Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-07-30
FRIDAY, JULY so. 1920.
Articulation Every CQ70
Evening Yesterday i DO ~
The Cart Before the Horse. !"

! Since their respective SpeecheS VI az
kcsptsncc have been laid before the peo-
tpIe. the impression that instlnctveiy
Found Judgment in the minds OF many
sspersons Immediately after the Chicago
,convention that the Republican national
stickct was an illustration OF the cart
.Aefore the horse" has been largely con-
lfrrnesi. Despite his palpable surrender 10
the expressed Harding view of the duty
sof the country in respect OF the League VI
Nat,ons-which he had before HIM wheh
he p,epared his own speech of acceptance
Governor Coolidge's address displayed
~vidences Of real craftsmanship at striking
variance with the dreary platitudes OF ms
SUPERIOR associate, and also presented
some comments which cannot but be re-
yardesi as a virtual reputation OF parts
of the Chicago platform, and an adinohi-
ton to the Republican party that IT mas
failed in its duty TO the people
Governor Coolidge's references TO the
always present Importance Of MAINTAINING
the law will appeal to all good citizens
and although it was an expression no'
called for by the situation with winch NC
was dealing, il was an assuring deciaraeion
from a candidate for high pubic otioe.
And his other declarations, aside from
his ''straddle" on the League OF Natiohs'
showed Mr.. Coolidge TO be man OF high
attainments and clear perception OF the
duties and responsibilities Of these en-
trusted with the administration oil govern
ment. They prove him TO be vastly the
intellectual superior Of the man selecteu
for the head Of the ticket, who, after an
las not risen above the standard Of an
xsuinarv partisan member Of the United
States Senate. with nothing to show ioI
>early SIX wears Of service in the way Oh
constructive craftsmanship or advocacy
of measures conducive to the interests OF
the people. And furthermore, who VIZ
tually promised that If elected to the high
Office Of President of the United states
he would surrender his constitutional
duties to a coterie of senatorial 'advlsefs'
instead Of assuming full responsibility Tor
a faithful and efficient performance OF the
duties imposed upon the President by
1.-THE Federal Constitution.
Governor Coolidge was particularly
impressive when he referred in his speech
Of acceptance to the necessity Of restoring
the government. as far as consistent with
present conditions, 10 the position 1t oc-
c,Ipied before the war by the repeal or
modification Of the extreme war leglsla-
ton that was so imperatively demanded at
the time Of its enactment. True. ne en-
,deavored to place the blamefor this remlss-
ness upon President Wilson-it IS the
Republican policy this year to light
Wilson in every manner the people
in consideringTthe issue thus presented
.bv the Republican nominee Tor VICE
President. will not forget the important
fact that upon the Congress. not upon the
President. rests the duty Of repeating or
modifying this now largely unnecessary
and obnoxious extreme var legislation,
especially in the reduction Of taxation.
Nor will they forget the fact that Con-
. cress Republican IN each branch sat at
Washington for more than year clothed
with ample powers Of action, without TAX
ing a single decided step in this desired
! direction. Now the ineonpetents who
thus so signally failed in their duty to
the country defend themselves by the
miserable plea that mo matter what we
might have done. President Wilson would
have vetoed it," They gave him no OPP
portunity. however. for exercising the We
to power against measures of reform, save
in respect Of the Budget bill, which they
Initiated by mean, partisan, foreign pro-
vision aimed at curtailing the constitu-
tional powers of the President in respect OF
appointments, and another measure that
was couched in such outrageous English
that the President. in self-respect and III
justice to his high reputation as scholar
could not approve by his official sigma
ture
Governor Coolidge, therefore, has made
the reactionary Republicans who trl
umphed at Chicago, and put him on the
ticket as a consolation 70 the outraged
progressive element of the party, very un
happy by some of the declarations in hi
speech of acceptance. Also, he has more
than ever convinced the country that th'
''Old Guard" in nominating the Republi
can national ticket, most invidiously
placed 1.-THE cart before the horse"
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For the first time in the history of he