The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-04-19
BY RUDOLPH DE zAPP.

laA4ALS great pains 70 acQuaInt the pub
lie with reasons and causes why a seat
n the Cabinet OF position at foreign
court ends a mans chances for success
in the Presidential line
Without gcing into the merits Of argu-
ments Of this kind, it Is interesting 10
note that history does not bear out the
assertions Of these political false proph-
cts, for jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
Quincy Adams. Van Buren,, and Buchan-
an each served as Secretary Of State.
All of them except Madison and Van
Buren, represented the nation abroad as
ministers. Gen. Grant was Secretary of
War. Eight Vice Presidents reached the
higher Office. They were John Adams,
Jefferson. and Van Buren,, who We're
elected to it; and Tyler, Fillmore, John
son, Arthur. and President Roosevelt
who succeeded the five Presidents who
died in Office. viz: Gen. Harrison, Gen
Taylor, Lincoln, Gen Garfield. and Pres
ident Mckinley. Only three Presidents
occupied Office after vacating the Presi-
Dental chair-Quincy Adams, who after
ward spent seventeen years in Congress;
Monroe, who became justice of the
United States Senator in 1915
SpeaSership Not Successful.
The Speakership Of Congress has not
pfoven conducive TO the Presidency. Only
ene man who presided ever the House
has reached the Chief Magistracy, and
fhat was James X. Polk. Two of Amer
seas most brilliant sons Henry Clay and
James g. Blaine, are cases in point
Both were sent to the legislature when
young, and they became the speakers of
their respective houses. They were ele-
waited 20 Congress, and each became
Speaker of the House Both served in
the Senate, and the Cabinet as Secretary
Of State They We're also unsuccessful
candidates for the Presidency. Each
was defeated by a comparatively I'M
known man, Clay by Polk, and Blaine
by Cleveland.
Virginia has furnished no less than
seven Washington, Jefferson
Madison Monroe, cold Tippecanoe" Har-
rison. Zachary Taylor. and John Tyler
Harrison was a resident of Ohio and
Taylor Of Louisiana when elected. The
two Adamses, John Adams and his SON
John Quincy Adams, We're both natives of
Massachusetts. Franklin Pierce was born
80 NV A4'hlA4toA4AAC anu NrEIs arthur WAS
native Of Vermont. Thus New England
has had four representatives in the White
House
Six OF the men elevated 10 the Office
were either natives or residents Of Ohio
and soldiers, viz: odd Tippecanoe" Har-
rison Gen. Grant, Hayes. Garfield.
Gen Benjamin Harrison, and Mai. VIII
fam Mckinley. All but Gen. ". H. Har-
rson' q Virginian by birth, were born in
ono Grant became q resident of ILL
nois and Benjamin Harrison was an
adopted son Of Indiana.
Hayes Experience Peculiar.
Hayes had a singular experience in his
political career. He ives elected governor
Of Ohio three times, defeating each time
a Democrat Of national reputation-AIlen
G. Thurman, George H. Pendleton. and
odd Bill Allen. The first two named /
We're unsuccessful candidates for Vice
President It was Thurman who admit
ted Hayes TO the bar.
New York has furnished five Presidents /
Van Buren,, Fillmore, Arthur. Cleve- /
land and the present incumbent. The
first two were natives of the State. Ar /
thur was a FermOnter, and Cleveland q /
native OF New Jersey, and Roosevelt
again New Yorker. 1t is an odd coin +
eidenee that Fillmore and Cleveland were
residents Of Buffalo Illinois never sent
a native of the State 20 the White House
1t IS a singular fact that the three eIti-
zens OF Tennessee who OCCUPIED the
White House-JacksOn, Polk. and John
son-were natives of North Carolina. The
first two named lived in or near Nash
vile.
AS to education. Washington. Jackson
Van Buren,, Taylor, Fillmore lincoln
johnson, and Cleveland were not college
men. Except Van Buren, and Cleveland
who were educated In small academies
the others received only the most ortli-
nary Kind OF an education. johnson
could neither read nor write until his
wife taught him those ACCOMPLISHMENT
Both the Adamses. father and son. were
Harvard College graduates, and so is
president Roosevelt. John Quincy Adams
was q professor at Harvard. Madison
graduated from Princeton College. where
while student at that institution. ha
founded Wing Hall. Jefferson Monroe
ana Taylor received their sheepskins at
William and Mary College. Virginia.
Gen. Harrison a Graduate,
Old Gen. Harrison graduated from the
Hampden- Sidney College, Polk from the
North Carolina University, Pierce from
Bowdoin College. Buchanan at Dickinson
College, and Grant at West Point Will
Jams College was Garfeld's alma mater.
Hayes was trained at Kenyon College.
Arthur at Union College, and Harrison al
Miami University.
All the Presidents since Rutherford p
Hayes have been members of seine COL
lege fraternity. but only half a dozen !
or seven frateTnities have the name of a
President of the United States on their
rolls Of membership. When James A
Garfield became a member Of the Delta |
Upsllen at Williams College he had no J
idea that he you'd ever become Presi-
dent President Arthur was a member Of
the PSI Epsilon Gen. Benjamin Harri- !
son wore the shield OF Phi Delta Theta {
while a student at Miami. The Sigma l
Chi fraternity elected President CIeve- ]
land TO honorary membership. and on !
that occasion presented him with beau
iiful st. Georges cross. ]
When President Mckinley took the oath /
Of Office he wore the badge Of Sigma Al
pha Epsilon. i
No less than thirteen Presidents had j
military titles won on the battlefield /
Washington and Grant We're command O
ing generals; Jackson, William II. Harri- 5
son, Taylor, and Garfield. major generals. {
Pierce, Hayes, and Benjamin Harrison
brigadier generals; Monroe and NcKIn-
ley were majors. Lincoln a captain. and
Roosevelt a lieutenant colonel Wash L
ington. Monroe, and Jackson took part in
the Revolution; Jackson Harrison. and -
Taylor in the war Of 1872: Taylor. Pierce 7,
and Grant went through the Mexican
war Lincoln fought in the PlscIr EIar,t-