历届美国总统简介：本杰明·哈里森

本杰明·哈里森是美国第23任总统。他受到良好的教育，毕业于迈阿密大学，毕业后操律师业。南北战争期间参加联邦军，获将军衔。1881年，他成为参议员。1888年，他被共和党提名总统候选人并在竟选中获胜。上台时，美国工业化臻于完成，经济结构发生了历史性变革。哈里森顺应潮流，制定了旨在稳定局势、防止社会动荡的《谢尔曼反托拉斯法》。对外，哈里森积极扩大美国影响，组织召开了第一届泛美会议，成立泛美联盟。哈里森政府还与许多国家签订了贸易互惠协定。

Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States, serving from 1889–1893. He was the grandson of the ninth President William Henry Harrison. He was born in 1833 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Harrison attended Miami University in Ohio and read law in Cincinnati. He moved to Indianapolis, where he practiced law and campaigned for the Republican Party. He married Caroline Lavinia Scott in 1853.

 

After the Civil War, Harrison was a Colonel of the 70th Volunteer Infantry¹. He became a pillar of Indianapolis business and society, enhancing his reputation as a brilliant lawyer. In the 1880's he served in the United States Senate, where he supported the causes of Native Americans, freed slaves and Civil War veterans. In particular, he campaigned for aid for the education of the children of slaves.

 

In the Presidential election, Harrison received 100,000 fewer popular votes than incumbent² President Grover Cleveland. However, he carried the Electoral College 233 to 168 to return the Republicans to power. The biggest domestic problem Harrison faced was the tariff³ issue and the surplus of money in the Treasury⁴. Democrats⁵ attacked his "Billion Dollar Congress" for wasting taxpayers’ money and hurting businesses.

 

Long before the end of the Harrison Administration, the Treasury surplus had evaporated, and the good times seemed about to disappear as well. Congressional elections in 1890 went against the Republicans, and party leaders decided⁶ to abandon President Harrison. He returned to legal practice. He represented Venezuela in a dispute with the United Kingdom. He died in 1901 aged⁷ 67.

 

1 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

2 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

3 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

4 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。