The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-01
Has Been a Long Line of
BeardleSS Presidents.
President Cleveland and His
Simple MOuStache.
Only Three Full Boards ami AbsO-
lutte Bald Heads.

NASitlNnlvN, March - Spcclal. l--Foi
the space of about an hour on Thursday
next there viii be no president of the Unit
cd States. President Cleveland's s term ex,
pircs nc noon of that day, and Prtsder
Mckinley viii not take the oath OF ofiic,
till about or 80 o'clock. No one meet
be nervous concerning this intcrrcgnum
however The government will 90 on n
usual The people who are always borrow
ing trouble about what would happen L
something else happened ask what woule
become of the government If some calam
ity were 10 remove both Major McKinlo,
ard Mr.. Hobart before they took the oath
OF office. Nothing Gt all, save that Secre
tary Olney would become president. There
would be no anarchy, no struggle for pos
session Of the government, no confusion.
a Lone Mustache.
Major Mckinley will be another of til,
long line of smooth faced presidents From
Washington TO Lincoln all of the presidents
but two wore smooth shavcn faces, ano
these two, j. O. Adams and Van Buren,
wore simple, high side whiskers. 1t is
remarkable fact that i'm this country, wher
majority of the men wear mustache
without any other hirsuto adornment, W,
have never had but one president with
mustache and nothing else. That presi
dent is Grover Cleveland. Lincoln wore
chin whiskers and no mustache; Grant
Hayes and Garfield, a full beard; Arthur
a nustache and side whskers; Harrison,
full beard, and Cleveland only \ simpl,
mustachc.
Another singular fact Is that we hav,
never had a baldheaded president as thu
term is generally used. Several of tho ex
ecutives have had bald spots on the top,
of their polls but these were not large
enough 10 attract much attention.
Major Mckinley is not quito mp to tn,
presidential average In stature He is feei
9 inches General Harrison is feet
inches, the shortest president, next TO Mad
ison, who was feet inches Washington
Is said TO have been 9 feet inches, the tall
est Of all tht presidents. Lincoln stood ovei
feet, and so did jackson. Both were ligh,
of weight, however, turning the scales al
about 100 pounds each. Major Mckinley
is said by his friends TO be growing heavier
all the time, and his weight is now about
$50 pounds Cleveland was the heaviest oi
the presidents, tipping the beam at 20t
pounds. A large majority of our presi
dents have bad blue or gray eyes, and Pres
idcnt Mckinley Is no exception TO the rule
Allthe earlier presidents wore embroidered
ana frilled neckwcar. j. q. Adams was
the first 10 wear collar Of any sort. Jack
son mufllCd his throat and neck in black
Arthur was tho only president who though,
10 worth while TO keep upwith the shifting
styles in neckwedr. He was the best dress
ed president, while Zachary Taylor didnr
care what sOrG of clothes nc wore We hay,
had only one rcd haired president, .Jeffor
son. Pierce had very black hair and eyes
and, so fer as personal appearance was con
cernod, IS counted the handsomCst of tn,
presidents.
Another Mothers Boy.
President Mckinley is another mother,
boy in the White House. Though he hae
the advantage of fathers care and com
sci all through his boyEood and carly man
hood, it is well known that his mother ex
ercised most influence upon his character
This appears to have been true of most OF
the presidents. 1t is odd that so few of otn
presidents fathers lived TO see their sons IL
the White House and only few to soc thcii
sons well on the road TO fame
There Is encouragement for the poor boys
OF the country in the fact that nearly all OF
our presidents passed their early life amio
ITtHlANlb NlChln
leys parents wore poor. benjamin Earri
son began his struggle as a lawyer with 8
capital of Sl00 Cleyoland's parents were
In very moderate circumstances. Jackson
had but little education, and in carly life
was exceedingly ignorant. The parents OF
Grant, Fillmore, Johnson Garfield and
Buchanan were not able TO do much il any
thing 10 nolp their sons on the road to sue
(iar6nl1 10 q Ja ,I
johnson was tailor and was taught read
ing, writing and arithmetic by tho young
lady who afterward became his wife; Lin
coins early struggles education -asa |
livelihood are parts of history.
College Educations.
President Mckinley Is another president |
who did not enjoy the advantages Of col
lege education. Neither Washington non
Lincoln passed through college. Fifteen |
presidents-tho Adamses, jefferson, Mad. |
ison, Monroe, the Harrisons, Tyler, Polk, |
Pierce, Buchanan, Grant, Hayes, Garfield |
and Arthur--were college men. William |
and Mary college in Virginia still boasts |
of the greatest number of presidents IN its |
alma mater-tbree. Harvard has two, and |
Sidney, Princeton, University OF |
North Carolina, Bowdoin, Dickinson, West |
Point, Kenyon, Union, Williams and Mi. |
ami one each.
President Mckinley, like most Of his |
predecessors In the White House, was a
soldier. Washington, jackson, w. II. Har.
rison and Taylor were major generals. |
Taylor was n soldier, and nothing but |
soldier. Lincoln was u captain Of militia
IN the Black Hawk war. Garfield was a
major general and Hayes brigadier gen
nral Of volunteers. Pierce was brigadier
general and Benjamin Harrison n brira
licr general by brcvot. Grant was the only |
soldier president educated at West Point
Monroe was n colonel In the Revolution
md was wounded Mt Trenton. Hayes was
wounded four times I'm battle. Harrison
vas slightly wounded at Tippecanoe.
Pierce was thrown from his horse and hurt
N the City Of Mexico. It will thus he
cen that ten or more OF our presidents
won distinction i'm battle.
IL Is n singular fact that no president
vas born I'm "A city. Most Of them were
born on farms or plantations. Nearly all
lf the Presidents early took 10 the study
md urnCticp of law Eighteen prcsidcpts |