Evening journal., 1912-11-06
President Elect Gained HOnOTS
Not Through Accident,
But on His Record
HAS FOUGHT LONG
FOR DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES

Woodrow Wilson. the next Presi-
den. OF the United states. is notable as
n1n tho has won distinctions with
out ever having -imed TO attain those
distinctions specifically. He has
nor been pushed into high places by
melc luck, but ~ every instance TO
the contrary. has made mis- point upon
his pas record
Woodrow Wilson is unique in many
ways Only two years ago he made his
first campaign speech as a state cam
dldate. yet here. in 1912. he has cam
paigred far and wide for the Presi-
dency. AS a biographer Of his says,
''he comes into public view in middle
life with his political policy fully
formed"
He was born in Christmas week OF
1856. at Staunton, Va, which state mas
been tho birthplace already OF seven
Presidents His grandfather was
James Wilson. an lrishman and a
nte-. who settled in Philadelphia
snen capital of the United States, more
than 100 years ago. James Wilson
worked on the Aurora, the leading
Democrats newspaper of the day and
the organ of Thomas Jefferson In
1912 Wilson was publisher of the
paper
About 1920 Grandfather Wilson re-
f moved TO steubenville. Ohio. published
the Western Herald and became a
power In Democratic politics.
Father Born IN Ohio.
There Joseph r. Wilson, the father
of Woodrow. was born and grew "a
manhood. Joseph was a teacher, mrs.
In an academy. then i'm Jefferson COL
ieee and then IN Hampden-Sidney
College Afterward he became
PRESBYTERIAN minister He married
Janet Woodrow, daughter OF Pres
byterian minister of Chillcothe. Ohio
hiss Woodrow was horn in Carlisle
England. and was brought TO America
by her father when she was ittl'
girl
Two years after Woodrow Wilson
was horn in Stanton his father be-
came pastor of a church in Augusta
Ca. and remained there Throughout
the Civil War The boys earlier odu
cation was of a peculiar kind. There
WAS much reading Of Scott, Dickens
and such authors in the home, an'
Joseph Wilson took his son about The
streets and into the factories, engag
ine his interest and explaining proc
esses TO him. This was while othel
lads of his age were learning to read
Later when the hoy learned the ar
he read everything within his reach
on to Davidson College.
In 1870 the Wilson's moved TO Co
mmbia. S c., and In 1873 when Wood
row WIS II years old, he was sent q
Davidson College. In the ADJOINING
State of North Carolina. Joseph vii
FEM. in spite of the fact that condi
lions we're primitive AT this instltu
ton. chose il because of the high char
ncrcr Of its faculty. There the boy
r. eaned their own rooms. split thei
fwn drewood and carried It 90 thei
ooms with the water for their alb
iptions
There was nothing unusual abou
Student Woodrow Wilson az Davidson
beyond the fact that he established
shore time record for rising. dressing
crossing the campus and getting int
his seat IN chapel before the mornin
hell had ceased ringing He was en-
eaging and popular among the stu
dents and played on the baseball min
under captain who remarked; wi
son you'd make a dandy player
you We're not SO -- lazy
PREPARES FOR PRINCETON.
In 1874 Young Wilson stayed at hon
with his father who had been called
Wilmington n G There he prepared Il
northern college In 1875 he enter'
Princeton with l3s other young men.
II was here that Woodrow Wilson a
teunned upon public life and ser,Ne
his country
he himself has told that he found
the college library a magazine containil
an article on the British Parliament. M
article one OF a series. written in viz
style. fred him TO read the rest. TIL
and there was formed his determinati
to take bis part in the nations dcstin
lie made his course az Princeton suborI
nate TO the fitting OF himself for pub
life
He thought he read he wrote-abo
government He showed but a modera
interest IN college studies, but cquipp
himself a. an authority on govenme
and history of government and train
himself nextemporaneous debate and
leadership in public life. He quick
learned stenography because il was ncc
earv az short cut to the making
notes and preserving quotations fr'
the vast reservoir Of reading into VIII
ne plunged
f. Thus II comes that he never wrote Z
any Of his speeches except on rare oc
sions when verbatim copies were TO