The Washington herald., 1909-10-24
BOOK REVIEWS.

RECOLLECTIONs OF GROVER CLEVELAND
By George f. Parker. New York: The Centur
Company.
Biographies Of the great men are al
ways interesting as showing their mo
tives. private natures, and the method
employed in the attainment of historical
emlnence, and even though the chaplet o
greatness may be denied 10 Grover
Cleveland by some Of his enemies. tn,
fact remains that he was the only Dem
ocrat who was able TO lead his party into
power for fifty years. and in 'Recollec
tons of Grover Cleveland George +
Parker has succeeded I'm revivifying
great deal that was known OF his public
and private life during the period of hi:
Rscendancy, and in adding considerable
that was not general information at the
time OF his writing. Having been tht
close friend and counselor Of Mr.. Cleve-
land, the biographer speaks as one who
knows His relations with the great lead
er were such as to render him familiar
with his daily walks and conversation, as
well as his public acts. and the current
knowledge Of what happened IN those
times and the to-day evident results Of
those happenings makes il plain that
the writer has not allowed either parti-
san Influences or personal friendship to
tincture the truth Of his narrative or
the honesty OF his conclusions. for a good
many OF the latter he does interjeCt at
convenient points in the recOllections. the
most notable being. 10 our mind. as
pertaining to the past and present weak
ness OF the Democratic party, as fol-
lows:
When Mr. Cleveland was elected he
called into his Cabinet men OF the great
est experience and highest qualities, who
proved 10 be admirably qualified for
Executive duties. and our Congressional
leadership aside from William L. Wilson,
In both OF his terms proved 20 be such a
miserable failure that IL became re-
spOnsible for the permanent wrecking OF
the party. II turned out that our !egis-
lative leaders were so fixed in the habit
OF opposition that they used Il against
their own administration and robbed il Of
its natural and legitimate leadership. IL
was this that left Mr.. Cleveland and ms
Cabinet standing alone: On one side
meeting the natural and legitimate an
tagonism Of the Republican party, and
on the other faced by the bitter, foolish.
and almost criminal opposition Of Demo
cratic leaders I'm Congress" This state
the party. both in power and out.
The book gives an account OF Mr.. Cleve-
lands lineage, traces his career from oh
security TO the Presidency. throws vivid
sidelights on his personal character. his
political philosophy. and his relations
with prominent men OF his time as well
as his estimates Of them as men states
men. and politicians. the list including
Samuel J. Tilden. John G.. Carlisle. WI
liam l.. Wilson, Thomas F. Bayarl. +. G.
Bonidict. August Belmont. Clifton r.
Breckenridge, William ID. BynUm. George
w. Curtis, Augustus II. Garland William
+. Harrity. Thomas II. Hendricks. David
g. Hill, J. J. Hill, John Z. irish, Roger
c. Mills. William F. Villas. William C..
Whitney, and a long list Of others Ia
nous in the politics of the country.
During the pressure for appointments
during Mr. Cleveland's incumbency much
dissatisfaction was engendered by the
character OF some OF them ana by his
waving aside certain Influences. His
course Mr.. Parker defends by means Of
the following example.
His judgment of men and insight into
character exceeded that Of any man j
have ever known in public life. I saw
him meet a party of politicians from
large Western city. who had called 10
press an appointment they wanted made.
They were bosses Of their CITY, well
groomed. persuasive and plausible. and
presented their case with exquisite adj
dress and art Mr. Cleveland listened
with politeness and patience but / saw
a singular aversion IN his aspect When
they finished he declined 10 make the ap-
pointment. Within a year from that time
every politician in that persuasive group
was either in Jail or a fugitive from JUS
tice for crimes committed In the munich
pal administration OF their city, and the
man for whom they sought appointment
was discredited"
Mr.. Clevelands opinions Of the two men
who afterward became the leaders OF the
respective parties is extremely interest
ing or Theodore Roosevelt he said.
Roosevelt IS the most perfectly equip
ped and the most effective politician thus
far seen in the Presidency. Jackson, JEFF
ferson. and Van Buren, We're not. for a
moment, comparable with him In this
respect When I was governor he was
still a very young man and only a mem
Der Of the assembly; but il was clear
20 me. even thus early. that he was
looking TO a public career. that he was
studying political conditions with care