The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-11-04
by DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reforme


Copyright 1920. ..
MARION. O., Nov. 4.-How does it
feel to be elected president of the United
States? ~.
Many OF us who watched the victorious
candidate receive the returns and saw
him keep an even keel, never rufied,
never up-stage, never exhibiting even the
school -bOyish JOY that one might expect
upon such all OCCASION could not but
come to the conclusion that President
elect Harding -will face all the big moments
of his career with the same deliberate
ness the same calmnesS and the same
nOdeSty, that seemed to invest him as
| the greatest gift in the nations power
was slowly but surely bestowed upon
him by the teIegraphed returns of the
| vote in all parts of the United States.
| COnsergatIvely Senator Harding read
| the dispatches. The joyous expressions
| OF the people at his home made him
happy Yet only when a delegation of
printers and employees from. his own
newspaper came TO the front porch to
| .ejoice with Warren Harding, did he
| choke with emotion. 1t was their JOY,
| their happiness. their enthusiasm which
| he caught. He broke for only a mo-
| ment. Soon he was himself again calmly
| examining the returns, nodding here and
| smiling there. Inlngling among his guests
| and going about his own house with the
| anne ease that practiced host might
| display upon inviting a house full of
| folks tor a social occasion.
| Ever since the Chicago convention.
! last June, people have been assuring;
| Warren Harding that he would be
| elected, people who ought to know the
| political trend of the Country, but neveI
| Al la m
| me that the contest was really over, that
| uc was actually elected. Even when ri
| val headquarters were COnceding the
| election, he did not give vent to his in
| nermost feelings. Perhaps it was the
| caution which Mrs. Harding was always
expressing.
| Il salute you as the first lady of the
| land" exclaimed an enthusiastic neigh.
Dor, to Mrs Harding.
oh, it's too early for that insisted
| the wife of the senator. And l shall
not kiss Warren until l really know he
is elected"
1t was Senator Harding himself who
| reminded me that four years ago the PEG
pie were fooled by early election re
turns. \ explained to him that the
Hughes election was conceded before
| enough states had been heard from t.
| warrant such a concession and that
this time the returns had come in from
lenough states to make the result more
| than certain, including western states. >
| That's true he answered with
smile. 1t does look good doesn't it.
| For innate modesty there are few meI
like Senator Harding in public life. Fol
| rugged honesty and cOnscientiOusness, i
would be we'll for the nation if more
| men emulated his example. Governor
Cox has talked of a senatorial oligarchy
1t is extremely doubtful whether the sen
atorial group will control Senator Hard
| ing. 1t the Republican senators eXpec
| to do so as they used to in other admin
istrations they will find themselves very
much mistaken, and disappointed. War
| rem Harding is loyal to his friends
but sense of duty carries him even be
yOnd friendships. He has a mind o
his own, and a will power which viii
| surprise many who are reluctant to &C
| cept him as a vigorous character.
Senator Harding hasn't made a singl,
promise of cabinet portfolio. The in
| ner circle is as much in the dark abou
| that as the outer circle containing tht
| great body of American citizens. Sena
tor Harding has made up his mind t,
take rest first and think about hi
new job afterwards. He goes to tn
sOuthernmost end of Texas and then t
Panama and will keep away from tn
horde of office seekers, who camp on tn
| door step of a presdent-elect.
As for future policies, the senatol
read carefully the election returns with
out comment as to their meaning. H,
answered the inquiry of one reporter, a
to whether America would enter TIN
league of nations by declaring that HI
need have no apprehension about Amer
lea entering some kind of an association
of nations.
But it was one of the most remarkabl,
election parties in American history
Friends of the victorious candidate sa
around as he himself read aloud the var
ious press association reports that camt
/ to the house.
Everybody in Marion seemed to fee
1.-the right to drop in and say Hello.
with the same informality as if the,
were calling on any neighbor or fellow
townsnan. The simple home of tn,
| Hardings was of course alive with PEG
1 pie. Fred Upham, William c. Wrigley