WILSON, (THOMAS) WOODROW, 28th President of the United States, was born of Scotch-Irish ancestry at Staunton, Va., Dec. 28, 1856. His father was the Rev. Joseph R. Wilson, a Southern Presbyterian minister, who gave much of his time to teaching; his mother was Jenet (Jessie) Woodrow. Educated in youth at various Southern schools and having spent about a year at Davidson College (N. C.); he went to Princeton, where he distinguished himself in debating and literary work, graduating 1879, ranking 38th in a class of 106. He
studied law at the University of Virginia
(1879-1881) and practiced for a year at
Atlanta, Ga. (1881-2). Thence he went
to Johns Hopkins University, where he
studied political science (1883-5), taking
the degree of Ph. D. (1886) with an
unusually brilliant thesis. The next
twenty-five years of his life (1885-1910) were spent almost entirely in educational work, although he always took an active interest in public affairs. From 1885 to 1888 he was associate professor of history and political economy at Bryn Mawr; from 1888 to 1890 professor of the same subjects at Wesleyan; and from 1890 to 1910 he was on the faculty of Princeton University; from 1890 to 1895 as professor of jurisprudence and political economy; from 1895 to 1897 as professor of jurisprudence; from 1897 to 1910 as professor of jurisprudence and politics. From 1902 to 1910 he was president of Princeton, being the first layman to occupy that position. During his presidency some notable reforms were brought about in the college, chief among them the introduction of the preceptorial system. Mr. Wilson set his mind so firmly on improving the scholastic standards of Princeton that among certain of the alumni it was said that he was trying to turn the dear old college into a confounded educational institution. His attempt to change the “club” system and other efforts to make Princeton more democratic led to much friction; and it is no secret that he gladly availed himself of the opportunity honorably to withdraw when on Sept. 15, 1910, there was offered to him the Democratic nomination for governor of New Jersey.
Mr. Wilson's entrance into public life
was by no means unusual or sensational. He had for many years given expression to his views on public affairs and had been known as one of the most progressive and thoughtful leaders in the Democratic party. He conducted the campaign in a forceful and high-toned manner, and was elected governor by the large plurality of 49,056, although in 1908 the Republicans had carried the State by more than 82,000. He was governor of New Jersey from Jan. 17, 1911, to March 1, 1913. In this office Wilson carried through some admirable reform measures including the direct primary law, corrupt practices act, a reorganization of the school system of the State, and a model employers' liability law. But perhaps the most noteworthy feature of his administration was the better control of corporations through the bills popularly known as the “Seven Sisters,” Some of these laws have been copied by other States.
In 1911 there were many indications
that Governor Wilson was being seriously
considered as a Presidential candidate; and during the next year his candidacy got much popular support. On July 2, 1912, in Baltimore, in one of the most spectacular conventions ever held by the Democratic party, on the 46th ballot Woodrow Wilson received the nomination. Thomas R. Marshall, of Indiana, was nominated for Vice President. The disruption of the Republican party by the Progressive movement caused Governor Wilson to receive an extraordinary majority in the electoral college. He received 435 electoral votes; Roosevelt had 88; and Taft 8. In the popular vote Wilson had 6,286,214; Roosevelt, 4,126,020; Taft, 3,483,922.