The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-11-06
HARDING CAVE ASSURANCE
To THE PRO-LEACUE RS

the negative side Of the question oc-
CURED in the early part of his Dies
Moines speech. while his expressions on
the affirmative side occurred in the lat
ter part of the speech. But this alone
would not have accounted for this IN
depreciation If II had not been for the
fact that for week or ;"n days pre-
ceding the newspapers had been full OF
vague stories of u rift between Hardin;
on the one hand and Senators Borah ana
johnson on the other.
The theory was widely held that Sen.
atOr Harding had q motive for chang
ing his position, and that that motive
was pressure put upon him by Senator'S
Borah and johnson. For fully foui
weeks the larger part OF the campaign
ton. II was said that Senators Borah
and Johnson had "blackmailed" Mr..
Harding into adopting their position.
Another word frequently used in the
,erminology of the campai gn TO express
what was alleged To have happened was
"blaCkJacked."
But of facts as a basis for this as
sumption there were literally none. 1t
began with stories in the newspapers to
the effect that Senator Borah had quar-
relied with Harding and with the Repub-
lican national committee, and was not
going TO make any more campaign
speeches. This expanded into stories to
the effect that Senator Johnson of Cali
he and Senator Borah had made common
cause.
In, all this the element Of truth was
this:
Senator Borah. upon returning from one
of his speochmaking trips, called up the
speakers bureau Of the Republican ma
tional committee in New York by tele-
phone and asked about Il matter which
was wholly 4 mere clerical detail or the
relations between him and the national
committee. The reply was made that this
detail was not in the hands OF the New
York headquarters. but was In the hands
Of the Chicago headquarters. Thereup
Senator Borah said something to the ef-
feet that It was OF no consequence any
how. HIS reply seemed to express some
irritation, and out OF this episode grew
the enormous legend that undoubtedly
had considerable effect on the course
OF the campaign.
It would be OF little use to consume
space here with reinstatement or SEN
ator Harding's position on the League.
That position Is contained both in the
August % speech and In the OCTOBER {
speech at Des Moines. 1t Is true that
there Is an inherent difficulty In making
Senator Hardlng's position necessarily
consist OF two parts: One affirmative
and one negative. He Is against enter
Ing the present League. which includes
Article X; and he IS not only in favor
Of entering but will take the initiative
tions--Call II by any name you wish
which does not include Article y. ana
Is based upon the principle Of an inter-
''' '' HardinE's Difficulty.
Senator Hardlng's difficulty IN this
campaign has been the same dilnculfy
that Lincoln had in his first campaign
of TWO separate parts: The FIRST wan
that he would not interfere with slaV-
cry where slavery was already IN eA-
istrncc: the second part was tnat nc
-fr4ta4A prevent the existence OF slavery
where 1T did not already exist. Lincoln
was always careful to tie these two
parts Of his position closely together.
He never permitted himself to discuss
one without at the same time making
the other clear. AS Samuel McCune
Lindsay says: Both Lincoln's posi-
ton and Hard!ng's position, are Ike
the two parts Of a railroad ticket
Void II detached"
wants to know whether Senator Hard
Ing's position has been taken as mat
ter of political expcdicncy, or repro
SCENTS his own spontaneous CONVICTIONS
enlightenment on this point can be Sc
cured by looking up speech WHICH MT.
Harding made in the senate on May IS;
1t was an informal, unprcpared
speech. He had been listening to SEN
ator Underwood making an arsument
in favor OF the league. As Senator un-
lerwOOu CnQcQt MS Sl'eFSIl, NIL
turned 70 another Republican senator
who sat by him. and said; IF You don't
answer that. ! WILL" The end IF tho
discussion was that Senator Harding
made the answer. and that answer de-
livercd spontaneously on the spur or
the occasion. contains the substance or
the position on the league which Sena-
tor Harding has kept throughout the
campaign.
One part OF Senator HardinGs cam:
nations. first said In his August %
speech and frequently repeated. was TO
the effect he would immediately after
his election he would initiate bring ing
together Of the best minds Of America,
regardless of party, to make construc-
tive plan. II may confidently be eN-
rncted that Mr.. Harding will make a
start toward this before he leaves for
his vacation. and that this is about the
only bit Of public business he Will at
tcript until he has had rest.
Copyright. 1870, by n. Y. Evening Post
lnc.)