The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-22

@eAhlslAS ~
The nomination of Senator Hard
ing vas a distinct shock to the pro-
gIesslvC thought OF the country. Fol
lowing this nomination those progres.
s!ves VINO mad fought under the in
spiring leadership OF Theodore Roose
vent hoped against hope thar the
Republican nominee would say or do
something TO indicate tnat ne in some
oegree senscd and responded to the
aspirations and represented the ideal
ism tnat surge in every tru= Amer.
can near.
hardng's "Phability."
They were doomed to bitter disap-
pgintment. At the behest of the
senate ohgarchy he retired to Maricn.
where. under tins flagpole transplant.
ed from Presiden. McKinleys front
yard, ne proceeded 10 present him
SELF u the American people, not as
q candidate in mis- own r.sc., stand
ing by his own expressed con lictiou-
but as q mimic, attempting to act the
role OF greater man. Thus early he
showed clearly enough mis- pliability
in the hands Of men who know ex-
actly what they want" as well as his
lack Of personal political convictions.
And there he still SITS, seeking 20
capitalize the affection and respect
the American people feel for | mar
tyred president soliciting votes in an
assumed character There, on his
mimic stage, he will continur 10 gos.
ture ana pose, refusing 10 meet face
10 face the people whose votes he
soi.clIs unless perchance, th1s, VINO
set mis- stage and wrote his lines Ge-
eide 70 cast him for new role.
A Harding My.a.
The Republican party d.l net want
Senator Harding as its candidate. The
primaries showed that clearly. In
callous disregard Of the peowe's will
the senate ring with the aid of 4
group OF party bosses, manipulated his
nomination through the convention
and then hurried him away % Mar
ion where Try proceeded . create q.
Harding myth T. fool the people
with.
Mckinley served his time and gen.
GRAFTON well and is deservedly held in
artsctcnate memory But these are
different times and different g.nec.
alton and 1t does not follow tia. an
ideal president Of twenty-four years
ago would be an ideal presIdcn. now.
Moreover it Is only fair to say that
during the Mckinley administration.
with all that can be sad In it.
praise, the government of the coun-
Try was too much in jhe power of
ar irresponsible sena.e cEsdrcty
headed ~ Senate Ald"ica.
Who VIII 1t Sc.
Nor should It be forgotten that
President McKin.cv haI his Mark
Hanna There IS M effort in the
Harding camp even tp disguise The
,br1zen attempt 70 r4.es-aalisa the
senate ohgarchy tina; flourishcd un.
der Mckinley and later Wa: destroyed
by Roosevelt Al irich Is gone. but
Penrose and Smaot ana Lodge re.
main. And il Sena'or Harding $ to
play his present role with historical
and histrionic fidelity. he too, must
have his Mark Hanna Who is it to be?
Is Reactionury.
Senator Harding had an opportunity
TO repair the bad impression that lis
nomination created and his play.acting
in the Mckinley role kept alive by
! a clear cut and ringing speech of
\ acceptance that would have lined him
UP squarely as a forward looking pro.
gressively-minded man. But once
more he failed signally. His speech
shows that he Is not even satisfied
TO stand pat. He prbclaims himself
feactionary. He would turn back the
hands of the clock and satisfy the as.
pirations OF mems souls by talking
OF full stomach. No more uninspir
ed and uninspiring utterance from a
public man is Of record in American
political history.
Has No Convictions.
Ills treatment Of vital public Is
sues leaves one amazed. His discussion
OF the League Of Nations apparently
satisfies Senator Johnson. the forth.