The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-26
THEHASKINLETTER
SENATOR POINDEXTER
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. Gone
more sturdy tree in the growing ana
tangled forest of presidential timber
Senator Miles PoindeXter, of Washing
ton.
Some facts about him are presented
here. not in any partisan spirit, but in
the belief that every candidate for the
presidential nomination deserves to
have his claims set forth. The Haskin
letter has already written up num-
Der of wouldbe presidents of both
parties, and will continue its canvass
of possible presidents even if this IN
wolves. as now seems not improbable,
the writing up of the entire senate
and large percentage of state gov
ernors Never in the history of the
country have so many good men otter-
ed their services to the nation in the
highest capacity. Nearly every one
has now lost count of the more or less
avowed candidates for the presidency.
while an accurate count Of presidential
possibilities and favorite sons would be
a job for the census bureau. 1t is a
heartening proof of the wonderful self
confidence of our public men 1t has
been said that no president except
Lincoln ever faced such tickish JOB
as our next president will face. and
yet there Is a goodly company of men
who admit they are equal to the situ-
alton
Senator Poindexter is pre- eminent
among these, He has frankly an
nounced his own candidacy. He does
not pretend that enthusiastic friends
are pushing him into the scrap despite
his own reluctance. He wants the job
and says so. At the same time, he
does not conceal the fact that there Is
a crowd behind him to back him up III
his efforts to get it.
Some of these friends and hackers
have kindly furnished an outline Of
the senator's career and sketch Of
his character, which derives additional
interest from the fact that he is not
as welknown to the public as some
of the other asptrants. The senator
is of Southern descent, was born IN
Memphis and educated in Virginia. He
was denied the boon of undernourisn-
ment in childhood, which is so Valu-
able to presidential candidates, ana IT
is not Of record that he ever performed
any hard manual labor. On the other
hand we learn that when he obeyeu
Horace Greelys behest to go West At
the age of %, he landed in Walla Wal
Ia, Wash, with only $40 to his name.
This is surely a point in his favor, as
is also the fact that he did not let
anyone take his $40 away from him,
but hung onto it and made it grow.
His subsequent career is devoid of
sensational features, but wholly cred l.
liable, He got married, became a
prosecuting attorney. judge, con-
gresham. and finally senator.
An unusual and interesting feature
Of his candidacy Is that his physical
qualifications for the Job are frankly
advanced as of some Importance Most
of the candidates to date, like Disraeli,
are standing exclusively on their heads
Proven administrative ability" is the
chief qualification advanced on behalf
of every one of them. Nothing is
offered to prove that they are phys-
caIly fit to stand the strain and effort
Of running a nation at high speed
Surely. this is an oversight. Physical
examinations for presidential candi-
dates would seem odd, but they would
surely represent a wise precaution. The
administration of an intelligence test
in addition would be a positive inn
pudence, and yet it might serve as a
valuable check on some of the claims
put forward for some of the candi-
dates. IL a soldier has to prove that
he is physically and mentally sound
why not presidential candidate?
At any rate, Senator PoindeXter' s
friends, while by no means failing tC
point out his pre- eminent mental gifts
think it worth while to mention alsC
that he is six feet two inches tall AND
a powerful man, who, like Roosevelt Is
devoted to the invigorating outdoor
life, He is hunter and fisherman
ana ne likes TO box and believes IL
exhibition boxing. He is also a mighty
walker 1t is recorded that he walks
twice day the three miles between
his home in Washington and the cap.
itol, which is not only good exercises
but in city with a street car system
like that Of Washington. good sense.
And the senator, not content with
this six miles day. is often to be
seen. We are told. beating it for the
open country on foot, there to thrash
out problems of state as he strides
along. lie Is reputed to find walking
an excellent mental stimulus and tC
evolve most Of his ideas while on the
hike. All of this pedestrianism ant
sport naturally contribute to keep him
in the pink Of physical condition, and
II is emphasized that whatever else ht
might do as president, he would not
be in danger of breaking down at q
critical moment
Senator roindexter has not only an.
nounced his own candidacy, but has
written his own platform as We'll AnC
this platform has unique touch IL
that II contains "A statement of tn,
candidates philosophy o. life "Ther,
is 70 royal road to happiness, h,
oplHes IN the last paragraph, either
in governmental or in personal affairs
success must come from struggle an,
eternal vigilance"
For the rest he makes clear hi