Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-31
Presidential B00ms.

T HE quadrennial season for Presiden-
tial booms is here. Many leading states
men are improving the opportunity in
divers ways to invite attention to their ca
pacity and claims for recognition. The pub
licity that comes their way is grst for their
mill even though it may win them no votes
in the nominating convention.
Senator Miles PoindeXter of Washington
is the latest addition to the list of candidates
for Presidential preferment. On yesterday
he issued the formal announcement OF MS
candidacy. Last week, the campaign OF
Governor Lowden, of Illinois, was definite
ly launched" Next week, we may hear from
Senator Hiram Johnson, of California, or
Senator William e. BOrah, of Idaho, each OF
whom is in a receptive attitude
For the present, at least, it seems that as
pirants for the Republican nomination are
going to monopolize the business Besides
Poindexter and BOrah and Johnson ana Low
den. there are a host of others equally as
ambitious and deserving of recognition VINO
are angling for the nomination. Ihere are
the Iowa twins, Senators Cummins and Ken
Won, and Senator Harding, OF ONO, VINO
failed to materialize as dark horse" at the
last Republican convention because MS Key
note speech fell short of advance notices ana
expectations.
The Poindexter boom, if the mere an
nouncement of a candidacy may De conalu-
cred a boom, is entitled to more than passing
mention not because it gives promise Oh De-
coming formidable, but rather ON account OIL
Mr. Poindexter's admirable frankness.
The Washington Senator evidently lays no
store in the political platitude that the OIL
flee should seek the man. Modestly ADMIT
ting his equipment for the ONCE, MI Fo4h-
dexter steps forth boldly with the announce
ment that he is a candidate for the RepuD-
lican Presidential nomination. There IS
nothing secretive or mysterious ABOUT the
matter He thinks he is qualified and ne
wants to be President. He resorts TO an
abundant use Of printers ink and Whlte pa
per to so inform the people Of the United
States and he enunciates for their intorma-
ton and guidance his views respecting many
of the public questions before the country.
Mr.. Poindexter is not playing the game IN
the usual way. 1t is not customary Tor
Presidential aspirants to formally announce
their candidates.. Mr.. Hughes, it will be re-
called, declined even to admit whether he
would accept the Republican nomination I'M
til after the nomination had been made and
rendered him. Nothing could be more unbe-
coming and more undignified than for
Presidential candidate actually to admit that
he is a candidate, even though he may be
covertly supplying the funds and lending
every assistance in his power to further his
chances for landing the nomination.
Take Governor LoWden, for example. The
Governor makes no admission that he is a
to run for President. His friends are do
ing the running. 1t is possible, however, that
he may have received some inkling OF what
is going on, since the Launching of the Low
den boom" is becoming a weekly business,
occasional mention ofBthe fact creeping into
the columns of the Chicago papers.
In the most recent Launching of the Low
den BOOM" there are five planks in his
platform, of which three relate to reductions
reduction of extravaganza, reduction of
taxes, reduction of the cost of living-which
causes the New York Evening Post to re-
mark that a candidate for office in these
days who doesn't advocate reductions in
everything instinctively alarms his sup
porters.
The Post ridicules these political cries for
economy, and remarks that Calvin Coolidge
was elected Governor of Massachusetts after
he had said:
ut may be that there would be votes
for the Republican party in the promise
Of low taxes and vanishing expenditures
l can see an opportunity for it's candi-
dates to pose as the apostles of re-
trenchment and reform. . Good gov
eminent cannot be found on the bar
gain counter. We have seen samples of
bargain-counter government in the past
when low tax rates were secured by in
creasing the bonded debt for current ex-
penses or refusing to keep our institu-
lions up to the standard in repairs ex-
tensions, equipment and accommodate
tons. l refuse to indorse that
method of sham and shoddy economy"
There Is whole lot of truth in what
Governor Coolidge says about good govern
ment and bargain counters. They don't go
together. Neither do good government and
extravaganza, for that matter, but the candi-
dates who are pitching their campaigns on
clap-trap about reductions here, there and
everywhere are talking only for public con-
sumption and the people should take their
words with grain of salt