Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-11-23
WIDOWS OF PRESIDENTS.
Wives of CHI eff Magistrates Live Long
than Their Husbands.

Lives of Presidents remind us that as
rule they are much shorter than those
of their wives. At this time there is but
one person living who was elected Presi-
dent of the republic, yet there are several
widows of Presidents and there are few
and gracious wife still survive in good
health. Mrs. Harrison lives, but the
Mrs. Harrison who entered the white
house in 1889 ended her life there. Ar
thur was a widower when he became
President, but Mrs. Garfield and Mrs.
Grant are still living. Mrs. Lincoln lived
until recently and it is not long since
Mrs. Tyler and Mrs. Polk died.
Not counting assasSinatiOns, Presidents
elected in the last sixty years have been
short-lived, or at least have net long sur
vived their incumbency. Harrison died
in office, but Tyler lived longer after
leaving the white house than most of his
successors. Polk lived but a few months
after his term, Taylor died in office and
Fillmore did not long survive. Pierce
was the youngest man up to his time who
entered the white house. and died a COM
paratively young man. Buchanan was an
older man and his demise was not unex-
pected. Lincoln was assassinated and
johnson died soon after his term ended,
just as he was about to take his seat in
the Senate, the only ex-President so hon
ored. Grant survived his term eight
years, Hayes a somewhat longer time,
Arthur died comparatively young man
and Harrison, though not young, was
supposedly vigorous. McKinley's untime-
ly death completes the list.
The burdens of the office Of President
are great, and as it is usually reached
only after many years OF labor in field
craftsmanship, it is not unnatural THAI
the vitality of the incumbent is Slapped.
In four years Mckinley had aged more
than business man would in ten. With
the wife of the President the situation is
different. There are few months in the
year when the duties of hospitality are
somewhat taxing to the strength, bur
during the rest she has no cares and re-
sponsibilities except those of a domestic
kind. The housekeeping is largely done
for her and if she had a comfortable
home her years might be those of pleas.
antness and peace. Unfortunately, thu;
white house now is no larger than it was
century ago, while the increasing de-
mands of the public service have turned
most of its rooms into offices. Surely
this great and rich nation might provide
for its President and his family accom-
mOdations equal to that of the ordinary
prosperous business man. When the
Roosevelt family moves into the white
house it will be cramped as never before.
and II there Is to be a guest room the
children will have to sleep in closets or
ON cots and trundle beds. There has
been much complaint on this score by
past mistresses of the mansion, but now
that there are more children to be &C.
commodated than ever before the new
mistress of the white house will often
sigh for the roomy house on Sycamore
Hill, where, until recently, her family
was amply accommodated.
The late Mrs. Harrison worked long to
get Congress to enlarge the white house.
Though many plans were laid none have
ever been carried out. 1t is not likely
that Congress will much longer persist
in refusing the commonest comforts to
the chief magistrate of the nation.