Evening journal., 1913-08-13
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Grover Cleveland and
Mckinley Exchanged Views
R, Holland

"In 1907 had one of my last pro-
longed conversat ons with ex-Presi-
dent Grover Cleveland" said George
f. Parker, who was the biographer Os
Cleveland and who was in intimate
personal relations with Mr.. Cleveland
for many years.
Something was said that after
noon which caused Mr.. Cleveland to
remember a conversation which he
had with President Mckinley only a
few hours before Cleveland went out
Of Office and Mckinley was in
augurated as President.
The outgoing and the incoming
presidents spent an hour or two in
confidential exchange of views.
Cleveland knew that Mckinley was
always an admirerer Of him, both
as a president and as man. and
Cleveland. Notwithstanding his radi-
cal differences of views respecting
the tariff from those which had made
Nick n'ey conspicuous. esteemed Nc
hinley as man of lofty ideals and
of irreproachable character
Mr.. Cleveland told me that while
the war with Spain was in progress
he often recalled some things Nc
Kinley had said to him just before
Mckinley's inauguration as president
81 can repeat with practical verbal
accuracy what Mr.. Cleveland said
Mckinley said to me that there was
no feature of my administration
which had commanded a greater ad-
miration and a higher degree of re-
spoct from him than the manner in
which ! handled the extremely deli
cate and difficult problem which the
conditions In Cuba had created He
said he realized how greatly my
difficulties were. He had made the
Cuban situation a special study. He
knew what the feeling was in the
lower house of Congress- He knew.
too that there we're a great many
people of the United States who we're
anxious that we should take per-
emptory measures with Spain and
by a sort of indirect application Of
the Monroe Doctrine go to the res
/ cue o. Cuba.
Mckinley further said that he had
not been left in the dark respecting
the present political intrigues which
we're Matching for the purpose OF
/ forcing my hand.
OF course. was gratified TO hear
views Of this kind expressed by the
distinguished man who was in a few
hours to succeed me as President OF
/ the United States. told Mckinley
that the Cuban difficulty was one
which he would be compelled to face
at the very threshold Of his admins
tratlon. said TO him that Il was
fortunate for him that the problem
was in no sense a partisan one, and
that the question as It came before
him would be a national and not a
partisan situation. But ! assured him
that felt that ne had the knowledge
and the tact and the ability neces-
sary TO prevent a rupture of our re-
lations with Spain.
Mckinley thanked me for speak
ing to him I'm these words Of conf
dence. and then he said with great
earnestness and with an impressive
solemnity Of manner. Mr.. Presi-
dent, / shall rejoice II | am able to
carry on the policy with respect 10
Cuba and Spain. which has been one
OF the great achievements of your ad-
ministration. | trust and hope that !
shall be able 10 do so, and | am con-
hdent that ! can, unless some unfor
seen, some sudden aud terrible emer-
gency arises which inhames the
American people"
That emergency, l am sure, did
come, when the battleship Maine was
destroyed by torpedos in the harbor
of Havana"
Copyright. 1913, by F.. } Edwards.
All rights TesrVedl.