New-York tribune., 1920-06-13

everything but once, when he ran for
the. Council, in sixteen years. So have
lot Of other Democrats-although
how the man gets 'em to do it heaven
only knows, because so far as l know
he has never slapped a man on the
bar. He's r9tten politician when it
comes to that.
Il guess" concluded the blacksmith
simply, Chat it's because he's never
gone back on a friend in his life. Or
maybe it's because when he says he'll
do a thing he does it. The mans a
very divvil when it come to that. And
maybe again it may be because he'll
help you out any time you go to him.
Anyway, I'm too good a Democrat to
wreck the party by voting against
him.
An Old Friends Estimate
Another different but equally illumi-
mating account of Mr.. Coolidge was
given by Judge Field Calvin Cool
idge is Vermont Yankee with a
Massachusetts education," he said, "and
that is combination hard to beat.
But even so, l do not understand how
he gets the votes. It was in our office
that he studied law when he came to
Northampton in 1895, after graduating
from Amherst. 1T was in that year, I
may say, that Mr.. Hammond was elect
ed District Attorney and | Mayor. So,
you may say, Coolidge acquired his
first taste for politics in our office.
but, however, that may be, / still
cannot see how Coolidge does it. He
has absolutely killed every tradition
we've ever had in Massachusetts as
successful and a practical politician
Yes, sir, so far as I know, he has
wrecked 'em all. I've known him in
.imately during the entire time he has
lived in this city, which is during his
entire political career. I've never
known him to slap man on the back
once" Everybody in Northampton
will tell you this, and it is the one
srait in the Governors character which
seems surprise to them all.)
They Call Him "Cap
$50 far as I know he has never had
a nickname in his life. People who
know him call him 'Cal,' but that is
as far as any of them will go. He is
not what you would call an orator. He
is not what you would call mixer
lie is the quietest man | ever knew.
Why, when he was running for re-
election he didn't evan make a single
speech in the town. He came to vote,
5ut no one knew he was here until
they saw him at the polls. He left as
quietly as he came. How do you ex-
plain it?"
Having asked the question, the judge
proceeded to answer it, at least so far
as he was able.
I've never known man who could
say what he means more concisely
than Coolidge. Moreover, he has an
fN,
wants TO say 70 epigrams. No man has
ever known Calvin Coolidge to go back
on his word. He has lived in this city
Tor more than twenty-three years, and
you won't find man or woman, Re-
publican or Democrat, but will tell
you that this is true. I've never known
any one who was better Judge of
men. I've never known any one who
doubted his courage. I've never known
cleaner man, a more decent citizen,
more loyal friend"
Boston Police Strike
The great adventure" of Mr.. Coo
lluge's life so far was in the Boston
police strike, in September of last
year. Down to that time he had been
little known outside OF Massachusetts.
But that occurrence in twinkling
made him one of the most conspicuous
nBureS IN the whole nation and set
papers in the Far West to exclaiming
Thank God for Coolidge!"
In that great crisis he stood unflinch-
lngly and infexibly for law and order,
refusing for moment to compromise
or even to discuss those issues with
the insurgents. Against him were ar
rayed the forces of "organized labor"
in mistaken zeal for the support of
the strikers; and it was only little
while before the election in which he
was to win or lose a second term as
Governor. He stood for Massachu-
setts, and Massachusetts stood for
him and reelected him by an over
whelming majority The best com
ment upon that superb achievement
was made in his own words on election
night:
"The heart of the people has proven
again sound and true. No misrepre-
sentation has blinded them, no sophis-
try has turned them. They have
listened to the truth and followed it.
They have again disappointed those
who distrusted them They have turned
away from those who sought to plav
upon their selfishness. They have