The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-01-15
TO PENSION Ex.PRESlDENTS.

An interest sting feature of current
magazine literature is a discussion
of the possible necessities of our
ex-presidents, in an article contrib.
uted to the Youths Companion by
Grover Cleveland. AS the only living
ex-president, and one who does not
expect to profit from the proposed
new departure, Mr.. Cleveland urges
that the American people W a duty
to their chief executive upon his re-
tirement from office. The article says
in part:
How can it be that our "gOvern-
mental system" places the president
on the highest pinnacle of honor, and
yet DEGREES that "a ex.president he is
but a melancholy product" doomed
to unescapably sad conditions? Is
there neither comfort nor honor in
his release from exhausting presiden-
tial labor and perplexity, in the re.
spect and esteem accorded to him by
his fellow citizens on every side and
the neighborly welcome that greets
him on his return to the fellowship of
private station:
The truth is, that our people, SO far
from treating their ex.presidents SIM
ply as relics of past honors, seem
disposed not only to bestow upon
them honor and respect, but to con-
tinue them in the service so far as to
interfere seriously with their untram.
meled return to private citizenship
and their unrcstrained resumption of
the occupations of every day life.
There is a sort of vague, but none
the less Imperative, feeling abroad in
the land that one who has occupied
the great Office of president holds in
trust for his fellow citizens a certain
dignity, which in his conduct and
manner of life he is bound to protect
against loss and deterioration.
Obedience to this obligation, which
can hardly be avoided, limits the ex-
president to his choice of an Occupa-
ton aud means of livelihood, and
prescribes for him only such work as
in popular Judgment is not undignitied
and it also enforces a scale of living
on his part, frequently less IN keeping
with his financial dignity than with
popular conception of ex-presidential
propriety.
Whatever omission there may be of
fair and cousiderate conduct on the
part of our people in their relations
with their ex.presidents, ought to be
made good with a definite and gener-
GUS provision for all cases alike,
based upon motives of justice and
fairness, and adequate to the situa'
ton.
If, in concluding this discussion, a
personal word is necessary or per.
missible in view of the fact that | an
the only man o living who could at
this time profit by the ideas l have
advocated, | hope my sincerity will
not be questioned when | say hat
have dealt with the subject without the
least thought OF personal interest OF
desire for personal ad antage. | an
not in need of aid from the publ,
treasury. | hope and believe that
have provided for myself and those
dependent upon me a comfortable
maintenance, within the limits of &C
customed prudence and economy, ant
that those to whom | owe the highes
earthly duty will not van when | an
gone.
These conditions have permitted III
to treat with the utmost freedom
topic which involves no personal con
siderations, and only has to do in IN,
mind with conditions that may arts
in the future. but not attached to tn
eX president of today; and l am sur
that | am actuated only by an ever
present desire that the fairness an
sense of justice characteristic of An
ericanism shall neither fail nor b
obscured.