The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1920-10-14
Sane, Sound and Timely

Philadelphia, Pa, Oct. 2, 1920.
Mr.. Lewis A. Burleigh,
Editor, The Kennebec Journal,
Augusta, Me.
Dear Mr. Burleigh:
So many former Progressives have
asked me why l am for Harding that per-
haps your readers might be interested in
my reasons Hear they are:
lam follower of Theodore Roosevelt
alive or dead. While he was here |
worked with him and supported him.
Now that he has gone to his reward,
stand for the principles and work for the
things for which he worked and stood
am Roosevelt Republican.
Had he lived, my choice for the Re
publican nominee and for the next Presl-
dent would have been Theodore Roose-
welt. Bnt only the spirit OF Roosevelt is
with US still. The Republican Conven-
ton has perforce chosen another candi-
date. l can not have what l wanted.
That, however, is no reason for throwing
mysvote away.
Senator Harding and l have opposed
each other in politics. He was regular
in 1912, while l followed Roosevelt; and
I can never be glad enough that did.
He has said things about Roosevelt which
l deeply resented; have said things
about Harding which he must have re-
scented Just as deeply, and | have not for
gotten. He has many friends who are
not mine, and there is not little in his
record that | regret. On the other hand,
| find deep in his confidence men whom l
trust; what l like least in his record is
farthest back; and what he has said
about Forestry, Conservation and Agrl-
culture at Marion is sound and right.
Senator Harding was not made to my
order, but he is by no means the Reac-
tionary l thought him. He is Republic
can Regular, who supports what his
Party agrees on, and acts with the ma
jority There is nothing autocratic about
him. Under him, there will be no one
man rule at Washington, Congress will
represent not the President, but the peo-
pie, and the government will be Ameri-
can again.
Harding is no super-man, but simple,
earnest. sincere and human, best thought
of where best known. Men who know
him, and on whose Judgment | rely, say
he is slow to decide, but having decided
stands like stone wall. w hat | saw at
Marion confirms it. liked Harding be-
cause he lodged nothing, looked me
straight in the eye, and unmistakably
meant what he said. And | liked Mrs.
Harding even better.
want to see Harding elected not only
because | have come to think well of
him, but because he belongs to the Party
of Lincoln and Roosevelt, and because l
have had my fill of the Democrats at
Washington. We must have in charge
men and Party capable of running the
government, and in the White House
President, not boss.
Cox is in bad company. The liquor
men are for him. He stands with Baker,
who refused to prepare when he knew
that War was sure to come, and there
fore sent against the German machine
guns thousands of young Americans I'M
trained OF half trained, and without ar
tillery support.
Cox stands for Palmer, who promised
to reduce the cost of living and consplcu-
ously failed, but for political reasons let
the liquor traffic 60 on; who denied the
rights of free speech and free assembly;
imprisoned hundreds of people in defiance
of the law he was sworn to enforce; and
turned over to the Southern Pacitic Rail-
road without struggle five hundred mil
lion dollars worth of oil lands In Callfor-
MIA to which it had no right. That Palmer
ton at San Francisco shows how low the
Democrats have fallen. There may have
been more unfaithful public servants than
Mitchell Palmer, but not many.
Cox stands for Wilson. No sooner was
he nominated than he fastened to the
White House, and authorized the state
ment that there was perfect agreement
in all things between Wilson and himself.
Nothing is more important than to have
done with the Wilson clan, and the only
way to do that is to vote against Cox.
The people of the whole earth have
learned at bitter COST that what Wilson
says is no indication of what he has done
or what he will do; that his words and his
actions do not match; and that to have
his own way is more important in his
eyes than the safeguarding of America,
the welfare of Nations, or the saving of
human lives.
If a man believes in Wilson, argument
is useless. AS for me, hold that it is
time to finish with all that smacks of
Wilson, with the inefficiency, extrava-
gance, and secretiveness, with the Nat
ional end International laundering, and
with the impudent assumption of wisdom
and righteousness beyond human. The
only way to repudiate Wilson is to vote
against Cox
Finally, Cox is too reckless in state
ment, too shifty in argument, too much
like a man running for little office In a
little town. His speeches shout it aloud
Cox is too small to be President. Hard
ing's speeches could have come only from
man big enough to handle the job.
Sincerely yours,