Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1916-06-23
WILSON NOT LONG
IN PUBLIC LIFE
Began as Governor OF New Jersey
in 1910-Chosen Presi-
dent in 1912.

Woodrow Wilson was born at Staun.
ton. Va. December %. 1856 His ia
| ther was the Rev. John II. Wilson and
his mother was Jessie Woodrow, ma.
tive of Carlisle. England. They reared
their son carefully. He was given
every educational advantage that
ample mems could afford him. The
foundations for his career were laid In
private schools at Augusta, Ga, and
Columbia, s. G.
From there he went to Princeton
| college. where he took the full AGA.
demic course, graduating with high
honors in 1870. He then entered the
law school of the University of vir-
ginia, and on graduation was admitted
to the bar of Georgia. He practiced
law In 1928. The net result of that
experiment was the conviction that
for him nj least the way to knowl-
edge of the science OF government and
the opportunity to write about Il did
not lie through the routine of law.
When he abandoned law practice in
1888 he went to Johns Hopkins unlver-
sity. In 1886 he received the degree
of Phi. u. from Johns Hopkins univer-
sity for 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
g, 1914. December 1S, 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. VII.
liam Gibbs McAdoo.
| Professorship at Princeton.
| In 1883 Mr.. Wilson was made
member Of the faculty of Wesleyan
university, Middletown, Com. He re-
manned there only two years, his repu-
tation as 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
boa-d of trustees were not In favor of
breaking the old precedent.
But the qualifications of Doctor VIII
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 a part In politics, and In
1910. when the Democratic organiza-
ton discovered that It must put up
strong candidate to win the state, VIII
son was selected as the man.
Mr.. Wilson was elected governor by
a plurality of about $4,000.
Within six months after assuming
the governorship he had induced the
legislature TO pass series OF laws of
the most advanced type, such as the
primary election law, the corrupt
practices act, the employers liability
act, n public utilities act a 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
II. McCombs, one of his former stu
dents ut Princeton. During the pre-
convention months no less that half n
dozen other entrants for presidential
honors made their appearance.
At the subsequent Democratic ma
tional convention at Baltimore, June
27-July 2, Mr.. Wilson beat out all en-
tries with vote that increased at
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 Will
liam Jennings Bryan in 1908.
The Wilson's in America date about
century back when James Wilson,
grandfather OF the president. came
over from Scotland and settled In
Philadelphia. From there he went to
Steubenville, o., which was then on
the frontier. He published a newspa-
per and practiced little common
law and was known as "judge." The
presidents father. Joseph II. Wilson,
was born In Steubenville and grew up
amid the hardy and manhood making
surroundings of the pioneer country.