my memories of eighty years-第21部分

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erce；　and　trade。　　To　stop　them　is　to　prevent　the　transportation　of　provisions　or　of　coal；　to　starve　and　freeze　cities　and　communities。　　Cleveland　used　the　whole　power　of　the　federal　government　to　keep　free　the　transportation　on　the　railways　and　to　punish　as　the　enemies　of　the　whole　people　those　who　were　trying　to　stop　them。　　It　was　a　lesson　which　has　been　of　incalculable　value　ever　since　in　keeping　open　these　great　highways。

He　forced　through　the　repeal　of　the　silver　purchasing　law　by　every　source　and　pressure　and　the　unlimited　use　of　patronage。　　His　party　were　almost　unanimous　for　the　silver　standard　and　resented　this　repeal　as　a　crime；　but　it　saved　the　country　from　general　bankruptcy。　Except　in　the　use　of　patronage　to　help　his　silver　legislation；　he　offended　his　party　by　improving　the　civil　service　and　retaining　Theodore　Roosevelt　as　head　of　the　Civil　Service　Commission。　These　crises　required　from　the　president　an　extraordinary　degree　of　courage　and　steadfastness。

While　Mr。　Cleveland　was　in　such　unprecedented　popular　disfavor　when　he　retired　to　private　life；　his　fame　as　president　increases　through　the　years；　and　he　is　rapidly　assuming　foremost　position　in　the　estimation　of　the　people。

Mr。　Cleveland　had　a　peculiar　style　in　his　speeches　and　public　documents。　　It　was　criticised　as　labored　and　that　of　an　essayist。　I　asked　him；　after　he　had　retired　to　private　life；　how　he　had　acquired　it。　　He　said　his　father　was　a　clergyman　and　he　had　been　educated　by　him　largely　at　home。　　His　father　was　very　particular　about　his　compositions　and　his　English；　so　that　he　acquired　a　ministerial　style。　　The　result　of　this　was　that　whenever　any　of　the　members　of　the　local　bar　died；　he　was　called　upon　to　write　the　obituary　resolutions。

To　take　a　leap　over　intervening　years：　　After　Mr。　Cleveland　retired　from　his　second　term　I　used　to　meet　him　very　frequently　on　social　occasions　and　formal　celebrations。　　He　soon　left　the　practice　of　law　and　settled　in　Princeton；　where　he　did　great　and　useful　service；　until　he　died；　as　trustee　of　the　university　and　a　lecturer　before　the　students。

Riding　in　the　same　carriage　with　him　in　the　great　procession　at　the　funeral　of　General　Sherman；　he　reminisced　most　interestingly　in　regard　to　his　experiences　while　president。　　Every　little　while　there　would　break　out　a　cheer　and　then　a　shout　in　the　crowd　of　one　of　the　old　campaign　cries：　　〃Grover；　Grover；　four　years　more。〃　Mr。　Cleveland　remarked：　　〃I　noticed　while　president　a　certain　regularity　and　recrudescence　of　popular　applause；　and　it　was　the　same　in　every　place　I　visited。〃　　That　cry；　〃Grover；　Grover；　four　years　more！〃　　would　occur　every　third　block；　and　during　our　long　ride　the　mathematical　tradition　was　preserved。



XI。　　BENJAMIN　HARRISON

The　year　1888　was　one　of　singular　experience　for　me。　　I　was　working　very　hard　in　my　professional　duties　and　paying　no　attention　to　public　affairs。

The　district　conventions　to　send　delegates　to　the　national　convention　at　Chicago　began　electing　their　delegates　and　alternates；　and　passing　resolutions　instructing　them　to　vote　for　me　as　their　candidate　for　president。

After　several　districts　had　thus　acted　I　was　asked　to　meet　in　Whitelaw　Reid's　office　in　the　Tribune　Building　Thomas　C。　Platt；　our　State　leader；　and　United　States　Senator　Frank　Hiscock。　　Platt　demanded　to　know　why　I　was　making　this　canvass　without　consulting　the　organization　or　informing　them。　　I　told　him　I　was　doing　nothing　whatever　by　letter；　telegram；　or　interview；　that　I　had　seen　no　one；　and　no　one　had　been　to　see　me。

