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Stephen Grover Cleveland March 18, 1837- June 24, 1908 Democrat Terms of Office: (1885-1889), (1893-1897) Vice Presidents: Thomas A. Hendricks (1885), Adlai E. Stevenson (1893-1897)

Grover Cleveland deserves a C- for his presidency. Cleveland deserves this grade due to the fact that he could not accomplish hardly anything major as president. The majority of Cleveland’s two terms were spent putting out economic and social fires, some of which he caused. Cleveland faced major adversity with the Panic of 1893 as well as with labor issues like the march of Coxey’s Army and the Pullman Strike. Cleveland saw moderate success with his handling of the border dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela and with his improvements to the United States Navy. Cleveland was always a very honest, moral, and trustworthy president, however he failed to make any truly significant economic decisions and therefore deserves a C-.

Cleveland’s goals during his presidency were to lower the protective tariffs, maintain the gold standard, and return dignity to the office of the presidency. Cleveland also had little sympathy for workers like farmers and laborers. Cleveland vetoed more bills than all the presidents before him combined, many of which dealt with labor or money. Cleveland was unsuccessful in his attempts to lower the tariffs due to lack of support in the Senate. Cleveland did maintain America’s gold standard with actions like repealing the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. Cleveland faced many consequences from his ignorance towards labor issues and faced difficult economic situations as a result.

Throughout his first term Cleveland’s fellow Democrats held the majority in the House but did not have control of the Senate. In his second term the Democrats held control of Congress for the first two years but then lost their majority for the last two years. Early in his first term Cleveland vetoed multiple acts of legislation that opposed his goals. Early on Cleveland vetoed the Dependent Pension Bill, gave pensions to those serving in the military more than ninety days and the Texas Seed Bill, giving $10,000 to struggling farmers. Cleveland vetoed dozens of pieces of legislation which gained him numerous enemies in Congress. Later in his presidency Cleveland did agree with Congress in repealing the Sherman Silver Purchase Act during the struggles of the Panic of 1893.

The decision that Cleveland made that had the most positive outcome was most likely his role in improving the U.S. Navy. Cleveland saw the flaws in the American naval ships that were being built. Cleveland and some of his officials discontinued the building of inferior ships. Cleveland was looking to modernize the U.S. Navy for the protection of American naval interests. The improvement and modernization of the navy strengthened the U.S. military for years after Cleveland’s administration. The decision from Cleveland’s administration that brought the largest negative consequences was his constant disregard for the needs and wants of farmers and laborers. Cleveland vetoed administration that would have benefitted these groups and gave struggling workers no support. Cleveland was faced with huge labor issues like Coxey’s Army marching on D.C. and the violent Pullman Strike.

The decision from President Cleveland’s administration that had the largest effect on future presidents was Cleveland’s avid support of the gold standard in America. Cleveland supported the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act which no longer allowed silver notes to be cashed in for gold. Cleveland felt that maintaining the gold standard could end the Panic of 1893. This did not have much success as farms, banks, and railroads across the country faltered and failed. The desire to maintain the gold standard and the continued struggles of the Panic of 1893 carried over into the administrations of President McKinley and others.

Overall, President Cleveland deserves the grade of a C- for his presidency. Cleveland did not do enough to try and stop the troubles of the Panic of 1893. Cleveland also presented more setbacks for the struggles between big business and laborers. Cleveland helped the nation partially by improving the navy and by resolving the border dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela. Cleveland simply did not do enough to improve the nation as a whole. Cleveland worsened the economic and social troubles that faced the nation. Cleveland did not improve the situation in America at all and thus deserves a grade of a C-.

Works Cited
 * Smith, Carter. //Presidents: all you need to know//. New York: Hylas Publishing, 2006. Print.