The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-06

Woodrow Wilson has been schooling
himself. perhaps unconsciously. but
nevertheless. carefully and studiously
for forty years for the exalted office
he viii assume on March 4th next.
There has never been a closer stu
dent of American political affairs since
Hamilton and Madison. There Is moth
ing about congress or the White House
that will take him greatly by surprise.
At the age of twenty nine he had writ
ten "a college thesis that showed him
to be even at that time one OF the
keenest analists Of our national legisla-
ture we ever had. And in later years
he turned his sharp scrutiny upon the
White House, and wrote informing and
Illuminating treatises on the powers
and limitations OF the president that
have ever been published.
| Aside from these special tnvestiga-
tons his whole life has been q long and
exhaustive study OF the American
-eople In their social and political rela-
tons. as, indeed. were those OF his
/ foreheaIs before him.
His granada Their, James Wilson, was
born In Ireland He emigrated TO
America about century ago and set
tied in Philadelphia. This city was
the capital of the United States at
that time. One of the leading Phila-
I teiphta papers OF that period was the
Aurora, Thomas Jefferson's personal
organ. James Wilson, being printer.
obtained employment on the Aurora
Also being a hard working. tnrltty
man, he acquired ownership OF the
paper and became intimately acaaaiht-
ed with jefferson.
! But the rapidly growing West began
10 cast its spell over James wilson
and accordingly, in 1850, or there
| abouts he moved to Steubenvtlie. ONO.
where he founded the Western Her
| aid" He soon became n power IN the
Democratic party in Ohio and was
known throughout the state as Judge
WILSON.
II was here. amid these surroundings
of hardy and vigorous pioneer Ire,
that Joseph r. Wilson, the father OF
the president elect, was born and grew
to manhood,
Joseph r: Wilson began his career
as a teacher. first in an academy. then
In Jefferson college, then in Hampoei-
Sidney college. His natural taste, now
ever. was for the ministry, and atter
careful preparation stepped INTO the
Presbyterian pulpit. About TINS time
he married Janet Woodrow. daughter
Of the Presbyterian minister at I'm,
licothe. Ohio. She has been described
as remarkably pretty and charming
woman. She vas born In Carlisle
England but her father came 10
America when she was but re" years
old. .s..
Born in Staurtcn.
woodrow Wilson was born in Staun-
ton, va, in 1855, 1t was during CHRIST
mas week and the cheer OF that oc
casion has never left him. he wiii
be the eighth occupant of the Whi'e
IL N nnnlfrInn
About two years after Woodrow
Wilson's birth his father accepted
cali to the passionate Of the Presby>
terrain church of Augusta, Ga. TINS
was at that time one OF the most
influential congregations In the south
and.the elder Wilson rssmained as Its
pastor throughout the War between
the States He was recognized as
one OF the leading divines OF the
South.
woodrow was only Ave years old
when the war broke out. ana as Au-
gusta was not the scene of any ac-
tual conflict the boy knew little about
what was going on, He was also
shielded from the stormy passions and
violent prejudices Of the war, and
grew up into manhood unwarped by
section hate.
- THE elder Wilson did rot force''the
education Of his son. He took him on
journeys about the city. visiting fac
tories and explaining to him now
cloth is made. He also read to him
by the hour. But the boy himself
did not learn to read unfN long after
the average age when children are
supposed to read. This is rather re-
markabIe when one thinks Of the om-
niverous appetite for books the prcsi-
dent-elect has always had. But when
no did learn to read he more than
made up for lost time. Ha u. 1t the
present TINA, ons Of the most widely