BENJAMIN HARRISON
BENJAMIN HARRISON
From a photograph by L. Alman
180. A General Who Became President. Early in our national history it had happened that the son of a President of the United States had also become President. In 1833 a boy was born in Ohio, the grandson of a President, who was also to gain this high position. His grandfather was William Henry Harrison, who was elected President in the stirring campaign of 1840. His parents named him Benjamin.
Young Harrison, a happy and well-born boy, received his education in the public schools. He entered Miami University at an early age and graduated at eighteen.
Harrison, like so many of our other presidents, studied law. He was very soon admitted to the bar, and in 1854 he went to live in the Hoosier State at Indianapolis.
Enters the army
He answered the call to arms. He was made a lieutenant, but had hardly learned his duties before he was promoted to be captain of a company of one hundred men. Hardly a month passed before an order came making him a colonel of a regiment of a thousand men. He led this regiment until the last days of the war, and the boys were proud of "Colonel Ben."
For personal bravery and for skill in handling his men in one of the battles in Georgia, he was made major general.
Active in politics
After the war Harrison returned to the law. In political campaigns he was much sought after to speak in all parts of the state.
He did not accept office until he was elected United States senator in 1881. Senator Harrison was nominated for the presidency in 1888. He set the example of making speeches "on his front porch" to admiring crowds who came from different states.
A picturesque campaign
In this campaign the Democrats pointed to Harrison as a man who wore his "grandfather's hat." The Republicans made this campaign like that of 1840. There was great enthusiasm, big wagons carrying log cabins with raccoons and barrels of hard cider, great balls rolling on, and happy songs. Tippecanoe clubs were formed in all parts of the country. The result was the election of Harrison.
Pensions and the tariff
Under President Harrison a tariff law was passed with a reciprocity agreement. By this arrangement, the United States agreed to reduce its tariff if other nations would reduce theirs. President Harrison had a warm spot in his heart for the old soldiers, and he signed with pleasure a new pension law.
The farmers and the silver men of the West were becoming dissatisfied with the action of Congress. In 1890 their forces elected several new Congressmen, and in the next year formed the People's party. Most of the votes of this party were drawn from the Republican side, hence in the next campaign Harrison was defeated by Cleveland.