Evening journal., 1910-12-28
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
President CIeveIand'S Opin-
ion Of President Arthur
By ~HOnand."

Mr. George F. Parker. the biographer
Of Grover Cleveland and his intimate
friend for years. as well as Cleveland's
United States consul to Birmingham.
had many opportunities for confiden-
tial conversation with Mr.. Cleveland,
during which the latter spoke freely
OF men and events Of the political gem
Grafton with which he was identified.
"On one occasion" said Mr. Parker,
when / was chatting with Mr.. Cleve-
land-it was while he was serving his
first term as president-some chance
reference was made TO his predeces-
sor IN the White House, Chester A.
Arthur. Instantly, Mr. Cleveland
spoke in a most tender and sympa-
thetic manner OF General Arthur, and
when he had finished ! was much i'm
pressed by the earnestness and the
cordiaiity of his appreciation of Pres
ident Arthur and his administration"
AT this point / interrupted 10 say
that / had higher authority for the
statement that before Cleveland be-
came governor of New York, and GER
tainly after he had entered the execu-
tive mansion at Albany, he had sincere
admiration for General Arthur, pri-
marily based on some business or pro-
fessional association of an earlier
day.
THAT feeling replied Mr. Parker.
Mr.. Cleveland still more strongly en-
tertained after he had been some time
in the presidency. His early expert
ences in that office made IL clear to
him how very difficult the position of
General Arthur must have been when
he entered the presidency. not as
pracfdapf-p1aaf bt,f hy virtue of anu-
stitutional succession.
81 cannot undertake to repeat Pres
ident Cleveland's precise words, but |
can give you very clearly the sub
stance of his opinion respecting Gen
eral Arthur as president and the rea-
sons he gave for holding that opinion.
He discovered that there were always
embarrassments, some of them SER
ious, awaiting a newly inaugurated
president. Frequently, these are less
difficult in case the succession passes
to one of an opposite party. But Gen
eral Arthur became president because
of the assassination Of President Gar
field Passion was aroused through
out the country. Grievous factional
disturbances had been created I'm the
epublican party. IL was an extraordi-
narily difficult responsibility that
awaited General Arthur in view of the
fact that he was recognized as one of
the leaders Of the Stalwart faction OF
the party, the faction that had placed
itself in opposition to the administra-
tion of President Garfield But Presi-
dent Cleveland had a good opportunity
for learning how skilfully and with
what gentle frmness and a complete
sense Of patriotic duty President Ar
thur met the responsibility. He was
particularly impressed by General
Arthur's display of moral courage
when he vetoed the first river and har-
Dor bill sent to him--a bill outrage
ously crammed with pork And | dis
tinctly remember what Mr Cleveland
said after he had told of the difficult
ties that had beset Arthur and pointed
to the fact that by the end of his term
the breach in his party had been
healed and there was recognition in
Congress that a patient, conscientious
and earnestly patriotic citizen had
been administering the government.
"I do not think that the country as
yet fully realizes or appreciates the
high character of the service Of Pres
ident Arthur But I feel certain that
when the accurate history of his ad-
ministration and times is written there
will come a full appreciation, which
will be the abiding judgment of the
American people.
Copyright, 1910. by r J. Edwards. All
rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will fell
"The Full Story Of How Chief Justice
White Gained the SuDreme Bench-