The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-30
AS THEY SEE IT.

1.-THE Outlook early in the month
sent out invitations to a considerable
number of business men to state how
they intended to vote at the coming
election and why. Among the an
kwers received is one from Charles
Sumner Bird, manufacturer and Pro-
.4gressive candidate for governor of
Massachusetts in 1912, who says he is
for Harding and Coolidge and gives
the following reasons:
First because am opposed to the
Wilson league, which, if ratified,
would. as 1 see it, impose upon us
1 moral obligations at least which if
called upon we would probably never,
carry into effect; in other words,
wouic not~have America agree to do
anything that some day she might re-
| fuse to dc.
ssecond-Because the Democratic
party has been and is committed to
free-traoe policy. The Underwood
Simmons tariff imposes only an aver
age per cent duty upon imported
merchandise. 1t does not~and will not
protect the wage-earner or the wage
payer. During the Great War no pro-
tective tariff was needed, out today
textiles are coming from England and
) Belgium at an increasing and alarm
| ing rate. Within two years, unless the
tariff is changed, our markets will be
| smothered and many of our factories
will be closed. I have never asked
for tariff protection for the products
of my business but am satisfied that
some American products need protec-
ton, and if we intend to keep the
| American standard of living above
that existing in Europe and Asia am
| confident that we must have a tariff
much higher than anything we are
likely to get from the Democratic
TRird-Because Governor Cox is not
} big enough for the biggest job in the
world, and, Furthermore. because there
is not in the Democratic party a suf
ficient number of competent men out
of which a president could choose his
cabinet.
Charles G. Washburn, business man,
former, congressman from worcester,
Mass, and biographer of Theodore
Roosevelt, writes:
| In response to your request, beg
to say that in the approaching presi-
Dental election 1 propose to vote for
Harding and Coolidge. One reason is
that 1 am Republican; another and
better reason, that the Republican
Democratic to deal with our domestic
and foreign problems, never more
complex than at the present time.
1 have heard it said that Senator
Harding is not an "ideaf' candidate
1t should be remembered that super
men are scarce. A Lincoln or Roose-
welt comes perhaps once in century.
We can no more expect them in poll
tics than in other fields of human &C
tivity. Year in and year out the work
of the world must be done by the man
of average gifts, with high ideals to be
sure. and possessed of the fundamental
qualities of honesty and industry, sup
plemented by a good education. 1t is
fortunate that, the business OF the
world can be conducted by Such men,
as there are no others to do it.
, 1 feel that the Republican party and
the country at large should be album
dainty satisfied with the nominations
at Chicago, both in the selection OF
candidates and what that selection i'm
plies Both candidates are thoroly
typical of the democratic spirit which
should pervade every branch of our
: government. Both are in sense self
made men because, altho each mas mao
. a liberal education, each has mad IN
his boyhood the kind of discipline that
accompanies a necessity for personal
endeavor on the part of those who
cannot rely exclusively upon their sup
port by others. Both understand the
needs, the trials, the aspirations OF the
} average American citizen
> Senator Harding's relations with the
9 members of both houses of congress
if he is elected president, will be hui
l man, intelligent ana Synpdtnellc
. which will be of enormous advantage
to the country. He will be a team
worker not a dictator. He has il
large measure the genius of common
t sense, and will surround himself will
: good advisers. He will subordinate
4 any personal prejudices he may have
: if he has any, to the composite sounC
e Judgment of the people. He may no
c be in any way spectacular, but he viii
= be in every way safe and sound. H
4 will make friends wherever he goes
: because he is thoroly human ant
: likable person.
. In the nomination of Coolidge we o
!, Massa chusetts are highly satisfied, be
| cause we know the man; but beXon'
: this the nomination was more thai
, that of a man, it was the recognition
: of a principle. of the paramount I'M
e portance of the preservation, particu
y larly at this time, of law and order, o
: the supremacy of right action in a.
emergency over mere expedfency
= That is why q member from Orego
It nominated Coolidge. and why he wa
g supported by those who never saw tn
:, man, but knew what he had done
II demonstrating the virility of the prin
d chile that this is a government OF law
n and not of men. This should be
>, matter of profound satisfaction.
The candidates will, if elected, re
le spond to the best aspirations of tn
It American people, both in the conduc
"a of our own government and in our re
lations with the other nations OF tn
g world.