Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-01-11
THE BIG PROBLEMS
or EyPRES|DENTS
Must So Occupy Themselves as 4
Maintain Dianlty-What Some
Have Done.


tionately, until it has now hecome
question If moment as to what occu-
patton a man retiring from, that office
may assume without rejecting upon
the prestige whici the nation has
given him. President TAFT has just
solved the problem in his case by ac-
ceDting the lecuresbip in one OF the
worlds greatest, and the nations
oldest universities. There he can
round II his years in ~cohsenlai sur
%roundings. and put to use his deep
knowledge of the law. which could
have won scs him a seat upon the
greatest tribunal in the world the
Supreme court of the United States
had he cared to turn aside from the
allurement of the field OF politics.
Grover Cleveland and Benjamin
Harrison, both masters of the law,
found an outlet for their activities 10
the university field-Cleveland at
Princeton and Harrison at Leland
Stanford.
In the earlier days OF the nation
however, the younger nation was
prone to lean upon its leaders, and
frequently the man who stepped
down from the highest office with its
gift was pressed again into public
service of more lowly station.
George Washington, playing in
realty the role with a grateful peo-
pie has affectionately conferred upon
him-'the father of his country
was induced to leave his agricultural
pursuits at Mt. Vernon In 1898, when
trouble with France threatened, aud
to accept the commission of Presi.
dent Adams as Lieutenant General
and commander of all the armies
raised and to be raised.
Jefferson left the White House fl,
nancially c~rippled--so deeply in debt,
N fact, that he feared his creditors
would not allow him to leave Wash.
ington. Nevertheless he went into
his native state OF Virginia, aud,
through public letters succeeded In
securing educational reforms and
established his monument, tho Uni.
vers'ty OF Virginia.
Though James Monroe refused
p~roffers of high honors at the hands
Of his state, he consented 70 accept
the Office of a local Magistrate. John
Quincy Adams, however. was proba.
bly, the most active ex-president the
country has ever had. Shortly after
the expiration of his presidential ser
vice he returned to the national cap.
ital to sit in the Lower House of Con.
gress. He aspired to the governor
ship of Massachusetts, but when the
people had failed to make a choice he
was defeated in the Legislature,
where the election was carried for
settlement. A seat In the United
States Senate was snatched from his
hands in a similar manner. The
Lower House of the State Legislature
elected him. but the Senate of the
Assembly refused to concur.
Nevertheless, he served on In the
House of Representatives, raising his
voice continuously against slavery
Death overlook him while a member
of this body. He died in the Speak
er's Office on February 20, 1s4S, Of
paralysis.
Martin Van Buren,, having retired
to his home, Underwood, in New
York state, after travelling abroad.
was again induced 10 enter the polit-
zeal field as the presidential caadi-
date of the ''Barnburners" and Free
Soilers."
John Tyler. 20 years after his in
auguration, was sitting In a state con-
vention 10 Virginia, urging that state
10 seccde from the Union over which
he had presided He did this, how
ever after his efforts as President Of
a peace conference. composed of del
egates from the Northern border
state, had failed to stay the civil
struggle.
Andrew Johnson, the only presi-
dent of the nation to face u trial OF
impeachment, was not willing to re-
tire from the political arena when he
laid aside the executive duties In lsba
but returned to Tennessee and
south election 10 the United States
Senate. Defeated In his aim, he stood
for election as Representative 81
large, only again to meet defeat
These rebuffs only strengthened the
former Presidents determination
and In 1875 he was elected to the
Senate. One term in a special SEES
siou, however, ended his career Dur
ing tine recess he died while visiting
his daughter.
Ulvsses SIMPSON Grant wgg forced