The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-06-23
WILSON NOT LONG
IN PUBLIC LIFE
BEGAN as Governor Of New Jersey
in 1910-Chosen Presl-
dent in 1912.

Woodrow Wilson was born at Staun-
ton. Va. December %, 1856. His fa-
ther was the Rev. John II. Wilson ana
his mother was Jessie Woodrow, a ma
tive of Carlisle, England. They reareu
their son Carefully. He was given
every educational advantage tnat
ample means could afford him. Inc
foundations for his career were laid ID
private schools at Augusta, Ca ana
Columbia, s. G.
From there he went to Princeton
college, where he took the full aca-
demic course, graduating with hign
honors in 1870. He then entered the
law school of the University OF VIZ
ginia, and on graduation was admitted
to the har of Georgia. He pracuced
law in 1928. The net result of that
experiment was the conviction that
for him at least the way to a knowi-
edge of the science of government ana
the opportunity to write about 1t did
not lie through the routine of law.
When he abandoned law practice In
|
sity. In 1886 he received the degree
of Phi. p. from Johns Hopkins univer-
sity for a thesis on congressional gov
eminent, which was afterward en-
larged into book that met with much
success on both sides of the ocean.
He was married in 1885. His wife was
Miss Ellen Arson, of Savannah, Ca,
daughter of the Rev. Edward Arson.
She died in the White House August
6, 1914. December IS, 1915, the presi-
dent married Mrs. Boiling Gait OF
Washington.
Mr.. Wilson has three daughters,
Miss Margaret Woodrow Wilson, Mrs.
Frances Bowes Sayre, and Mrs. Will
liam Gibbs McAdoo.
Professorship at Princeton.
In 1883 Mr.. Wilson was made a
member of the faculty of Wesleyan
university, Middletown, Conn. He re-
manned there only two years, his repu-
tation as a writer and educator hav-
ing attracted the attention of his alma
mater, and he was invited to the chair
of Jurisprudence and political economy
at Princeton.
He again joined his fortunes with
Princeton when in the fall of 1890 he
took the chair of Jurisprudence and
politics at that institution. He held
this chair at Princeton for twelve
years, writing during this period his
famous work, "A History of the Amer
lean People"
When President Francis Landey
Patton in 1900 announced his intention
Of retiring, Doctor Wilson was at once
looked upon as his logical successor.
The fact that he was not an ordained
minister at first threatened to stand In
the way, as some of the faculty and
board of trustees were not in favor of
breaking the old precedent.
But the qualifications of Doctor Will
son were so strong that this objection
was quickly overridden, and he was
formally installed as president in 1902.
Mr.. Wilson remained as the head of
Princeton for ten years. He had al
ready attracted great attention, and
even at that time he was pointed out
as possible presidential timber. He
had taken part in politics, and in
1910, when the Democratic organiza-
ton discovered that it must put up a
strong candidate to win the state, Will
son was selected as the man.
Mr.. Wilson was elected governor by
plurality of about $4,000.
Within six months after assuming
the governorship he had induced the
legislature to pass a series of laws of
the most advanced type, such as the
primary election law, the corrupt
practices act, the employers liability
act, public utilities act, municipal
commission government law and
sterilization or anti-procreation act.
Mentioned for Presidency.
In the second year of his governor.
ship his boom for president was start.
ed under the management of William
f. McCombs, one of his former stu.
dents at Princeton. During the pre-.
convention months no less that half a
dozen other entrants for presidential
honors made their appearance.
At the subsequent Democratic ma,
tional convention Mt Baltimore, June
27-July ?, Mr.. Wilson beat out all en-
tries with vote that increased al
each roll call till his victory was re-
corded on the forty-sixth ballot. In
the election that followed he was an
easy victor over the Taft and Roose
Welt tickets, though his entire popular
vote did not reach that accorded vii
liam Jennings Bryan in 1908.
The Wilson's in America date abou-
century back when James Wilson
grandfather of the president, came
over from Scotland and settled II
Philadelphia. From there he went I,
Steubenville, o., which was then OF
the frontier. He published a newspa
per and practiced little common
law and was known as Judge" TIL,
presidents father Joseph r. Wilson
was born in Steubenville and grew u,
| haa h.ns. ~.