The Presidents: #24

#24: Benjamin Harrison
Term: March 4, 1889 to March 4, 1893
Grade: C

Benjamin Harrison sits in the middle of a group of Presidents who were neither extraordinarily good or bad. Starting with Chester A. Arthur, and ending with William McKinley, I must admit to knowing only very little about them. When I think about Benjamin Harrison (which is rarely ever), I usually think about The Simpsons song about mediocre presidents. It should be noted that Benjamin Harrison is so unremarkable as to not get mentioned in that song.

Still, unlike some of the lesser known Presidents*, at least Harrison doesn't seem to have done much harm, and actually was party to a few good things. He signed the law that made Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks (although did little to preserve them), and also signed the Sherman Antitrust law (while not really pursuing cases). He fought (and lost) for civil rights in a time when it was not very popular. He believed in reform of the civil service, although didn't seem too prepared to defend it. If signing bills and not executing them effectively were a criteria, he probably would be much higher on this list.

Ultimately, he was taken down by the expensive nature of high tariffs and by the Homestead strike debacle. He lost to Grover Cleveland, the man he beat in the Electoral College in 1888. Thus, he became the only President to lose to the previous incumbent. I suppose being the clunky part of a unique Presidential story is a fitting legacy for him.

*See 1850-1861 for more information