The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-03-20
GEN. BENJAMIN HARRISON.
Interesting Sketch of His Life
and Character by q Southerner.

son that he gave as much to his famil
Tame as he derived from it, if M
more. The campaign Joke that h
wore "h his grandfalher's hat" vile
he first ran for President was evidenc
either OF ignorance or malice on tn
part OF those who made it. The grand
father was a good Old Virginia gentle
man, who became an accidenta, Pres
ident, and by the mercy of Gou va
transferred to another sphere of ac
tion month after his Inauguration
BenJamin Harrison was as much able
man than his grandfather as the grea
Napoleon was ADLER than his nephew
WHO mesmerized Europe with his name
benjamin Harrison certainly was one
OF the ablest men of the Republican
party for fifteen yeals before his deaf h
and that period Tapped over into The
careers of Conkliug, Blaine and Sher
man. He was as great a lawyer as
Conkling, as good a debater as Blaine
and better all-round political leader
than John Sherman ever was. AS to
hls legal ability, l heard Daniel w.
Ycorhces declare, eff you do not thinS
ben Harrison Is lawyer, pick out q
man to meet HIM either before Jury
or the supreme court of the United
States. l have tackled him in both
places, and have had enough of him.
AS debater he proved himself the
peer OF any III the Senate, and hc was
there when Ben Hill, Allen G.. Thur.
man. Matt Carpenter and William Nj.
Evarts adorned that body. Ills Re-
publican colleagues had sense enough
to put him IN the lead of their assault
upon President Cleveland in 1886
when the Senate demanded the reasons
for the removal of Presidential ap-
pointees. OF course, Cleveland did
not comply with the demand, but the
incident led to one Of the most in.
teresting and most brilliant debates
ever heard III the upper house of Con-
gress. Harrison closed for the pros
ecution of the then administration.
His speech was full of eloquence and
power. He surpassed Edmunds, he
distanced Sherman, he made Hawley
seem insignificant.
That speech luade Harrison Presi-
dent. lie went into the Republican
convention of 1888 with q vote smaller
than Of two other candidates, bat was
the second choice of a majority of
both the Blaine and the Sherman men.
The cool.headed men of his party re-
Sarded him as the strongest candidate
they could present. He had all i'm
measurable advantage of Blaine in the
cleanness of both his public and private
life. He was never a gusher, but lie
appealed to the masses far more than
sherman. 1t is now an open secret
that The nomination of Harrison in
1883 was an alarm TO the Democratic
leaders. They realized that the wicked
Republicans had put up their most
available man. They have mean
habit Of doing that.
Harrison's election TO the Presi-
daGcy was due to the advanced STAND,
President Cleveland TOOK on the tariff.
The Harrison administration was clean
and strong. When he left the Presi-
dency General Harrison returned to the
practice of law and has followed il ever
since with great success. His practice
is said to have been one of the most
lucrative in this country.
General Harrison had highly sue
cessful career as soldier, entering
the Union Amy as second lieutenant
OF Indiana volunteers; served through
the war, receiving the breyet of bri.
gadier general January 90, 1865. He
was fighting officer. He took con-
spicuous part in the campaign about
Atlanta. He always had q turn for
politics, and soon after the war became
leader of the Republican party in his
State.
He was first brought into national
prominence by his nomination for
Governor of Indiana in 1876. God
love s. Orth was the original nominee
of the Republicans for the office that
year, but some Objectionable things in
his record were brought out and he
withdrew. Harrison was then put
against "Blue Jeans' Williams, and
was defeated by 1000 votes.
In 1880 he was elected United States
Senator. and soon became one of the
foremost men in the Senate. During
the six years he was there no man in
the Senate took more active part in
the debates of that body, or was held
in higher respect by both sides of the
chamber.
Personally General Harrison was
admired by all who knew him. His
character was above reproach and few
men had more devoted friends. In
indianapolis, where he lived almost all
of his mature life, he was honored and
beloved by his fellow citizens of all
parties.
The somewhat general notion that
General Harrison was an austere, cold
natured man was far from correct. He
possessed great dignity and despiscd
pretense and gush But he was always
appronchable and his nature was cor.
dial. He loved society and was one OF
the best table takers in the country. He
had keen sense of humor, which
often displayed itself in very attrac
tive manner. He was, in fact, yer,
companion able, sympathetic man, wh'
won the affection as well as the con
fdence and esteem of those who knew
him well.
General Harrison had not been il
sympathy with his party, as repre-
sented by the present administration
He made no cOncealment of his cor
demnation of Its policies regarding tn
Philippines, Porto Rico and Cubs
On the contrary he condemned ther
in very strong terms in several potabl
public addresses and review articles.
TT u