The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-09-26

trares where he fell with shattered
leg while leading his men. This made
him a hero and when he espoused the
fugitive slave law and statehood for
California, he was easily winner at
the polls.
Next came the civil war heroes.
First, Of course, comes General
Ulysses S. Grant who had been sol
der since early manhood, West
Point graduate who had never been
active in politics. Yet he went to the
white house for two terms and was n
strong third term candidate. Then
came Hayes and Garfield, both dis
tinguished soldiers and heroes. Ches-
ter A. Arthur, who finished out Presi
dent Garfields term made record as
quarter master general and inspector
general Of the Union armies and was
placed upon the republican ticket In
the second place because or this mill
tary record Major Mckinley had
military record to be proud OF.
Every war has brought forth
heroes to sit in the presidential chair
Whether or not the world war will
have It's soldier president remains to
be seen but the general impression Is
that 1t will not, that the modern
method of warfare, subordinating the
individual, removing the gallant leader
Of the spectacular charge, the mounted
warrior with waving saber; the turn
boys-turn- we're-g going back" sort Of
performances; combined with the ad-
mitted dislike the enlisted man,
whether reasonable or not, has taken
for the commissioned officer, makes
the possibility Of soldier hero small
indeed. OF course General Pershing
has been mentioned and movement
has been started for General Wood.
General Bliss is possibility. Admiral
Sims Is another, yet none OF these. is
hailed as the great individual hero of
the war, in fact. Sergeant Alvin G.
York alone seems to hold that honor.
On the other hand, the return OF
Pershing, If it is made into sort Of
triumph, as that officer undoubtedly
deserves, may start wa~e of popu-
lar sentiment that will sweep him
into the white house.
But this Is again straying away
from the source Of recruitment Tor
presidents of the United States These
are the soldiers, although some were
not professional soldiers.
OF professional soldiers three presi.
dents began their careers as active
military men. They were William
Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor and
Unconditional Surrender" Grant.
Those other fighting presidents we
have mentioned gained their swords
and spurs because of national exigen-
cies rather than by initial preference
Is World War to be Exception
By far the greater number Of presi-
dents have come from the ranks of
the legal profession. Fourteen presl-
dents, almost half the number who
have held that high office, chose law
as their profession. The lawyer-presi-
dents include, in order: Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams,
Jackson, Van Buren,, Tyler, Polk,
Pierce, Buchanan Hayes. Benjamin
Harrison, Mckinley and Taft.
Teachers come next in order. In
this list appear John Adams, Gar
field. Arthur, Cleveland and Wilson
Two. Fillmore and Johnson, began
life as tailors
Three American presidents were
different from all the rest, SO far as
vocations were concerned, and, in.
deed. as though by signal coincidence,
the world votes them particular
place apart from all our other presi.
dents. These three are Washington,
Lincoln and Roosevelt. Each began
life different from all the rest.
Washington. the son Of planter,
first took up surveying. Abraham Lin
coin split rails with his father for the
rude home they fashioned out Of the
timberlands of Illinois and later on be.
came a farmland. Theodore Roose.
welt is hardest of all to catalogue
since he was so many things all in
one. He started as student and
early set out on the career of a pub
licist, starting as member Of the
New York assembly. In turn he was
traveller, author, politician, hunter
explorer, soldier, police official, navy
man, governor, vice-president and
president and in all things an expo.
nent of aggressive Americanism
If the legal profession gave the most
presidents, it is interesting to note
that but three presidents were the
sons of lawyers. These were J. O.
Adams, Tyler, the son of jurist, and
Taft.
Most Were Sons Of Farmers.
BY far the greater number of presi