William H. Mace

175. A Wise and Independent President. In 1822 a baby boy was born in the old college town of Delaware, Ohio. His parents named the boy Rutherford B. Hayes. As a youngster he loved his books and his playmates.

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES

From a photograph by Pach Bros., New York City

A leader at college

At an early age he entered Kenyon College, Ohio. Here he was a leader among his fellows, not only in college affairs, but in his daily work in the classroom. He graduated with first honors in his class.

For his after-college work Hayes decided to choose the law, and graduated from Harvard Law School. He was just beginning to win success when Lincoln's call to arms aroused the men of the North. It seemed terrible for northern men and southern men to fight against each other, but it had to be done to save the Union.

Becomes a general

Hayes volunteered and was made a major in command. By his fine work as an officer in caring for his men and in bravery on the field of battle, he won the title of general. While he was still fighting, the people at home, looking for a high-minded, honorable man for congress, nominated Hayes.

Refuses to leave his post to campaign

His supporters sent for him to come home and canvass for votes. He would not go. He said: "An officer fit for duty who, at such a time as this, would abandon his post to electioneer for a seat in Congress, ought to be scalped." Hayes remained at his post and was elected by a large majority.

Hayes had become known to all the people of his state and they wanted him for governor. So friendly was he toward all whether high or low, so honest was he that three times the people chose him to be their governor.

In 1876 the Republicans of the nation selected him to be their candidate for the high office of president. The Democratic candidate was a man of very high reputation, Samuel J. Tilden of New York. He was known as a fighter for honesty and against wrongdoing in public office.

Contest over the presidency

Unfortunately, the politicians aroused bitter feeling between the North and the South in this campaign. When it was seen that Hayes was winner by only one vote, there were threats of "civil war." But luckily Tilden did not lose his head, and his party, following his advice, accepted the result.

Generous toward the South

Hayes decided to take the Union soldiers out of the South. The radical Republicans opposed this action, but the majority of the people in the North favored it. The southern people were happy, because now they might manage their elections to suit themselves.

President Hayes also placed a southern man in his cabinet, and this, too, helped along the good feeling between the North and the South.

We can see now that the return of good feeling between the North and the South was necessary, but it was not so easily seen then. Now we can say that President Hayes was a noble and far-seeing statesman when he offered the "olive branch" to the South.

A startling change in custom

Lucy Hayes, his wife, was a brave woman. She startled society at Washington and in the country at large by issuing a decree that no strong drink should be used in the White House. The temperance people were happy, but others were not, especially the ministers of foreign countries who had always been in the habit of using wine on social occasions. A great cry was raised throughout the country, but Lucy Webb Hayes stood her ground.

JAMES A. GARFIELD

After a photograph by E. Bierstadt

176. The Towpath that Led to the Presidency. Like Lincoln, the second of our "martyr Presidents" started life in a log cabin. Garfield was born near Cleveland, Ohio (1831). His parents were poor and his father died while Garfield was yet an infant. Garfield's mother was brave and held her little family together. The children did not have much chance to go to school. Life to them was a hard struggle.

When James reached the age of fifteen, he began driving mules on the towpath of a canal running from Cleveland to Portsmouth. This was the time when canal boats carried both freight and passengers. The towpath was a hard "school," but had many good lessons for a boy wise enough to keep out of mischief.

He had his heart set on an education. He went to school long enough to be able to teach school. He shared his earnings with his mother. Teaching only sharpened his appetite for an education. For a time he went to Hiram College and afterward became a teacher there. He loved Hiram College because it was supported by the Church of the Disciples, of which he was a member. He finished his education at Williams College.

When Lincoln called for men for the war, Garfield, like thousands of others, volunteered. He became an officer and did his work so well that he was promoted to be major general. Like Hayes, he was elected to Congress while in the army, fighting its battles. Again and again, the people of his district sent him to Congress, and finally in 1880 the legislature of his native state made him a United States senator.

