Evening journal., 1908-06-24
FROM SHERIFF
To PRESIDENT
Sketch Of the Life Of Grover
Cleveland. Who Twice Held
Highest Place in Land

Grover Cleveland Cstephen Grover
clevelaRd) was the last surviving pres
ident OF the United States and the
twenty-seoond president Of the reput-
lie He was horn in Caldwell. N. j.,
March is. 1891 When he was three
years old his-father. a Presbyterian
minister. moved to Fayetteville, N. j..
where they resided until 1851. after
which the family moved to Clinton
leaving Grover in Fayetteville He re-
malned there about two years as a
clerk in a village store.
on his fathers death in 1853 he went
to New York and for about year
was bookkeeper and assistant teacher
In the Institution for the Blind. Thence
he moved to Buffalo in 1853 where he
studied law and began It's practice in
1859.
In 1868 ne was appointed assistant
district attorney for Erie county and in
1865 was the Democratic nominee for
district attorney but failed to secure
the election From 1871 TO 1878 he was
sheriff of Erie county and in 1881 was
elected mayor Of Buffalo
Elected GoverHr
The reform methods Of administer
ing the city's affairs. instituted bv him
while filling that Office, led 10 his alee-
tion in the following year as governor
OF New York by a majority Of 10000
votes over his opponent, Judge Folger.
the Republican secretary Of the United
States Treasury.
This phenomenal success. as indlca-
tive of the probability OF his CARRYING
New York and Of attracting the inde-
pendent vote. secured him the Demo-
cratic nomination for the presidency In
1854, and In November of that year he
was elected over James G. Blaine
Clevelands administration. 1885 10
liSS9 was marked by prosperity to the
country at large; by the admission OF
four new States. Washington, Mon
ltana, North Dakota and South Dakota
to the Union; by an extension OF the
reform In the civil service, begun under
his predecessor, Chester A. Arthur and
by a freer use Of the veto power than
had generally been exercised by any
other president
On the meeting Of Congress IN De-
cember, 1887, he devoted his afpza
message mainly to the advocacy of a
reduction in tariff duties in order to
prevent the further increase OF the
surplus in the United States Treasury
which was already large and which
threatened TO cause financial difiicul-
tiles. This message oocasioned a pro-
llonged discussion of the pdnciples OF
protection, and furnished the issue in
the national political campaign of 1883,
when Cleveland was renomlnated by
the Democrats and Benajmin Harrison
was chosen as the Republican candi-
date, Although Cleveland received a
popular majority larger than he had
had IN 1854, Harrison had the greater
number of electoral votes, and accord
lingly on March 4. 1889. Cleveland left
the White House and removed % New
York, when he engaged in the practice
Of law
In 1892. however he was again nomi-
mated by the Democrats while Har-
lrison was renominated by the
lRepublican party. This year Mr
cleveland defeated Harrison. In IN
the Democratic party having declared
for the free coinage Of silver in the
platform Of It's national convention
cleveland withheld his support SON
the ticket and platform.
After his second retirement from the
White House, Cleveland took up his
residence at Princeton, n. j.
He was elected a trustee - the
Equitable Life Assurance Society June
10, 1905. following the insurance inves-
litigation. He was also chairmaneof the
Association OF Life Insurance Presi'
dents since January, 1907 He was also
a member, Of the executive COMMITTEES
OF the National Civic Federation, a
member Of the American Philosophical
Society, American Historic Association
and Trustee OF Princeton University
During his first term as president he
married Frances Folsom, June "a, 1886
at the White House