New-York tribune., 1908-09-22
T. S. HASTINGS MAY SUE
DEMOCRATS ATTACK HIN.
Trg Hard to ProUe CIeUeldnd Article
Was Spurious.

Frank s. Hastings executor for the estate Of
ex-President Cleveland has been so persistently
attacked by persons attempting to induce him to
admit the spurousness of signed article by MT.
Cleveland published in THE New York Times or
August so last that he is considering 100000 libel
suit. The latest development is that William }.
Corners, some one impersonatng the chairman
of the Democratic State Committee, called Mr.
Hastings on the telephone and insisted that the
executor make statement to the erect that the
article written by Mr.. Cleveland
If Mr.. Conners the man who called up MI
Hastings about the Cleveland article he is the
only OF number of Democratic leaoers "no
ever since the appearance of the text have cir
cuated rumors of its alleged faisity and declared
that they would prove their assertions.
AS Mr.. Hastings has patiently explained, II shouiu
be apparent that he had nothing to do with the
article, which he says was sold ito Ihe llnies
before Mr. Clevelands death by man who spent
considerable time with the late President at his
Office in the Metropolitan Life Building Naturally
he holds it cannot be inferred that Mr. Clevelands
executor should have been concerned IN elther ,ie
preparation signing selling of the article espe-
cialiy since the man who disposed Of II 10 the
newspaper was total stranger to him.
IF Mr. Hastings decides to retaiate, his nrst at
tention will turned to The Chicago lhtel-
Ocean, the editor of which he has written an
indignant letter asserting the falsehood of let
ter to that newspaper by one j. H Atwood ac-
cusing Mr.. Hastings of fragrant betrayal OF ms
trust in selling the Cleveland article This at
tack was issued, it is said, by the Delnocratic
National Speakers Bureau. In his letter Mr.
Hastings says that his only knoWleose Vi 'li0
appearance of the article by Mr.. Cleveland was
a renuest few DAYS before its publication to
verify the genuineness of the signature. In COM
plance he clipped signature from one ol MI
Cleveland's letters and sent it to THE Ilnes-
Ever since its appearance the Democratic pow
ers have felt that Mr.. Cevelands article "oulu
hurt the marty and this fact accounts for lheh
efforts to secure denial that 1t came from r'o
mount of the Sage of Princeton. one Oh tii7
thorns in the side of the Democracy is Mr.. oleFe-
lands striking praise of MI 1a1t aoiil'S ~ ~
the foreign possession problem
The Cleveland article says:
DWELLING on the unwsdon of prematureiy ac-
ourinq colonies is fatuous; the nations' ou'y %
neither to help those colonies for their expo'ta
ton nor to cast them off to avoid the buroeh OF
their responsibilities. The questions ihVotVeo
are no more matters to be narrowed through tne
mill of politics than is the policy OF the Panama
Canal something to be stamped e''ner as ''0
publican Democratic.
These questions fruitful OF trouble anu
perturbaton and the primary requisite OF the
man or men who must deal with them IS an
abundant knowledge of the people OF the OUT
Iyina domain. That Mr.. Taft is possessed or
this knowledge as is no other man IN tne cou"-
try is hardly to be denied; granted that ne mas
had extraordinary opportunities, he mas SHOWN
himself able to improve those opportunities IN
a manner which it is not extravagant to say
will be his broadest claim so far to enour'ns
fam. when the acute visual distortion of the
present and opportune shall have gwen place 10
the inexorable perspective of history IN "hion
the relative values of public deeds to PUBIC
duties are completely clarified and announces
to posterity The misery and misfortune which
an ignorant or obstinate administrator, no
matter how high the ethical standard OF MS
motives could entail upon our wards OF the
Pacific and Caribbean are appalling to contem
plate; were his administration to be at tauit IN
any other particular, in those things Mr.. arts
record shows him to be entirely depenoaoi7'
Another statement which his accusers say Mr..
Hastings blame for wrongly attributing 10 Nir-
Cleveland deals empha, ,cally with MI Tafts quall-
6cations for the Presidency The Democratic lead
ers have objected to such remarks as the following
coming from their party's former President:
There is fear on my part of being rlsunder-
stood in what | about to say, but surely the
far-minded man must realize when he con-
siders my attitude toward my own party, all
now a matter of mmutable record, that 1t is
prompted by a sense of simple fairness. rer-
sonally and officially have had the opportunity
of knowina many things concerning Mr.. TAFT
that were not matter of general knowledge
and with keen interest have watched his
LARGE share in the conduct of our national at
fairs in very recent years. His excellence as a
federal udae in Cincinnati is something not
to be underestinated overemphasizcd, tor
should he come to the Presidential chair the
qualities which made him judge OF high abIi-
ity, which know him to have been, will be the
most needfu to him as President of the United
States. His high ideals of honesty and OF re'a-
tive justice, his great capacity for severe labor
and his humorous wisdom in the face OF the
serious problem are attributes equally valuable
and commendatory to people seeking him IN
whom, they may repose the trust of their COL
Iective interests while they turn their Increased
attention to their pressing individual demands.
Grover Cleveland's last word to the American
people.
''The Times" has taken and, it was said last
night will take no notice of the attempts TO prove
the article was not from Mr.. Cevelands pen. The
Tribune has been informed that the newspaper in
which Mr.. CIeveland's article appeared has always
been perfectly satisfied of its genuineness and that
no statement of Mr.. Hastings has or will have any
bearing the case, the executor being 1t is said
the innocent object msdirected attacks for which
he alone obtain redress.
DISORDER IN MOUNT OLIVET CHURCH.