892 he
was again the standard-bearer, won the prize and
entered the White House the second time as Presi-
dent of the United States. defeating the man who
had defeated him four years previously.
A stanch defender of the Monroe doctrine. he
did not fail to express the American sentiment in
the boundary dispute between Venezuela and Great
Britain regarding British Guiana. In his mes
sage Congress December ,. 1895 he told that the
American ambassador at London was instructed TO
inform the British government that the traditional
and established policy of this government is firmly
opposed to a forcible increase by any European
power of its territorial possessions on this CONT
nent; that this policy is as well founded in prn
ciple as it is strongly supported by numerous pre-
cedents; that as a consequence the United States
is bound to protest against the enlargement of the
r. - A. ,;,rL,
and against the will of Venezuela" Fourteen days
later a message from London came denying the
right of the United States to interfere. President
Cleveland was persistent and immovable. He final
ly wrung from Great Britain a victory in forcing
the contending governments to submit the whole
controversy to arbitration. Referring to this final
solution in his message to Congress, December
Z, 1896, he said: Negotiations for a treaty of
general arbitration for all differences between
Great Britain and the United States are far adj
vanced and promise TO reach a successful consum-
nation at an early date" Since then England
steers clear of the United States.
His fearless and blunt nature regarding the pol
icy of the United States in enforcing the Monroe |
doctrine was the when the domestic peace of |
the nation was threatened When Coxeys army
marched to the capital they were dismissed by
order of President Cleveland. Plain and simple in
his manners, strong and determined in his charac-
ter loyal and patriotic in his love of country, Pres
dent Cleveland fulfilled his duty president of the
United States, regardless of the approval or dis
approval of flatterers or enemies, he considered
best for the country. His administration, in a
quarter of century hence, will be compared favor
ably bv future writers with those of the ablest of
our presidents.