Garfield was a wonderful orator. Before the Republicans, gathered in Chicago, he placed the name of John Sherman in nomination for the presidency. So great was this speech that the convention turned from all the men who were before it, and nominated Garfield himself.

Garfield won the presidency before he had a chance to take his seat as United States senator. After delivering his inaugural address to the vast crowd gathered, he turned and kissed his mother.

The Republicans had promised to make new rules about men appointed to office. They declared that men should not hold office just because they had worked for the party in power, but that they should pass an examination to find out whether or not they were fit for the position.

While Garfield was leaving Washington to attend the Fourth of July celebration at Williams College, he was shot by a half-crazy, disappointed office seeker. He lived until September. Few young people can now understand how the American people felt during this time. They learned to hate the "spoils system." Garfield's death sealed its fate.

177. Arthur Becomes President. Chester A. Arthur was thought to be a "politician" merely, but he proved to be a good president. He began to build up a strong navy and started the movement for the reform of the civil service.

Since the days of the Civil War, we had been too busy with affairs at home to think much about the need of a navy. But beginning with President Arthur's administration we have increased its size from time to time, until during the war with Spain, our people came to feel the navy's value.

Under Arthur the spoils system received its first deadly blow when Congress passed and Arthur signed a bill establishing the merit system. By this system, men are appointed to office only after they have proved their fitness by an examination. Under it men cannot be turned out of office except for just cause.

178. A Man Who Was Twice President. Grover Cleveland saw the light of day in the old state of New Jersey in 1837. While he was yet a boy his parents moved to central New York. Here he received a common school education. He was a good pupil and made friends with boys who loved honesty and fair play. His parents were poor and could not send him to college. He was always sorry for this and tried to make up for it by hard study. The lives of men great in history and literature were what he liked best to read.

After going to Buffalo, young Cleveland entered upon the study of law. He studied long upon the fine points of the law. In time he became one of the ablest lawyers, not only in Buffalo, but in the State of New York. The fact that young Cleveland was chosen sheriff of Erie County shows that a great many people already looked upon him as a courageous man.

When Buffalo needed a mayor who was not afraid to do his duty, the people elected this man who had been a good sheriff.

The people of the State of New York wanted a man of the Cleveland type for governor. He carried the state by a great majority. He was a great governor as he had been a great mayor. He was honest and straightforward, and treated all men alike. Long before his time as governor was up, the people began to talk of him for president.

Cleveland ran against a widely known and popular man, James G. Blaine of Maine. But the Republicans split and Cleveland won. The Democrats were happy over the result, for this was the first time they had elected a president since 1856.

The Republicans had kept a high tariff ever since the Civil War. The result was that our treasury at Washington was full of money. Cleveland sent a message to Congress asking that the tariff be cut down, but the high-tariff Democrats joined the Republicans in supporting it.

Cleveland had made many enemies in his own party by refusing to appoint unfit men to office. When, therefore, he ran for president again in 1888, he was beaten by Senator Harrison of Indiana.

But four years later, in 1892, he defeated Harrison and again became president.

179. The Panic of 1893. Cleveland had hardly taken his seat as President when hard times struck the country. Business men and laborers suffered greatly. They could not pay their debts. Men, women, and children suffered for want of bread.

The Pullman Car Company of Chicago cut down the wages of its workmen. The men called a strike which finally extended over half the states of the Union.

Chicago was the center of the strike. Hundreds of cars were burned and lives were threatened. It was impossible to carry the United States mail or freight from one state to another. Grover Cleveland ordered United States soldiers to Chicago to keep the mails going and the freight running. This broke the back of the strike. Cleveland had shown how to settle strikes in a new way.

Cleveland served twice as President and after his second term of office he moved to Princeton, New Jersey, the seat of Princeton University. Here he became famous for his lectures given before the student body.

BENJAMIN HARRISON

From a photograph by L. Alman