The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-06-14
SULLIVAN ANALYzES
THE SUCCESS. Of HARDING
SENATORS PRACTICAL THEORY OF
GOVERNMENT PLAYED
DI9 PART.
Practical Politics Perfectly Played ana
Brains Of Harry Daughorty
Recognised.
nv mAEx SULLIVAN.
Especial Telegram to thu Intel! Gencer


Especial Telegram to tina lntell!gencer
and New York Evening fost)
CHICAGO. June l3.-The theory be-
hind the nomination OF Senator Harding
Independent or his party leaders In the
senate. IT. in trying To be coiloquial'
man In the White Hous" must not think
he Is bigger than the senator's you
wouldn't be far wrong lie can be 81 g.
ger II nature has made him so. and the
senators won't mind. The thing the
senator's want to guarantee iS that ne
shan't feel bigger. nor act bigger. II.
In addition TO having a man who IL by
nature disposed 10 seek counsel rather
than net Independently. you can also
create a situation where tho President
Is under personal obligations TO the sem
arors for having given him his nomlna-
ton
There YOU have. from the standpoint
Of the senators. an IDEAL situation.
The point of view OF the senators who
nominated Harding is that the balance
of power OF this government should De,
not In the White House. but In the SEN
alta. Whether YOU agree with this or
not. II is an Intelligent theory.
There were three elements In the
nomination OF Senator Harding: The
first was the senatorial group who had
determined to put one OF themselves In
the White House. This determination
choose one OF themselves, nor merely
on personal affliction for an intimate
OF theirs as against candidates IL was
based on the idea that the man In the
White House should be one who Will
more or less defer to the leaders OF his
party In the senate. These Republican
leaders believe that il Is an unsound
theory of government: 70 have In the
White House q man who is markedly
disposed to be independent. They think
that tho President OF the United states
should have tho same relation 10 the
leaders OF his party in the senate That
the president of a corporation has 10 his
board Of directors. They think the
President should be a man who in large
matters OF policy adopts what Is de-
cided upon by the board OF directors.
and always works with the sense or re-
sponsioility 10 them as tho final source
of power. These Republican leaders be-
lleve that the final source OF response
bility should be. not in an individual.
but q group. That is their theory or
government and they believe that Is
what was meant by the founders OF the
constitutin. They think that the Presi-
dent should not send legislation to con-
gress 10 be passed. but that congress
should send lagislatin to tho President
TO De signed. You may agree with tho
DRY or not but It Is at least an intelli-
gent and tenable theory.
Ihat lB what was NJ inc pohtolu W
Harding's nomination. In terms OF IN
divi5uals. the senators who probably
had most TO do With II were Senator'S
Smoot OF Utah and New OF Indiana.
While these two men may be named as
playing the leading parts. II is also
true that practically everyone OF the
old guard senators took part In IT or
assented TO II. Senator Wadsworth OF
New York was an especially important
cog in carrying out the plan. 1t was
his New York delegation that provided
tho largo number OF fuid eleEates who
could be fed out to Lowden GrsaM4ailgg
In order 90 push Lowden ahead OF Wood
and thus put Wood out in tho early
part OF the convention.
Tho second element that contributed
70 HardinKs nomination has little 10
do with theory Of policy. but was an
a perfectly legitimate thing and was
managed with such technical skill as
must command the admiration OF any
one whose interests were not injured
by its operation. The CHIEF hgure In
this part was an old time politician
from Indiana. Joseph d. keanhs; Ne h
ing, together with number or otner
old guard politicians. had surveyed me
delegates all over tho country. He had
found among them about zoo VINO were
uninstructed and unpledged and mac no
marked personal affiliations. Healing
and his associates. long before tho con
yentIon met, had drawn these dele
gates in a loosely compact group lnelr
agreement did not look to any ono can
didate and did not 90 farther IMAM
merely an understanding 10 &C. TO-,
Eether under a common leadership
when the convention should meet IL
was this group OF huid delegates thar
made possible that manipulation 81
votes from place TO place during un1
early ballots. which was SO essehIIa'
~ senatorial
when the convention met and the sena-
tors took charge.
The third element in the nomination
Of Harding was pure case or person
allty 1t was an Ohio p9Iit'c van HARD Hard
ing's campaisT manager. 1t was shecf
brains and Will on the part OF Daugher-
~ that pulled Harding through handi,
caps and misadventures wnlch Hou:u
have killed off any other e ahespSsr
believed had killed Harding off. ~
was Daugherty who. together with the
senators originally persuaded Haru!hs
to get in the race In 3rder 20 sup J,
was Daugherty's personality that per
suaded Harding to remain In the race
on occasion after occasion when nara,
ing had lost his taste for II ana wanten
TO withdraw. 1t was Daugherty who
came to Washington time upon time 10
stiffen tho senators up after they had
ceased to believe the plan could be car
ried out. Daugherty is an able and me :
terial person with q natural gitt TOT pol
tics. and great determination ana ca "a
pacity for untiring work. and whether
YOU like Daugherty or not. and whether
you like the Harding nomination or not.
take off your hat 10 man VINO can
put things through.
These three elements combined 4"
name Harding. But there was one 9TH
er thing. The plan never could have
been put through but for the campaign
fund disclosures affecting Wood ang
IIowden. Lacking that incident. II would
not have been possible to put through
so thorough going a defiance OF the re-
suits Of the primaries. In fact. me
senatorial group which hrst planned
the Harding nomination. later gave i
up because Of the failure Of Harding In
the Ohio primaries. and the success OF
Wood and Lowden. But The campaign
fund disclosures brought the opportuni-
~ back and gave them their elevcn'h
hour chance to put through the Hard
ing coup.
Altman C0NEInFNT mr.