Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-18
GAGGED BY PRECEDENT
Possibilities in Next Repub-
lican National Convention.
SENATORS IN THE LEAD
NATIONAL LEGISLATORS WHO
HAVE BECOME PRESIDENT.
But One Speaker Ever Reached the
Goal-Vice Presidents Who
Were Promoted.

II presidents count for as much as many
| politicians and other people believe, 1,
| would not be difficult to pick out either
| Vice President Fairbanks or Senator For
| aker as the winner of the next presidential
nomination of the republican party. and 10
relegate Secretaries Taft. Shaw and Root
to the list of the tmpossibles. And Speaker
Cannon can be said to have not much of a
show.
These guesses are all borne out by presi-
Dental precedent, as can be seen by some
Of the facts which follow. FRS: comes the
important circumstance that only three men
have ever become President who had not
personally participated in national legisla-
ton. either in the Continental Congress.
United States Senate or House of Represeu-
tatives.
The three were Zachary Taylor, Ulysses
s. Grant and Grover Cleveland. The great
military fame Of the first two and the pecu.
liar circumstances under which the third
was elected sufficiently account for these
exceptions among our twenty-five Presi-
dents.
But one Speaker Of the House was ever
elected President. That was James K.
Polk. and only at the close Of long and te-
dfous deadlock did he get the nomination.
Several Speakers have been candidates.
only to be beaten. Henry Clay tried 1t on
so many times that IL stiil greatly fatigues
his surviving followers and admirers to
even try to remember the number. James
g. Blaine also made long and wearisome
efforts before his final failure of election in
1854 Samuel ]. Randall. Thomas B. Reed
and John G. Carlisle in recent years have
had some high hopes that were sadly SHAT
tered. AS the House has furnished mo,s
winners or the presidency than any othH
or the sources enumerated the precedents
might favor Uncle Joe except for the handi-
cap OF the speakership For he Is the only
man In the running who was ever in the
House.
How many future Presidents will be
sitting In the Congress which ia IN con-
vene in Washington in a few weeks. the
Fifty-ninth Congress in numerical desig-
nation? There have been very few con-
crosses up to date in which future Pres
tdents and Vice Presidents have not par
ticipated. and all Vice Presidents are
close to the presidency as FIVE episodes
In American history have shown. The
present President had a short experience
as presiding officer in the Senate of the
Fifty-seventh Congress- and Chester A
Arthur had similar one in the Forty
seventh. just twenty years before. The
ether Vice Presidents who succeeded to
the place of power-Tyler, Fillmore and
Johnson-had each seen long service in
Congress-
With Legislative Experience.
The following Presidents had legisIa-
tive experience of national character, and
the list looms large and darkly forbid
ding to ambitious gentlemen who have
only been in the cabinet governorships
and other similar positions. Washington,
Adams. Jefferson. Madison and Monroe
were all In the Continental Congress.
Jefferson. Madison, Monroe, Adams, Jack
SON. Van Buren,. Harrison, Tyler. Pierce,
Buchanan, Johnson, Garfield and Harri-
son III were senators. Fillmore Arthur
and Roosevelt had seats in the Senate as
presiding officers. So did Tyler and John
son, but each had also previously been
senators. Madison. John Quincy Adams.
Andrew Jackson, VIM. Henry Harrison
Polk. Fillmore. Pierce. Buchanan, Lin
coin. Johnson. Hayes. Garfield and Nc
kinley all served in the House. Polk was
Speaker. and John Quincy Adams service
In the House was after his incumbency
OF the presidency
The soldier Presidents have been Wash
ington, Monroe. Jackson, VIM. Henry
Harrison, Pierce, Buchanan, Grant Gar
field, Hayes, Arthur, Benz. Harrison and
Roosevelt. the sitting President.
The governors who reached the presi-
dency are ten in number: Jefferson, Mon
| roe, Jackson, VIM. Henry Harrison, Ty-
| Ter, Johnson. Hayes. Cleveland, McKin-
| ley and Roosevelt
Only four Vice Presidents have ever