The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-07-28
Two Mothers of Presidents.

With the Inauguration Of William
Mckinley as president of the United
States Ohio may claim to take rank
with Virginia as a mother Of Presi-
dents" Virginia may still justly
claim precedence, as the time occupied
in the Presidency by her sons during
the l0S years from 1883 TO 1897 amounts
TO thirty-five years and eleven months,
or almost exactly third of the nation
al life of the republic-a record in point
of time far surprising that of any other
state. The four Presidents duly elected
from Virginia were each reelected.
The fifth, Tyler, was a vice-pHesidential
accident, as were Millard Fillmore and
Chester A. Arthur Of New York, and
Andrew Johnson Of Tennessee. AS
regards Ohio's presidents, the first,
William Henry Harrison, was born in
Virginia, and served but one month;
President Hayes served but one term I;
Garfield served only few months, and
William Mckinley, the last of the four,
is entering upon his first term.
The parallel between Virginia and
Ohio is still further extended in the
fact that six Presidents were born in
each of the States, William Henry
Harrison claiming Virginia as his
birthplace, and Ohio being the native
State of Grant and Benjamin Harrison,
though Grant as president is to be
credited to Illinois and Harrison to
Indiana. In point of eminence and
enduring fame, indeed, Illinois is the
only State that rivals Virginia as re-
CARDS presidents. Lincoln the eman-
cipator, and Grant, the commander,
take a station second only to Wash
ington in American history and in the
affection and admiration of the Amer
lean people, while Ohio's presidents
cannot be said to have left a marked
impress upon the nation. What the
fourth president from Ohio may add to
the luster of the State as president il is
yet 700 early 10 predlct-
In another respect the Inauguration
of William Mckinley is remarkable
in that he is the second president the
famous Western Reserve of Ohio has
furnished the nation. William Nc
kinley was born at Niles, Trumbull
county o., whose chief town, Warren !,
is popularity called the capital of the
Western Reserve. James a. Garfield
was also born in another county (Cuy-
ahoga) of the Western Reserve. A still
more interesting coincidence is that
the eighty-two veterans of the Twenty
third Ohio volunteers who followed
the carriage of the new President as he
rode from the capitol TO the White
House for the second time, had the
happiness of seeing President chosen
from their regiment, Hayes and Me-
Kinley both having belonged TO that
famous organization.
IL it were asked why Virginia and
Ohio have furnished nearly half the
Presidents of the United States the
answer would not be difficult. Vir-
ginia occupied a central position among
the original thirteen States, just as
Ohio for years has occupied a similar
position liz regard to the greater nation.
There are many other reasons that
may be adduced for the preference
shown these two great COmmonwealths
in the matter of the Presidency but rank
in population and central location were
great general factors, especially as re-
CARDS Ohio, aud these elements are
likely TO be more and more prominent
in the election of Presidents in the fu-
ture. The question of availability"
is always prominent one in President
making, and availability takes into
consideration the prominence and To-
cation Of the State, as well as the char
acter and fitness of the man.-Chicago
Record