Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-02-21
THOSE BUZZING BEES.
THEY EUM ABOUT THE PRESIDENCY IN
AMBITIOUS EARS
Supsrs6iOns Regarding the Highest Office in the
Gift Of the American Psopls-LOs Of Coin
cidencss and Parallels Cited.
spseial oorrspOnd.ne. OF TIE Register.

WASHINGTON, February ls.-Nn nat
has superstition TO do with the election
of a President OF the United States?
Nothing, perhaps, and yet there are
superstitious people who will point out
to you why one man may and another
cannot be elected To the Chief Magis-
tracy, 5asing their opinion on the coin
cidences Of history.
In no other country under the sun
are the people so earnest in their partl-
cipation in politics, so well informed,
so quick TO adapt themselves TO new
conditions. While on the floor OF the
Senate the other day, just after the let
ter OF Mr.. Blaine withdrawing from the
Presidential race had been made public,
Senator Teller said TO me: 1--WE have
dozen candidates here in the Senate.
You may hear the bees buZzing all
round"
The decliuation OF Mr.. Blaine TO be
considered candidate has brought 10
the front a host OF aspirants, many OF
whom are Senators Of the United
States. This reminds me that the accu-
racy OF statement which made in a
letter two or three weeks ago has been
questioned by members OF Congress.
said. In commenting on the large num-
Der of Senators who now aspire TO the
Presidency, that sin the history OF this
country no man had ever been elected
President while sitting in the Senate. "
This statement is entirely accurate.
1t is true that eleven Presidents OF the
United States had been Senators before
entering the White House, but not one
OF them was elected President while a
member of the Senate. Monroe had
been Senator previous 10 the year
1900, but he was not inaugurated Presi-
dent until 1877. John Quincy Adams
was a Senator from Massachusetts, from
1903 10 1909, but it was sixteen years
later that he became President. Andrew
Jackson represented Tennessee in the
Senate from 1923 To 1925, then resigned.
He was elected President in lS2s. Mar
tin Van Buren, was a Senator from ISL
TO 1928, when he resigned. lie was
elected President in 1896.
William Henry Harrison was Sena-
tor from Ohio from 1925 to 1928. lie,
too, resigned, and was elected President
twelve years after leaving the Senate.
John Tyler was twice elected senator
from Virginia, serving from 1877 to
1886, when he resigned. He was elected
Vice President In 1910, and became Pres
ident on the death Of Harrison in lS4l.
Franklin Pierce was Senator from
1887 TO 1912. He also resigned, and was
elected President ton years later. James
Buchanan was elected Senator in 1884
and served till lsi5, when he followed
that which appears TO have been d Gus
tom in the earlier days OF the republic
and resigned his seat. He was elected
President eleven years after leaving the
Senate.
Andrew johnson was Senator from
1857 to March, 1868. In 1864 he was
elected vice president, and succeeded TO
the presidency on the death OF Lincoln
in 1865. James A. Garfield came nearer
than any other President 20 stepping
from the Senate TO the White House. In
January, 1880, be was elected To the
Senate 10 succeed Allen G.. Thurman In
the term beginning March 4, 1851, but
he was that year nominated for and
elected President. and never became a
Senator at all. The latest instance OF the
sort is the case OF President Harrison.
He served as Senator from 1881 TO
1887. A year and half after leaving
the Senate he was elected President.
III the candidates for the Presidency
who now occupy seats on the floor OF
the Senate were at all superstitious,
they would be appalled, by these cita-
lions from history. 1t certainly isa re-
markable fact that In more than one
hundred years Of government not one
Senator has been taken up and elected
President OF the United States. This
may be mere coincidence, or 1t may be
fate brought on by conditions which
have not been studied. The Senate has
throughout our history been composed
OF the greatest, most influential men OF
the country. They have been leaders
OF parties, molders OF public opinion,
and in position TO reach not only the
ears OF the masses, but the managing
men OF parties known as politicians.
Yet not one Senator while a Senator
has been elected President, and with
memorable pertinacity history shows
that the only way there is for a Senator
to reach the summit OF political ambi-
ton in this republic Is to resign or sui.
fer another to be elected In his place.
Possibly careful examination OF condi-
tions might disclose the fact that the
Senate is always full OF men who are
ambitious to reach the Presidency, that
the bee may always be heard buzzing
on the Senate floor, and that rivalry
and jealousy between men who rub
against each other every day may work
TO defeat them all.
The strange fatality which hangs
over Senatorial asplrants TO the Prcsi-
dency is emphasized by consideration OF
Tho Iarga numher NJ Senators who have