Mr。　Platt；　who　had　been　all　his　life　accomplishing　things　through　the　organization；　was　no　believer　in　spontaneous　uprisings；　and　asked　me　frankly：　　〃Are　you　a　candidate？〃　　I　told　him　I　was　not；　because　I　did　not　believe　I　could　be　nominated　with　the　present　condition　of　the　public　mind　in　regard　to　railways；　and　I　was　president　of　one　of　the　largest　systems。

Then　it　was　suggested　that　I　permit　the　Tribune；　which　was　the　party　organ；　to　state　that　I　was　not　a　candidate　and　did　not　want　to　be。　　The　next　morning　the　Tribune　had　that　fully　explained。　The　conventions　kept　on　convening　and　instructing　their　delegates　the　same　way。

Another　conference　was　called；　and　then　I　was　asked　to　make　the　statement　that　if　nominated　I　would　not　accept；　and　if　elected　I　would　decline。　　I　said　to　my　conferees：　　〃Gentlemen；　there　is　no　American　living　big　enough　to　say　that。　　In　the　first　place；　it　is　gross　egotism　to　think　such　a　thing　might　happen。〃　　The　result　was　that　the　organization　accepted　the　situation。

The　only　way　that　I　can　account　for　this　unanimous　action　of　the　party　in　its　conventions　in　the　congressional　districts　of　the　State　is　the　accumulative　result　of　appreciation　of　unselfish　work　for　the　party。　　Every　fall；　for　a　quarter　of　a　century；　I　had　been　on　the　platform　in　every　part　of　the　State；　and　according　to　my　means　was　a　contributor　to　the　State　and　local　canvass。　During　this　period　I　had　asked　nothing　and　would　accept　nothing。　If　I　may　apply　so　large　a　phrase　to　a　matter　so　comparatively　unimportant；　I　would　deny　the　often　quoted　maxim　that　〃republics　are　ungrateful。〃

When　the　convention　met　there　was　an　overwhelming　sentiment　for　Mr。　Blaine；　but　his　refusal　was　positive　and　absolute。　　I　had　always　been　a　warm　supporter　and　friend　of　Mr。　Blaine；　and　his　followers　were　very　friendly　to　me。

What　were　called　〃the　Granger　States；〃　and　especially　Iowa；　had　become　very　hostile　to　railway　management　and　railway　men。　　They　were　passing　laws　which　were　practically　confiscatory　of　railway　securities。　　The　committees　from　those　States　visited　all　other　State　delegations　and　spoke　in　bitter　terms　of　my　candidacy。　　The　strength　of　my　candidacy　was　that　New　York　was　unanimously　for　me；　except　for　one　vote　from　New　York　City；　and　no　nominee　could　hope　to　be　elected　unless　he　could　carry　New　York。

After　receiving　ninety…nine　votes；　I　found　that　on　the　next　ballot　my　vote　would　be　very　largely　increased；　and　decided　to　retire。　I　called　together　the　New　York　delegation　and　stated　my　position；　and　the　reason　for　it。　　A　considerable　debate　took　place。　　The　motion　was　made　and　unanimously　carried　that　the　four　delegates　at　large　should　meet　and　see　if　they　could　agree　upon　a　candidate　who　would　command　the　support　of　the　entire　delegation　of　the　State。　　The　object　was；　of　course；　to　make　the　State；　with　its　larger　number　of　delegates　than　any　other　commonwealth；　a　deciding　factor　in　the　selection。

The　delegates　at　large　were：　　Thomas　C。　Platt；　Senator　Frank　Hiscock；　Warner　Miller；　and　myself。　　When　we　met；　Platt　and　Hiscock　declared　for　Senator　Allison　of　Iowa。　　Warner　Miller　with　equal　warmth　announced　that　he　was　for　John　Sherman。

