Arizona republican., 1892-03-12

man he defeated for that office wrested the presidency from him. David Davis while senator was presidential aspirant, and so were Thomas II. Hendricks and Joseph Mcdonald, both of Indiana.
 If all these names which stand for disappointed ambitions to use the senate a3 stepping stone to the presidency are not enough to discourage the eminent Republican and Democratic senators who now aspire to travel the same diff cult pathway, lot them turn to the great John sherman who sits with them, who has been more than a quarter of cen tury senator, who is now the Nestor of public life in America, who has sought the presidency year after year under many favorable conditions, and who now says to his intimate friends: "It is a delusive thing, will-o'-the-wisp. am done with the presidential ambition | forever"
 Still, hope springs eternal in the hu- man heart, and while every one knows that history repeats itself, no one can tell how soon it may indulge in new de- partures. Hence Senators Hill, Cor man, Palmer, McPherson, Carlisle, Stanford, Cullom, Allison, Villas and the others need not despair One of them may be happy yet
 Mir. Blaine's letter declaring that he will not be candidate for the presiden- tial nomination has revived the old tra- dition concerning the i'll luck that hangs over the office of secretary of state. Considered in the light of the history of the last half century, it is not a post which brings the presidency as re- ward. Six secretaries of state-Jeffer- son, Madison, Monroe. J. o. Adams, Van Buren and Buchanan have become presidents, but only one of these, Buch- anan, was elected within the last half century. It is somewhat remarkable that in fifty years not one man who had ever sat in a presidential ministry has been promoted to the head of the table in this country.
 Some people make an exception of General Grant, who was for short time acting secretary of war, but that was mere incident of his military serv- ice and is not worth considering. Many members of the cabinet-Seward, Chase, Cameron, Bristow, Gresham, Lincoln, sherman, Windom, Bayard and others have aspired to the presidency, but in vain.
 There being some talk of the nomina- tion of Robert Lincoln for president, it is astonishing how many public men there are who believe Lincoln will some day succeed to the office in which his father won imperishable renown. It is, on tue contrary, recalled by the superstitioris that not since the days of John Quincy Adams has foreign minister of the United States been elected president, with the single exception of Buchanan.
 Seven vice presidents have reached the higher office-John Adams, Jeffer- son and Van BUren, who were elected to it, and Tyler, Fillmore, Johnson and Arthur, who succeeded the four presi- dents who died in office
 It is somewhat remarkable that among all the prominent candidates now being talked of for the presidential nomina- tions of the two parties this year only three - President Harrison, Senator Palmer and General Alger-have had military experience. Of the twenty three presidents of the republic twelve had military training and rank Washing ton was commander of the armies, Mon- roe q captain, Jackson and William Henry Harrison major generals, Taylor general of the army, Pierce brigadier general, Lincoln a captain, Grant gen eral of the army, Hayes a brigadier gen eral, Garfield major general. Arthur and Harrison bIigadier generals
 In these days, when president making is occupying so much of the attention of the people, and the records and merits of various candidates are under consid- eration, it is interesting to recall that of our twenty-three presidents sixteen were members of the legislature, seventeen were in congress and ten had been gov. ernors of states
 To those who are looking for coinci- dences and parallels in the matter of age the following facts will be interesting: President Harrison is 59; MT Cleveland, 53; Senator Palmer, "A; Senator Ali son, 63; Senator Cullom, G2 Senator Carlisle, 5B. The youngest president was Grant, who was 47 when inaugu- rated. Cleveland was 4S; Garfield and Pierce, 49; Polk and Fillmore. 30; Arthur and Tyler, 5l; Lincoln, j2; Hayes, 54; Van Buren and Benjamin Harrison, 55; Washington and Johnson, 57; Jefferson, Madison and ] c. Adams, jS; Monroe, 50: John Adams and Jackson, G2; Taylor, 65; Buchanan, G6, and William Henry Harrison, 6S. The average age of the presidents at inauguration was nearly 56 years. Mir. Cleveland will be 56 years old March IS next, and the superstitious might on this coincidence select him for winner if he had not already been once inaugurated at 4S.
 In the presidential gossip of the day at tho national capital, the failure of the speakership of the house as road to the White House has often been con- mented on since the appearance of Mr. Blaine's letter Only one man who had presided over the house of representa- tives has reached the chief magistracy, and that was James K. Polk. Two of America's most brilliant sons are always mentioned in connection with this super stition.
 Henry Clay and James G. Blaine were in their prime, dashing. magnetic men; both were sent to the legislature while young, and they became the speakers of H.. Fl,nrs