Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-05
THE CANDIDATES.
Brief Sketches of the Republ can Canai.
dates for President and vice-President.
BENJAMIN r. HARRISON

The CANDIDATES.
Brief Sketches of the Republ can Canas.
dates for President and vice-President.
BENJAMIN 81. HARRISON.
Harrison IS an historic name, going back to
the earliest days OF Virginia colonial history.
Benjamin Harrison, of Virginia, was a member
OF the House of Bu-gesses and later OF the Co
ionial Congress. Apatriot Of the revolutionary
period, he was one OF the Sicners OF the Dec
laration Of Independence, was three times
elected Governor Of Virginia and was a mem
Der Of the convention that ratified the Consti-
tuition His son. William Henry Harrison, SOL
der and statesman, was the ninth President of
the United States John Scott Harrison. son
Of the President, vas the father OF General
Harrison. the subject OF this sketch.
General Harrison was born August 20, 1888,
on the Harrison homestead near Nort1 Bend,
few miles below Cincinnati. where his father
and grandfather were tiliing the farm 10 which
the latter had retired after long career as
Governor of The Northwestern Territory and in
Congress-. Young Benjamin was seven years
old wnen his GRANDPA her was elected Presi-
dent in the famous logcabin and hard-cider
campaign
John Scott Harrison was n farmer who was
several times elected county clsrk-and his
sons were reared Us farmers. too. Young Ben
attended the district school till he was fifteen,
and then entered Miami University Oxford, o.,
where, despite his youthfulnesS. he made rapid
progress in ais studies. At eighteen he gradu-
ted, and immediately took up the study of law
in the Office Of Judge Bethany Storer, OF Cincin-
natl, and her. again manifested such unusual
application that ne was admitted 10 the bar
before he had reached his majority. Not only
that, but he had married as well, and his TWEEN
ty-hrst birthday found him Il man of family and
practically without resources having only 81 o
or S3H, advanced him by his father But the
youth had always felt confidence in his ability
to take care OF himself" AMI that same year
made his appearance in indianapolis 10 coa-
mence the practice of law.
His was not an imposing figure at that time
little, slender fellow, with n smooth face, big,
tow-white head, no neck TO speak of. and eniy
the rather incredible fact that he had 4 wife
saved him from being mistaken for q schoolbOy.
He was poor, too, and for long time lived in
three rooms in little old house, still standing.
in Vermont stress, near Alabama. Yet he was
successful, almost from the start, One OF his
earliest empiOymeuts was by the Democratic
Governor, 10 seph A Wright, in a legislative
investigation, wherein he displayed much abii-
lily. Then he was so fortunate as 70 be selected
Tor assistant prosecutor in the case of the WOm-
an charged with poisoning man at the old
Ray House-a case which excited reat deal OF
public interest. His success in that brought
him clients, and Of them he has since had no
one OF the foremost lawyers in the State, and
now that the Hendricks firm IS broken up and
ex-senator Mcdonald largely out of law, he
may be said. with the possible exception OF
John NJ. Butler, 10 stand at the head of MS pro-
fession in Indiana
When the war broke out he was still poor
man with wife and two children to maintain.
In 1860 he was elected reporter of the Supreme
Court but in 1862 he left that comfortable
tn fax in, 4ha fal,l
company and was soon promoted to be Colonel
OF the regiment which WAS eventually assigned
to Woods brigade Of the twentieth army corps.
He took part in the various campaigns of 1852
and 1873 in the middle district but saw no very
exciting service until the AtlantI campaign.
When Sherman began pushing Joe Johnston
south from Chattanooga Harrison's regiment
took its share in the rough and tumble work,
being credited with the capture of some guns
at Resaco. One of his biographers says:
Though mere boy in appearance and slight
OF frame, he had square shoulders and pow
eriul arm. He was an CJd-looAing figure 1T
that time, slender. with big, tow white head
short neck and short legs. He used to ride q
large horse. too, and can remember hearing
him laughed al a good deal. But he had the re-
spect and confidence of all He was exceed
ingly tenacious OF his rights; or, rather, of the
rights of his command. He insisted on having
for his boys the best camping place and the
best OF supplies and accOutrements He as
young and inexperienced and knew little OF the
arts Of war, but he had learned what his rights
were, and in his quiet way he insisted upon
having them, and invariably succeeded"
His commission as Brigadier General was won
at the battle of Peach Tree creek before the
outworks of Atlanta. In the fall OF 1854. after
the fall OF Atlanta General Harrison, in CON-
mon with Logan, Blair and others, whom Old
Tecumseh styled his political Generals" OBJ
tanned a leave of absence and came North to
stump the State for the Republican party. re-
joining his command afterward and serving till
the end of the war.
Returning 10 Indianapolis, he soon laid the
foundation for law business so lucrative that
in 1868 he declined to run again for reporter Of
the Supreme Court.
In 1876 the central committee named him for
Governor d ring his absence from the State,
Godlove Ortiz. the nominee OF the conyen ion,
having withdrawn. The outlook was a most
unfavorable one, but General Harrison accepted
the responsibility and made a vigorous CAM
paign. That was the year of Tilden and Hen
bricks, and Of course Harrison was beaten.
This campaign greatly extended his acquaint-
ance and reputation among the people, and he
was now recognized as a leader.
In the convention OF 1880 his name was men,
toned for President, without espe ial promin-
ence. In the same year he was elected TO the
United States Senate. He is fairly effective
speaker but not an orator.
LEVI p. MORTON.
Levi P. Morton. the wealthy New York
banker. was born at Stoneham, VT. May 16,
1924, and is therefore sixty-four years old. He
had all the advantages of an academic educa-
ton, and at the age of twenty-one embarked in
mercantile business at Hanover, n. II. Five
years later he removed to Boston, and in 1854
turned up in New York City, where he showed
q thrifty turn. becoming a banker in 1863. He
was an honorary commissioner to the Paris Elk
position in 1873 and was elected to Congress-
from New York in the same year. He resi2ne6
shortly hefnre the exniratinn of his term To &C