The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-11-27
CHOOSING A PRESIDENT.


In less than a year the people of the
United States will elect a new presi-
dent. In six or seven months the ma
tionaI conventions of the great parties
will gather to select the candidates.
When that has been done. the choice
TO be made by the people will have
narrowed to two men-the man NOM
mated by the Republicans and the
man dominated by the Democrats.
One of the two will DE chosen, tho
neither may precisely fit the need of
the hours.
The months that elapse before the
great conventions meet should be de-
voted to bringing about, if possible,
clear capitalization of public opin-
ion on the type of man needed in the
presidency. If that can be done. there
need be no fear that each convention
will do its best to find precisely the
sort of man desired.
What is the task that the new presi-
dent will face? The answer to that
question ought to throw a strong light
on the sort of man we need.
Under the caption, "A Business
President" the Minneapolis Journal
discourses upon the country's needs
as follows:
The directors of a great industrial
plant would not seek a schoolmaster
! to serve as general manager. The
/ hackers of a great hospital would not
look for an Inexperienced man ITO
run it.
! In every we'll managed enterprise
! III 81
right man for the job-the man who
| has the training, the experience and
/ the ability to make good.
What sort of a man, then, does the
job OF president call for? The one
p. shining quality he needs above all
! others is executive ability, the gift for
administration.
! Honesty, patriotism, character are,
| of course, taken for granted. They
are fundamental qualities found in
many men. But the ability to ad-
minister efficiently the greatest bust
ness in the world. the United States
| governmept-that is a rare gift.
For this great bust ness, which has
| long been complex and difficult, has
suddenly BECOME immensely more
complicated and difficult than ever II
/ has just passed thru a period of strain
and expansion caused by the necessity
for waging war.
| business is clogged by the compli-
Gated system of taxes that constricts
! its every movement. Its liquid ca pi-
| tai. with which under happier condi-
i lions it would press forward in indus
7 trial development, is taken from serv-
ice by the taxes that go to support
/ the wastrels of Washington.
The war is ended, but month By
month the army of taX-eaters is re-
cruited and billeted on the people. Il
Will take man of high administra.
J tive ability, and of great courage as
well, to reorganiZe the United States
| government business man in the
| broadest and best sense of that term
He will have to drive out the slack
ers, the idlers, the MASTERS. He viii
have to Stay bureaus and boards anG
| commissions without ruth.
He will have to lift the crushine
burden of taxation that now raache.
down to the humblest citizen will
exactions that would be needless ii
dollars were made to do their full
duty in Washington.
And as the high cost of taxation 1.
one prop under the high cost of liv.
ing, this business president will make
living easier as he makes take.
lighter.
can such man be found? And i
round, will he be nominated?
Not unless the American peopl,
take matters into their own hands
Not unless they bid politicians ant
demagogueS stand aside.