The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-23
From the chicago Reoord-Herald.

From the Chicago Reeord-Herald.
~ ICHARD WATSON GILDER'S
EO "reminiscences of Grover cleve-
~ land, whom he knew intimately
for many years, form an interesting in
itial article in the August number OF
the Century Magazine. The writer, ma
tionally known as poet, prose writer and
editor, states that he puts forth the
record of his knowledge of Mr. Cleveland
as mot only an obligation of friendship
but of patriotism" Mr.. Glider found him.
self attracted, In common with other au-
thors, by his lack of sophistication' MS
rustic simplicity of thought, that went
along with great directness and vigor OF
action" Mr.. Glider records also his be-
lief that the literary men were attracted
by the Presidents "moral fury and MS
courage" and proceeds:
THAT Mr.. Cleveland should be instinc-
lively impressed by the ethical bearings
of public questions was, perhaps, natural
in a descendant and brother of clergy
men, missionaries and teachers; the
cousin of Bishop Cleveland Coke, one of
the same stock that has produced the
philanthropist William e. Dodge and his
ward say that he was always expecting
to see some second-rate politician put
up a base imitation of Cleveland's down.
rightness and bravery. but even the imi-
tation had not been forthcoming.
ut would not be easy to exaggerate
in describing Mr.. Cleveland's singular
union of quiet self-confdence with I'M
pretentiousness and even self-deprecia-
tion," continues Mr.. Glider. He cites, as
showing Cleveland's guiding motive in po-
litical life, his pleasure of being praised
in James Russell Lowel1s lines contain
ing the phrase lone who did his best"
and comments:
THAT was Mr.. Cleveland's claim about
his own performance-that he did the best
he could. When with intimate friends
he would talk about his successes and
failures on the stage of the world as un-
pretentiously as If discussing some I'M
renowned neighborhood affair. 1t was a
strange experience, when off alone with
the ex-President in a rowboat on some
secluded sheet of water to hear ones
fishing companion, while skillfully getting
ready his tackle, talk with inside knowl-
edge, and in phrases as graphic as they
were homely, of great international events
in which he was himself a leading actor,
and naming unostentatiously some of
the leading living characters of the world.
When he fell into "reminiscences of this
sort it was apparently without any sense
whatever of his own historic Importance.
l have never seen such Inconsistencies"
Mr.. Glider first met Mr.. Cleveland at the
White House before the Presidents mar
rage but really came to know him only
later in his first administration. His first
talk with Cleveland was at the White
House early In December, 1887. The Pres
ident went over the question of tariff re-
form with the author and read to him the
now famous message sent to Congress on
the subject. Mr. Glider writes about this
meeting:
what impressed me was the note of
earnestness and conviction. His tone was
of a person trying to effect great good
for the state without the slightest re-
gard to his own personal fortunes. He
was so assured of the righteousness and
reasonableness Of the position assumed
that he felt that If the public could only
understand the actual situation, there
would be an influence upon Congress
which would effect the necessary reform.
He was inspired by the idea of a simple
and plain duty 1T is condition which
confronts us-not theory These now
familiar words were the expression of an
intense conviction However, he saw
clearly and stated clearly the difficulties
In the way, even the difficulties of thor
oughly uniting his own party on the is
sue. I said to him that the document
would be more widely read than any put
forth since the war, and that it would
have the tendency to make annual mes