Presidential Problems

by Grover Cleveland

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

158 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1904

About the author

Stephen Grover Cleveland was the twenty-second and twenty-fourth President of the United States. Cleveland is the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms (1885–1889 and 1893–1897). He was the winner of the popular vote for President three times—in 1884, 1888, and 1892—and was the only Democrat elected to the Presidency in the era of Republican political domination that lasted from 1860 to 1912. Cleveland's admirers praise him for his honesty, independence, integrity, and commitment to the principles of classical liberalism. As a leader of the Bourbon Democrats, he opposed imperialism, taxes, subsidies and inflationary policies, but as a reformer he also worked against corruption, patronage, and bossism.

Some of Cleveland's actions caused controversy even within his own party. His intervention in the Pullman Strike of 1894 in order to keep the railroads moving angered labor unions, and his support of the gold standard and opposition to free silver alienated the agrarian wing of the Democrats. Furthermore, critics complained that he had little imagination and seemed overwhelmed by the nation's economic disasters—depressions and strikes—in his second term. Even so, his reputation for honesty and good character survived the troubles of his second term. In the words of his biographer, Allan Nevins, "in Grover Cleveland the greatness lies in typical rather than unusual qualities. He had no endowments that thousands of men do not have. He possessed honesty, courage, firmness, independence, and common sense. But he possessed them to a degree other men do not."

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Holy cow -- Grover Cleveland is a long-winded (and seemingly self-serving) of presidential writers. No issue can be written about without long sentences and vague but pompous words, and I regret to say without also being narrow-minded.

For example, he talks about all the work he did to resolve the Pullman strike except for actually talking to the strikers or the Pullman company. At the same time, he denies that workers for the Pullman company (a company dedicated to making rail cars and staffing the Pullman sleeping cars and parlor cars) could possibly legitimately join a "railroad" union. This is inconceivable: the company is entirely devoted to the railroad way of life; how could it not be a "railroad" company. And Cleveland isn't just stating a preference; he comes right out and declares that no right-thinking person could ever disagree.

[Marian]

Own the 1904 1st edition published by The Century Co. owned previously by Connecticut College, with their bookplate on the front inside cover and their stamp on the title page.