=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.
[Illustration: JAMES A. GARFIELD
_After a photograph by E. Bierstadt_]
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.
[Sidenote: =Determined to have an education=]
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.
[Sidenote: =War, Congress, and the Presidency=]
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.
[Sidenote: =Civil service reform=]
=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.
[Illustration: CHESTER A. ARTHUR
_From a photograph by Sarony_]
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.