Newport weekly independent., 1903-10-23

If little collection of trustworthy maxims could be published under the title, How to Become President" it would be a help to those rare boys who begin early to think of what they would like to be, and it might set some boys to thinking of pres idential chances who now never give the matter passing thought. But the winning of the presidency is not one of those exact arts for which the directions can be set out like lessons in school book. Thus far we have had but 20 chosen presidents; for five of the presidents, so-called, have been vice presidents, succeeding to the powers and duties of presidents who died within their terms of office. Twenty is small number from which to extract a rule for the selec- tion of presidents, and six of the 20 had already been chosen under the social distinctions prs liling down to the time when Jacks n, an idol of the rude and hardy settlers, who were transferring the political su- premacy from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi valley, brought in the era of the ''poor boy" Yet the req sons why the 20 chosen ones became preferred to others must throw some light on the kinds of men and lives most likely to lead to the pres idency.
 Washington was chief of the men who had carried the young nation to independence through the revolu- tionary war, and when the people de- cided to have a president they had no room in their minds or hearts for anybody but him. He would have been president for life if he had not insisted upon retiring when he felt that he could leave the office without injury to the country.
 Presidents John Adams, Jefferson and Madison were all illustrious statesmen of the revolutionary pe- riod, and each was the natural and proper choice of the party that elect ed him in behalf of the nation. Presidents Monroe and John Quincy Adams were both statesmen of dis | tinguished character and service with high claims upon the whole peo- pie and stronger claims than any of their competitors upon the party to which they belonged.
 President Jackson, coming up early from the humber ranks of the peo- pie, had gained great fame and pop ularity as a military and political T.. T oF | o1 He was a man of violent passions and prejudices, but, like the gentler Lincoln of after years, a man of many virtues and of rare strength of character, and a lover of truth, honesty and the interests of his country. Following the examples of Washington and Jefferson, he refused to serve for more than two terms, and l gladly went into retirement at the zenith of his power over the govern ment and people.
 President Van Buren was a man of winning manners, and of great pop ularity; hewas renowned as manager of political affairs, and having been a loyal and most valuable helper to Jack son, the latter, in return, did all he could to make his friends succession to the presidency easy and sure.
 President William Henry Harrison was much like Jackson in the great hold he had upon the masses through his military fame; but he was a weli- bred man, and amiable to all men and parties. He was old when the great office came to him at last, and died only monh after the date of his in- auguratiOn.
 Presidents Polk, Pierce and Hayes were men of esteemed private charac- ter and creditable standing in politics. Their positions in public life were too moderate to give them hopes of the presidency, but their party leaders chose them as compromise candidates when unable to agree upon statesmen of greater fame.
 President Taylor and President Grant were military men who had be-