The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-22

eventually into the governship of New
York. In both of these offices, with
true Dutch thrift, he managed to save
money out of his salary, as he like
wise did while he was president of the
United States. He was distinguished
at the time as prudent man, of frugal
habits, who lived within his own in
come. When he retired from the pres
idency he had saved enough to buy
fine estate at Lindenwald, where he
lived the rest of his life.
William Henry Harrison's father,
Benjamin Harrison. was rich man.
He owned a fine plantation at Berke-
/ ley, on the James River, and was one
of the early governors Of Virginia.
! His son was brought up in all the
wealth and luxury which had surround
ed the old Virginia presidents, and had
William Henry chosen any other course
| than that of Indian fighting he too
might have ended his life in the ease
and luxury habitual to the grandees
of the Old Dominion. As it was he pre-
ferred hard campaigning in the wild
regions north of the Ohio, an empire
| which eventually he was to give over
| to civilization and in which he was to
found a new home. AS a general in the
army and later as United States Sena-
| tor, Harrison had nothing but his regu-
lation salary, and his appointment as
minister plenipotentiary to the Repub-
/ tic of Colombia did not add anything to
his slender purse. When he was re-
called summarily from his post on the
accession of Andrew Jackson he retired
| to little farm he had bought at, North
Bend. on the Ohio. Here he earned a
! livelihood at agriculture, and to exc out
| his income accepted the title of Clerk
of the Court of Hamilton County.
James K Polk was not born to riches.
/ although when he died the eleventh
! president of the United States was pos
sessed of an ample fortune for those
! days. This fortune he amassed through
the practice of law and by wise invest
ments of such part of his salary as he
could save while he served in the vari-
| Gus political offices he occupied preced-
(! ing his election to the presidency
| Zachary Taylor was born poor, lived
poor and died poor. The son of parents
who emigrated from Virginia to Ken
! tuckv. he received few social or educa-
! tional advantages. and. like his two
| SdIIIDI piSutEeSSbiS. JdChSOu anu IldI-
risOn. he was too much engrossed in
| the military service of his country to
| think or care about so paltry thing
! as money.
| Willard Fillmore was farmers son
/ and born poor. At IA his father ap-
! prenticed him TO the trade of a clothie1
+! in the then wilds of Livingston County
! He managed to get an education for
/ himself and studied law. in the prac
| tice of which through the succeeding
years he was able to build for himself
! a substantial fortune. When as vice
| president he succeeded General Zach
arv Taylor, who had died. Fillmore
| was accounted man in excellent cir
eumstances.
franklin Pierce and James Buchanan
were both born poor, and their wealth
at death was what might be described
| as typical of the wealth of the average
statesman of the time Each owned
| commodious home. with the modes
| and necessary income to maintain it
and each home and income represented
the wise investment of the earnings O.
long years of legal practice and what
ever each could save from his salar,
| while in public Office.