Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-25
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE
CAREER OF CLEVELAND
Continued from page one).

BRIEF SKETCH OF THE
CAREER OF CLEVELAND
CONTINUED from page one).
dependent, and reform" movement
support He soon became known as
the veto mayor" using that preroga-
tive fearlessly in checking public ex.
penditures that he deemed unwise,
illegal or extravagant The reformed
methods Of administering the city's
affairs, instituted by him while mayor,
led to his election in the following
year as governor Of the state Of New
York, by majority of $4,000 votes
over his opponent, Judge Folger, the
Republican secretary Of the United
States treasury All the traits of asst.
duous industry, transformations dignity,
| thoroughness and simplicity noted in
Mr.. Cleveland's early career were OBJ
servable during his stay in Albany.
| His phenomenal success In the guber-
| national election, as indicative. of the
probability Of his carrying New York
and of attracting the independent vote,
secured him the Democratic nomina-
ton for the presidency In 1884. 1t has
been said that Mr.. Cleveland was a
reluctant candidate His friends had
many consultations with him on the
subject, but he uniformly discouraged
rather than favored the movement. 1t
was Mr.. Manning, who served during
part Of. Cleveland's first term as secre-
tary of the treasury, who commanded
the battle that resulted in Mr.. Cleve-
lands nomination. The Democrats
I had not elected a president since the
success of the Republican party in
| 1860. Mr. Cleveland regarded the con-
test as doubtful at best, and had lit
tie inclination to round out singular
ly successful career with national
defeat He had never been Intimate
with the Democratic leaders of ma
tional fame, had travelled but little,
and had the greatest aversion to any.
thing like ornamental parading In
politics.
Clevelands nomination In Chicago
was accomplished against the most
aggressive opposition of Tammany
Hall, led by the veteran John Kelley,
Tammany was in absolute control OF
the city of New York. where 1t re.
quired nearly 100000 Democratic ma
jority to give the electoral vote OF
the state to Democratic candidate.
But Manning and his associates COM
PEELED Tammany to submit to have
its votes in the convention cast for
Cleveland under the unit rule. The re-
suit was that Cleveland was nominal
ed to make the fight against James
G. Blaine, the Republican candidate
In the November election the popular
vote cast for Mr.. Cleveland was A.
oil, OFT as against 4,s4S,334 cast for
Mr. Blaine.
cIeveland's First Term.
Cleveland's first administration was
marked by general prosperity by the
admission of four new states (Wash,
ington, Montana, North Dakota and
South Dakota) to the Union; and by
freer use of the veto power than had
generally been exercised by other
presidents. On the meeting of con
: gress in December, 1887, he devoted
his annual message mainly to the ad
r 'yocacy of a reduction in tariff duties
in order to prevent the further In
crease in the surplus in the U. S
treasury. This message occasioned
3 prolonged discussion of the principles
l of protection, and furnished the issue
l in the national political campaign o
4 1888, when Mr.. Cleveland was renonl
: mated by the Democrats, and Benja
min Harrison was chosen as the Re
E publican candidate Although the fol-
h mer received popular majority lare
g er than he had in 1884, the latter hal
f the greatest number of electora
: votes and accordingly on March
S 1889, Mr.. Cleveland left Washington
l. and moved to New York to engage il
the practice of law.
J The defeat of 1883 was accepted b
g most of the Democratic leaders as I
s nally disposing of Mr.. Cleveland as
: national factor in the Democratic pa
!. ty But when 1892 rolled around an
y the Democratic party had to choos
u it's standard bearer, the Democrat
= leaders were compelled by the owe
:. whelming sentiment of the Democra
L lie people to assent to his third non
!! !, nation The contest in the Chicag
y y convention of that year was de-
- perate one. 1t was on that occasio
!. that Bourke Cochran delivered hi
= memorable speech against Clevelan'
The nomination was bitterly fougt
n by the delegates from his own stat
it of New York. But on the first roll ca
lie Mr.. Cleveland was nominated by
sr few votes more than the necessal
two-thirds. In the election Mr.. Clev
~ land received a popular plurality
20 SS0,810 over Mr.. Harrison.
q, Cleveland's second administrattc
ID was simply continuation of the pc
r. icy that ruled him during his fir
m term. New questions arose of tt
greatest Importance, but he met the
Is all from precisely the same stan
i. point and with the same purposes TIL
ST. always distinguished him in his pu
d. lie career. The Democratic majori
"a in congress was opposed to him on Il
money issue and the antagonism