The Washington herald., 1920-09-27
By WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.
Copyright. 1920. by Public Ledger Coz

tSCpyrVuts i0~ot W AupAAS A<uBct WI
A. Presidential campaign is 4 try
ing test for any man, physically.
mentally and temperamentally. II
q man has weaknesses, it is likely to
disclose them to the public before
the long four months are at an end.
He has to bear much injustice in
partisan attacks. He is under guild
ance of managers on whose taste or
judgment he cannot always safely
rely.
He cannot speak his own views on
every subject, because he is the re-
sponsible champion of a party, on a
platform of principles to which he
is in a large measure limited and
bound to conform. He must avoid
declarations on irrelevant, though
interesting issues which might pref
udice his strength as a candidate in
any quarter.
These things must be remembered
when we are prone to criticise a
candidate as lacking in candor or
courage. He is not a free agent.
He is a trustee for his party. But
in the end his campaign conduct
helps the people to Judge him.
Present Contrast HELPFUL.
The present campaign Is creating
a contrast between Senator Harding
and Gov. Cox which is quite help
full to many who were in doubt The
Democratic papers have been full of
attacks upon Mr. Harding because
he conforned to the Republican
platform on the league issue, and
made his acceptance speech as lack
ing in definite detail of his plans as
the league plank of the platform
was But in his speech of August
2s he worked out the platform dec
larations into more satisfactory
outline of his purpose.
The same papers praised Mr.. Cox
for his clear and straightforward
statement on the league, which
merely reaffirmed Mr.. Wilson's po-
sition in favor of the league with
Article X or no league" as the
platform had done.
This contrast was held up as in
dicative of the clear-headed cour-
age of Mr.. Cox and the absence of
this in Mr.. Harding. But injustice
was done to Mr.. Harding.
Front Pocck Plan Wise,
Again, the proposed front porch
campaign of Mr.. Harding has been
the object of ridicule by the Demo-
cratic press. We now begin to see
the wisdom of Mr.. HardIng's course.
1t has enabled him to prepare care
ful. full and clear addresses on the
principal and real issues Of the
campaign, and then TO deliver them
either TO visiting delegations or to
an appreciative audience like that
he addressed at Minneapolis
No one can read these addresses
without being impressed with the
conviction that they have been
thought out after study of the basic
facts and with a real sense of the
responsibility which as President
he must meet. They are not mere
catchy bids for votes. They are
not appeals to one group of society
in one speech, as IL there were no
other groups to be considered. He
is not full of psnaceas and prom
ises that cannot be fulfilled.
Railroad Speech Admirable.
His speech to the railroad wage
earners on the Esch-Cummins bill
and his explanation of the adyan-
tages to them in the arbitration
feature of that act is admirable 1t
is not demagogic 1t does not seek
TO stir them against their employers
1t is uttered with a sense OF re-
sponsibility to the country at large
and to all those in interest 1t is a
strong answer to Mr.. Gompers' un-
measured condemnation Of the
really useful measure.
One might take up other ad-
dresses of Mr.. Harding of the same
character. The absence of appeals
to class feeling and demagogic
promises of impossible achievement
of reforms is noteworthy.
On the other hand. Mr.. Harding
is not full of bitter attack upon
his opponents. or course, he dis
cusses the Wilson administration
because the approval or disapprovaIl
of that is the real issue of the
campaign. but the dignity of his