美国总统22 格罗弗·克利夫兰.docx

美国总统22格罗弗克利夫兰GroverCleveland:Repeatedplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-10:51repeatByKellyJeanKelly30July,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutGroverCleveland.WhenAmericansrememberhim,itismostlybecausehemakeswritingpresidentialtimelinesdifficult.Clevelandwasthenation's22ndpresident,andalsoits24th.HeremainstheonlyU.S.presidenttodatewhosesecondtermdidnotimmediatelyfollowthefirst.Clevelandisalsonotablebecauseofhispersonallife,andbecauseheheldofficeduringoneofthecountry'sworsteconomiccrises.EarlylifeStephenGroverClevelandwasborninthenortheasternstateofNewJerseyandgrewupmostlyinNewYork.Hewasamiddlechildinafamilyofninechildren.Hisfatherwasaminister,andthefamilydidnothavemuchmoney.Asaresult,Clevelandhadlittleformaleducation.Hewasoneofthefewpresidentswhodidnotgotocollege.Buthewasabletobecomealawyer.Heearnedenoughmoneyanddevelopedagoodprofessionalimage.Intime,hebecameasheriff,amayor,andthegovernorofthestateofNewYork.Inhisearlylife,Clevelanddidnotmarryandhavechildren.Instead,hehadmanyfriends,withwhomheenjoyedhunting,fishing,andeatinganddrinkinginrestaurants.Cleveland'sfriendscalledhim"BigSteve"and"UncleJumbo.,ButClevelanddidhavearelationshipwithawidownamedMariaHalpin.ShebecamepregnantandsaidClevelandwasthebaby'sfather.Clevelandsaidhewasnotsureifhewas.However,hegavethechildsomefinancialsupport,thenameofoneofhisclosestfriends,andhisownfamilyname.ThechildwascalledOscarFolsomCleveland.Shortlyaftertheboywasborn,hismotherwassenttoaninstitutionforthementallyunstable.Doctorsquicklyconfirmedthathermentalhealthwasfine,buthersonwastakenfromherandraisedbyanotherfamily.ThestoryaboutHalpinandthechildbecameanissueintheelectionof1884.TheDemocraticPartyhadnominatedClevelandastheircandidateforpresident.Ingeneral,voterslikedhismessageoflimitingfederalspending,reducingthepowerofwealthyinterests,andstoppingpoliticalcorruption.Somecalledhim"GrovertheGood."ButCleveland'sopponentssaidhishistorywithMariaHalpinshowedthathewasanimmoralman.Atanti-Clevelandrallies,Republicanschanted,"Ma,mazwhere'smyPa?"Paisanotherwordforfather.ButClevelanddidnotcommentmuchonthematter.HisdefenderssaidCleveland'shonestyasapublicofficialwasmoreimportantthanhisbadjudgmentasaprivatecitizen.Votersseemedtoagree.Clevelandnarrowlywontheelection.HissupportersansweredtheRepublicans'chantsof"where'smyPa?"bysaying,"GonetotheWhiteHouse,ha,ha,ha!"FirstpresidentialtermGroverCleveland'spresidencywasunusualbecausehedidnotwanttousetheofficetoproposelaws.Instead,hemostlyaimedtokeepthefederalgovernmentoperatingefficiently.Healsowantedtolimitlawmakers'powertohelpspecialinterestgroups.Asaresult,Clevelandvetoedmanybillsinhisfirstterm.HesetarecordatthattimeforsayingnotoproposalsfromCongress.Oneofthefewideasthathesupportedwasreducingtariffs.ManyofhisfellowDemocratslikedthatidea,too.ButanumberofRepublicansdidnot.Inthenextelection,theircandidate,BenjaminHarrisonzdefeatedCleveland.ClevelandreturnedtobeingalawyerinNewYork.In1892zClevelandwaschosentorunagainstBenjaminHarrisonagain.Thetariffissuereturned:theRepublicans'protectivetariffshadhurtsomeindustries,andvotersansweredthistimebyvotingHarrisonoutofoffice.ClevelandreturnedtotheWhiteHouse.Butthistimehewasnotalone.WhiteHouseWeddingTwoyearsintohisfirsttermaspresident,Clevelandmarriedthedaughterofhisclosefriend,OscarFolsom.Thebride'snamewasFrancesFolsom.Shewas21yearsoldatthetime.Thepresidentwas49.Clevelandwasnotthefirstpresidenttogetmarriedwhileinoffice.ButhewasthefirstonetobemarriedintheWhiteHouse.Theeventcaptivatedthepublic.What'smore,Americansadoredthenewfirstlady.Shewasknownforbeingsocial,charming,andbeautiful.HistoriansconcludethatshewasthemostpopularfirstladysinceDolleyMadison.Sheremainstheyoungest.SecondpresidentialtermWhentheClevelandsreturnedtotheWhiteHouse,thecountrywasenteringasevereeconomicrecession.Someofthecountry'sbiggestbusinesseswerefailing,includingarailroadandmanybanks.Asaresult,investorswithdrewtheirmoneyfromthestockmarket.Thewithdrawalcausedmanyotherbusinessestofail.TheseriesofeventsisknownasthePanicof1893.Soon,moreandmoreAmericanswereoutofwork.Manycouldnotaffordhousesorfood.SomebeggedPresidentClevelandtointervene.Buthedeclined.Hedidnotthinkitwastheroleofthefederalgovernmenttocreatejobsinordertoreversethedepression.However,Clevelanddidusethepowerofthefederalgovernmenttointerveneduringafamouslaborstrike.Inthatevent,workersinChicagowhohelpedkeepthetrainsoperatingwalkedoutoftheirjobs.Theywereprotestingamajordecreaseintheirpaythatdidnotincludeadecreaseintheirlivingexpenses.Sincetheownerofthecompanyalsocontrolledthepriceofhousingandfood,workersappealedtohimtotreatthemmorefairly.Butthecompanyownerrefusedeventomeetwiththeworkers.Soon,theworkers'boycottgrew.Workersatotherrailyardsstoppedworking.Farmerscouldnotgettheirgoodstomarket,andotherscouldnotgetthesuppliestheyneeded.Eventhemailstoppedbeingdelivered.SoClevelandsentfederaltroopstobreakthestrike.Intheshortterm,Cleveland'sactionsworked.Thetrainsmovedagain,andboththecourtsandmostofthepublicagreedwiththepresident'sdecision.Butinthelongterm,Cleveland'shandlingofthepanic,depression,andworkers'strikelostthesupportofmanyvoters.Atthenextopportunity,theyvotedhimoutoftheWhiteHouseagain.Cleveland'sLegacyClevelandreturnedtoNewYorkzandlatersettledinalargehouseinPrincetonzNewJersey.There,hewrote,madespeeches,satoncorporateboards,becameatrusteeofPrincetonUniversityandenjoyedtherespectofthepeoplewholivedinthetown.Hediedatage71ofproblemswithhisstomach,heart,andkidneys.Severalpeoplesaidhisfinalwordswere,"Ihavetriedsohardtodoright."Thenandnow,manypeopleagreedwiththatidea.Clevelandwasgenerallyanhonestmanwhoworkedhardandtriedtoactindependentlyaspresident.ButheisnotconsideredoneofAmerica'sbestleaders.Hedidnothaveaclearideaabouthowtoguidethecountry.Yettheopposingparty,atleast,mayhaveconsideredCleveland'spresidencyasuccess.AfterCleveland'sfinalelectiondefeat,sixofthenextsevenpresidentswereRepublicans.mKellyJeanKelly.KellyJeanKellywrotethisstoryforLearningEnglish.MarioRitterwastheeditor.Wewanttohearfromyou.WritetousintheCommentsSection.WordsinThisStorywidow-n.awomanwhosehusbandhasdiedimmoral-adj.notmorallygoodorright:morallyevilorwrongtariffs-n.ataxongoodscomingintoorleavingacountrycaptivate-v.toattractandholdtheattentionofsomeonebybeinginterestingorprettytrustee-n.amemberofagroupthatmanagesthemoneyofanorganization