The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-18
- Mr.. Cleveland's Birthday -

Grover to help him with It. The uncle
then got him into a prominent law
office, and he was admitted to the bar
by the time he reached his majority.
AT twenty-four he was made as
sistant prosecuting attorney, and was
later defeated for the prosecuting at.
sheriff. and that led to his nominal
ton for Mayor. He was elected and
his vetoes attracted Statewide atten-
m as Hs stsa p be aa 59oksn If n 5sag
minced words nor temporized with
wrong. III 1882 the Democrats were
looking for gubernatorial timber and
he was selected. He was the victor at
the polls. Soon the Democratic party
of the nation was looking for presiden-
thai timber and again he was selected
as the best possible material. :
For the first time In twenty years tia
Democrats had picked a winner. Win
he came to Washington, Mr.. Clevelands
inner life was almost unknown. Thee
glimpse OF his life. When he went b
take the oath on Inauguration day. h
didn't have note or Sign of manu-
script. The only President In the his
tory of the nation who has delivered
his inaugural without notes WIS Mr..
Cleveland. When taking the oath he
put aside the Bible which Chief Justice
Waite had provided, and took Ii on the
one his mother had given him when
lie started out into the world As
President he followed the simple rules
OF life that had characterized him at
Buffalo. He was more economical in
the expenditure of the contingent fund
of the White House than any other
President. One of his first acts after
he reached the White House was 10
discharge the newspaper clerk, whose
duty 1t was 10 clip the references to the
President from the daily newspapers.
He had no valet, because. he said lie
shaved a number or his predecessors.
lost the job. for Mr.. Cleveland. shaved
himself. He did most of his Important
writing with his own hand Ali Of his
addressed his wedding Invitations and
the boxes OF wedding cake which he
sent out.
The wedding of the Cleveiands at the
White House was the only presidential
wedding that has taken place there,
and t was an event OF national Interest.
The bride bad just completed a Euro
pean trip after her schooling, but the
new honor enough to turn the head of
almost any woman, never spoiled her
In the least, and she became one OF the
House has ever had. The honeymoon
was spent at Deer Park, and there was
much complaint about the lack of dig
nifty with which many newspapers
Mr.. Cleyeland's first official act was
to sign a bill restoring General Grant,
who had met with reverses. to tho re-
tired list OF the army. His first ad-
ceived, even by the Republicans. Theo-
dore Roosevelt. now President. wrote
a magazine article, In which he said
that all things considered. Mr.. Ceve-
land was doing better than had been
expected. How he vetoed pension bills
and was. defeated for reelection is
familiar history. He Is the only man
to date who has been called back to
| the presidency after an Intervening
term, or that has been thrice noml-
mated. The history OF his second term
is too familiar to be discussed here.
| When the cold. calm hand of his
tory comes to write the true estimate
of the public service of Mr.. Cleveland.
| 1t 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, saving recently In a public adj
dress that he doubted II any man were
ever more belabored thar-he had been
| for seventeen years, and that 1t seemed
/ TO him that the people appear to re-
/ gard 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.
To-nlorrow-Wil Jennings Prvan