Evening star., 1939-01-29
Presidents Have Received
Popular Nicknames
Incidents of Careers Turned
To Account in Choice
Of Such Terms

John Tyler. who was Young Hickory
and His Accidency, the latter because
he became President upon the death
of Harrison. James Knox Polk was
relatively unknown as national fig
ure when he was nominated by the
Democrats in 1874. His subsequent
election made him the First Dark
Horse in American political party
history Old Rough and Ready aptly
characterized Zachary Taylor, who
was also affectionately dubbed Old
Zach and Old Buena Vista. Those
Shrewd, frugal New Englanders. Mil
lard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce,
were the American Louis Philippe
and Purse. respectively. The Bach
elor President, James Buchanan,
was derisively nicknamed Ten-Cent
Jimmy because he advocated a low
tariff and low wages.
Every school child knows that
Abraham Lincoln was the Rail
Splitter and could easily identify
him as Honest Abe, Father Abra-
ham, and Massa Linkum. Oppo-
nents of his Civil War policies
termed him Buffoon and Jester.
Andrew johnson was violently de-
nounced as Sir Veto because he
vetoed 81 measures which had been
passed by Congress.
His glorious military career earned
for Ulysses Simpson Grant such
nicknames as Old Three Stars, Hero
of Appomatox, Unconditional Sur
render and the American Caesar.
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was
the President de Facto, and James
Abram Garfield the Canal Boy.
Chester Alan Arthur, the most FASH
ionably dressed among the Presi-
dents, was the First Gentleman in
the Land during his term of Office.
Grover Cleveland was designated
the Man of Destiny, the Dumb
Prophet and Uncle Jumbo Benja-
min Harrison was Little Ben and
Chinese Harrison. William Nc
Kinley's intense interest in the pro-
tective tariff was reflected in the
Napoleon of Protection and the
Tariff Tinker.
The sobriquets of the Hero Of
San Juan Hill, the Bull Moose,
the Typical American and Haroun-
al-Roosevelt, were indicative OF
Theodore Roosevelt's vivid person.
ality. Strenuous Teddy was sue
ceeded by Peaceful Bill, William
Howard Taft, who became God
father to a People because he was
the first Governor General of the
Philippines, where he initiated
system of self-government for the
natives.
The Schoolmaster in Politics,
Woodrow Wilson, was probably the
most highly educated of the Presi-
dents. He had been a professor at
several leading American colleges
and universities and president OF
Princeton University. He was called
a Phrasemaker, inasmuch as he
coined many of the phrases that
were expressive of the aims OF the
American people in entering the
World War and which were later
instrumental in upholding the
morale of the allied nations. His
political enemies, however, dubbed
him a Coiner of Weasel Words.
The President from Main Street,
Warren Gamaliel Harding, was
"just folks" to many Americans.
particularly to his neighbors in
Marion, Ohio. He received the
name of the Peacemaker after the
Washington Conference on the Linn
itation of Armament, 1921-1922.
which for time checked naval
rivalry among the great powers.
One of the most conservative OF
the Presidents, Calvin Coolidge, =ss
at one time called Red because OF
his bright red hair. No President
was more sparing with his words
than Coolidge, and he Is still re-
membered as the Sphinx and Silent
Cal. The Chief to his associates
and friends, Herbert Clark Hoover
has also been called the Friend Of
Helpless Children, the Hermit
author of Palo Alto and the man
of Great Heart.
1t is little premature to deter
mine by what nicknames Franklin
Delano Roosevelt will be known to
posterity. The historian will be able
to make his selection from such
nicknames as the Minute Man Of
'33, F. D. r., Dictator, frankie, the
Great Charmer, the Gay Reformer
and the Great Liberal.