Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-08-24
ILLINOIS DELEGATE REMOVES
MASK OF G. O.P. CANDIDATE

CHICAGO, Aug. 2O-The nomina-
ton of Senator Harding was a distinct
shock to the progressive thought of
the country. Following this nomina-
ton those progressives who had
fought under the inspiring leadership
of Theodore Roosevelt hoped against
hope that the Republican nominee
would say or do something to indi-
cate that he in some degree sensed
and responded to the aspirations and
represented the idealism that surges
in every true American heart.
They were doomed to bitter disap
pointment. At the behest of the
senate Oligarchy he retired to Marion.
where, under the flagpole transplant
ed from President McKinley's front
yard, he proceeded to present himself
to the American people. not as a
candidate in his own right, standing
by his own expressed convictions,
but as a mimic. attempting to act the
role of a greater man. Thus early he
showed clearly enough his pliability in
the hands Of men "who know exactly
what they want" as we'll as his lack
of personal political convictions.
And there he still sits, seeking to
capitalize the affection and re-
spect the American people feel for a
martyred president; soliciting votes in
an assumed character. There, on bis
mimic stage, he will continue to ges
ture and pose, refusing to meet face
to face the people whose votes he
solicits unless, perchance, those VINO
set his stage and wrote his lines
decide to cast him for a new role.
The Republican party did not
want Senator Harding as its candi-
date. The primaries showed that
clearly. In callous disregard Of the
peoples will the senate ring, with
the aid Of = group of party bosses
manipulated his nomination through
the convention and their hurried
him away, to Marion where they pro-
ceeded to create a Harding myth to
fool the people with.
Mckinley served his time and
generation we'll and is deservedly held
in affectionate memory. But these
are different times and different
generation and it does not follow that
an ideal president of "a years ago
would be an ideal president now.
Moreover, 1t Is only fair to say that
during the Mckinley administration,
with all that can be said in its praise.
the government of the country was
too much in the power Of an irr-
sponsible senate oligarchy headed by
Senator Aldrich. Nor should 1t he
forgotten that President Mckinley
had his Mark Hanna. There is no
effort in the Harding camp even to
disguise the braxen attempt to re-
ESTABLISH the senate oligarchy that
nourished under Mckinley and later
was destroyed BY Roosevelt. Aldrich
is gone. but Penrose and smoot and
Lodge remain. And II Senator Hard
ing Is to play his present role with
historical and histrionic fidelity, he.
|too. must have his Mark Hanna. Who
is It to be?
| Senator Harding had an opportun-
ity to repair the bad impression that
Ibis nomination created and his play
acting in the Mckinley role kept
lalive by clear cut and ringing speech
LOT acceptance that would have lined
him up squarely as a forward looking.
progressively minded man. But once
more he failed signally.
His speech shows that he is not
leven satisfied to stand pat. He pro-
claims himself q reactionary. He
would turn back the hands of the
o'clock and satisfy the aspirations OF
mems souls by talking of full
stomach. No more uninspired end
luninspiring utterance from public
man is of record in American polit.-
cal history.
His treatment Of vital public issues
leaves one amazed. His discussion
Iof the League of Nations apparently
satisfies Senator Johnson, the leader
satisfies Senator Johnson, the leader
of the irreconcilables; Senator Lodge.
the extreme reservationist, and Will
liam H. Taft, who has advocated mild
reservations. Who can say what
Senator Harding's real views are? Has
above political expediency? II he is
elected will he resubmit the league
covenant to the senate and, II SO.
with what recommendations? Or will
he scrap the league entirely? Is he
opposed to the Lodgereservations! II