The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-03-26
WEATHER INFLUENCE
sAMERIOA's GREATEST MEN WE'RE
BORN IN COLD MONTHS
Nineteen Presidents Of the United States
came Into the World In the Winter
Half of the Yesr-some Interesting
Jtatistics.

The theory that great men are usu-
ally born in the cold half of the year,
from October to March inclusive, gains
point through the fact that President
Roosevelt first saw the light in Octo-
Der, says Rene Bache in the Saturday
Evening Post. Nineteen presidents of
the United States came into the world
in these months, while only six were
born between April 1 and September
80
Following is the record:
January-McKinley, Fillmore.
February-Washingt w. H. Har-
Tfson, Lincoln.
March - Madison, jackson, Tyler,
Cleveland.
April-Jefferson, Monroe, Buchanan.
Grant.
May-None.
July-None.
August-Benjamin Harrison.
r Septem ber-None.
October - John Adams, Hayes, Ar
thur, Roosevelt.
November-Polk, Taylor, Pierce, Gar.
field.
December-Van Buren,, Johnson.
1t will be observed that only two
presidents were born in the five
months from May to September inclu-
sive. February on the other hand,
which is said to have produced many
of the worlds greatest men, gave us
Washington and Lincoln.
An inspection of the birthday record
of the new congress affords some inter-
esting data in this connection. In the
brief autobiOgraphies published in the
Congressional Directory, which are fur
nished by the legislators themselves,
fifty-five representatives and senators
refrain from mentioning the month in
which they were born. This is only a
small proportion of the whole, how
ever, and, taking the statements of the
others, it appears that the greatest
number Of members of the lower house
first saw daylight in March-thirty
seven in all, including the speaker. The
smallest number, seventeen, made their
debut in April.
1t does not seem to be the case, how
ever that winter enjoyed any marked
superiority in the way of opportunities
for giving birth to the members of the
present congress, inasmuch as, out of
the whole number reporting on the
subject, 1913 came into the world be-
tween Oct. and March 81. and l91 be-
tween April l and Sept. 3O-a differ
ence of only seven in favor of the cold
part of the year.
From this fact vhe conclusion must
be drawn that either the winter birth
day theory is incorrect, or else that the
members of the new congress. gener-
ally speaking, are not really and truly
great men, One naturally accepts the
former alternative rather than a belief
SO painful as the latter would be.
A study of the photographs above
referred to yields much information of
curious interest. Forty-two members
Gncluding senators and representa-
tives) were brought up on the farm.
One representative-Jame c. Needham
of Modesto Cal.-was born at Carson
New, in an emigrant wagon, his par
ents being en- route across the plains
to California
One member, Julius Kahn of San
Francisco, was for ten years an actor
and played with Edwin Booth, Joseph
Jefferson, Salvini, Mr.. and Mrs. w. ].
Florence, and other well-known stars. -
John J. Gardner of New Jersey was
reared waterman" and Senator
George G. Perkins of California, having
gone to sea at II years Of age was
cabin boy and sailor for number of
years..