A　heated　controversy　arose　between　Mr。　Platt　and　Mr。　Miller；　during　which　Mr。　Platt　said　that　neither　he　nor　any　of　his　friends　would　vote　for　Sherman　if　he　was　nominated。　　Senator　Hiscock；　who　was　always　a　pacifier；　interrupted　them；　saying：　　〃Mr。　Depew　has　said　nothing　as　yet。　　I　suggest　that　we　hear　his　views。〃

Mr。　Platt　and　Mr。　Miller　responded　to　this　suggestion　and　I　replied：　　〃Gentlemen；　New　York　has　given　to　me　its　cordial　and　practically　unanimous　support；　and　I　have　felt　under　the　circumstances　that　I　should　follow　and　not　lead。　　The　situation　which　has　grown　out　of　this　discussion　here　eliminates　two　candidates。　　Without　the　aid　of　Senator　Platt　and　his　friends；　Mr。　Sherman　could　not　carry　New　York。　　Iowa　has　gone　to　the　extreme　of　radical　legislation　which　threatens　the　investment　in　securities　of　her　railroads；　and　New　York　is　such　a　capitalistic　State　that　no　man　identified　with　that　legislation　could　carry　a　majority　of　the　vote　of　its　people；　and　that　makes　Allison　impossible。　There　is　one　candidate　here　who　at　present　apparently　has　no　chance；　but　who；　nevertheless；　seems　to　me　to　possess　more　popular　qualifications　than　any　other；　and　that　is　General　Benjamin　Harrison；　of　Indiana。　　I　do　not　know　him；　never　met　him；　but　he　rose　from　the　humblest　beginnings　until　he　became　the　leader　of　the　bar　of　his　State。　　He　enlisted　in　the　Civil　War　as　a　second　lieutenant；　and　by　conspicuous　bravery　and　skill　upon　the　battle…field　came　out　as　brigadier…general。　　As　United　States　senator　he　became　informed　about　federal　affairs。　　His　grandfather；　President　William　H。　Harrison；　had　one　of　the　most　picturesque　campaigns　in　our　history。　　There　are　enough　survivors　of　that　'hard　cider　and　log　cabin'　canvass　to　make　an　attractive　contribution　on　the　platform　at　every　meeting；　and　thus　add　a　certain　historic　flavor　to　General　Harrison's　candidacy。〃

After　some　discussion　the　other　three　agreed。　　We　reported　our　conclusion　to　the　delegation；　which　by　an　overwhelming　majority　assented　to　the　conclusions　of　the　four　delegates　at　large。　　This　decision　settled　the　question　in　the　convention；　and　after　a　few　ballots　General　Harrison　was　nominated。　　New　York　was　awarded　the　vice…presidency　and　selected　Levi　P。　Morton。

During　Harrison's　administration　I　was　absorbed　in　my　duties　as　president　of　the　New　York　Central　Railroad；　and　was　seldom　in　Washington。　　But　soon　after　his　inauguration　he　sent　to　me　a　member　of　Congress　from　Indiana　with　a　special　message。　　This　congressman　said：　　〃I　come　from　President　Harrison；　and　he　has　instructed　me　to　offer　you　a　place　in　his　Cabinet。　　He　is　anxious　to　have　you　in　his　official　family。〃

I　told　him　that　I　was　not　prepared　to　enter　public　life；　and　while　I　was　exceedingly　gratified　by　the　offer；　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　accept。

The　congressman　said：　　〃I　am　a　poor　man；　but　cannot　understand　how　anybody　can　refuse　to　be　member　of　the　Cabinet　of　the　President　of　the　United　States。　　If　such　an　offer　was　made　to　me；　and　the　conditions　of　our　overruling　Providence　were　that　I　and　my　family　should　live　in　want　and　poverty　for　the　rest　of　our　lives；　I　would　accept　without　hesitation。〃

I　had　met　Benjamin　Harrison　as　we　passed　through　Indianapolis　on　business　during　the　canvass；　for　the　first　time。　　I　was　much　impressed　with　him；　but　his　austerity　appeared　to　those　who　called　upon　him　while　present　upon　official　business。　　I　found　him　one　of　the　most　genial　and　agreeable　of　men；　and　this　impression　was　intensified　when　I　met　him　at　the　White　House。　　At　his　own　table　and　famil