Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-26

In the current number of McClure's Mag
azine George =. Parker relates many Incl
dents in the public life OF Grover Cieve-
land which serve to illuminate the late pres
idents relations with public men and his
dominant traits. Three episodes taken from
a number are characteristic. when the
position of confidential secretary to Priest
dent Cleveland was offered him, George b.
Cortelyou felt some heeitancy. about &C.
cepting II. because OF the difference In
their political convictions. Mr.. Parker
says:
When Cortelyou's name was brought up
on this occasion, Il was General Kitchener
who told him that he would probably be
called upon In a few days TO decide whether
or not he would accept q transfer to the
executive mansion az confidential steuog-
rapher to the president.
You know. general he said. that |
have always been q strong republican. and
as the president is a democrat. I naturally
hesitate to take this place lest II some Inn
place me In q disagreeable position-in spite
Of any precautions thai 1 might take
General Kitchener replied:
We'll, Cortelyou, /. can understand your
hesitation. but II I were in your place
should put II entirely aside. This transfer
may be a turning point In your career. Go
ing TO the White House will give you many
unexpected opportunities for contact with
public men. l win tell you what to DO:
accept the position. and. when a convenient
opportunity presents itself, make the same
representations to the president thai you
have made to me, and leave the decision
Of the question to him.
THE second OF third time that the con-
fidential stenosrapher found himself seated
with the president. ready for his work. he
faithfully repeated to him the speech al
ready rehearsed to General Kitchener. The
president, probably somewhat annoyed at
his interruption, turned rather sharply and
replied; I don't care a damn about your
politics All ! want is somebody who ia
honest and competent to do my work.
There was a vague impression in the
public mind, during many years, Tn at
some kind of natural and insuperable an
tagonism had arisen between Mr.. Cleve-
land and David b. Hill. as the result OF
the ticket in 1883 and the defeat OF the
presidential electors. 1t was a matter sell
dom mentioned or discussed by Mr..
Cleveland in the interval between his two
terms In the presidency. He never seri-
ously regretted his own defeat, save that
he occasionally referred to what he might
have done in matters OF federal taxation
and expenditure IL he could have had
another four years in which TO develop
his policies. In 1906, however. the SUBJ
ject came up as a topic OF conversation
and, for the first time in my presence,
he spoke OF 1t with great freedom.
IT want sometime" he said, ito correct
the false impression abroad that I ever
had any feeling that the presidential
ticket was the victim of treachery In
New York in the election of 1885. No
body could understand better than I
how that seemingly contradictory result
was reached. My campaign for re-clec-
ton was made upon q single national
issue. so forced to the front that. as
had foreseen, there was no such thing as
evading IT, even If I or my party had so
desired. >,
ct have never ceased to admire and
praise David B. Hill for HIS clean. high
minded administration of the affairs of
the state of New York, II kept down
taxation, and was efficient In carrying out
the traditional ideas of his party and OF
our Institutions"
Perhaps the history of the country
does not reveal another public man who
so took to heart his defeat for the
presidency, or so resented the success
OF his opponent. as did James @. Blaine
The vile calcumnies of the heated
campaign were succeeded by attacks, both
persistent and insidious. upon the new
president. 1t was only natural that thu
latter should reach the conclusion that
since he could not expect support in
carrying on the affairs Of the country
or decent treatment personally, the only
thing for him to do was to wear out
these attacks by devotion to the public
interests.
True to his nature and to that spirit
of. fairness which was one OF his
strongest characteristics. Mr.. Cleveland,
during the campaign of 1884, took the
most determined stand against retalta-
ton by attacks upon the private life OF
his opponent. At one time. one of the
leading managers of the national demo-
cratic campaign informed Cleveland that
on the following morning. a very scan
dalous exposure OF Mr.. Blaine would be
published, and that this was TO go out
with official sanction from the committee
When Mr.. Cleveland told me the story
many years later, IL was with strong In
dignation. He said that he told his In
formant that If any such publication
were made, with official approval or even
with connivance, he would at once re-
sign from the ticket.
lgn