The Washington herald., 1920-10-06
In the Limelight
By George Perry Morris

Mr.. Murray Crane, of Massachu-
setts, who has just died, was of
family that first settled in this
country at East Haven and New
Haven, Conn. in the eighteenth
century. Later some of them mi
grated north to Massschusetts. and
some south to New Jersey 10 the
Puritan colony that gave to New
ark and adjoining towns a dis
tinctive English stamp.
Former Senator Crane came OF
the branch that went north. He
and his forbears established at
Dalton and created in adjoining
territory an industrial community
Of the most approved sort of the
passing paternalistic regime. Strikes
were unknown; all churches and
creeds received aid impartiaiiy
from an orthodox Congregstionalist
family. Each mans trouble was
every other mans occasion for So
iicifude, but especially the care and
sorrow of the Cranes. Both char
ity and justice were shown by them
The net result was a hill-town re-
gion where both paternalism and
frsternalism flourished.
So much for one side Of the man
and his family traditions On tn,
other, was a shrewd. silently oper.
ating, acquisitive instinct. that LED
him first to marked pecuniary sue.
cess in his specialized Dalton bust
ness, and later into broader fields
like the Bell Telephone interests
He was thrifty though not stingy
All that the Jaw allowed him he
took. To do otherwise would be
treason TO cherished family ideas
and habit. But having won his le.
gal rights, he then gave generously
10 church. college, hospital, or for.
eign missions.
They called him "Pussyfoot" IN
his methods as a governor. senator
and party manager. Men looked Il
him for practical wisdom rather
than for eloqUencc. He was as un.
like his associate in the Senate
Henry Cabot Lodge, as a man vel
could be; but together they made q
more effective team working fol
Massachusetts pecUniary ineresJ,
than George +. Hoar and Mr. Lodge
did when they were senRtoria
mates.
With Murray Crane gone. witt
Mr.. Lodge aEeing, and with Samue
Mccall out Of touch with the Re
I publican machine it is evident thai
the party in the Old Bay State 1,
to have soon, rather than later, /,
considerable change in personnel
fHa 1Fvna.
| Weaks in the management Of Mr.
Harding's campaign is a sign Of hi'
! intention to be reckoned with al
home as we'll as in Washington &
Mr.. Harding wins.
The possibility or the emergenc,
| Of John Maynard Harlon a. an in,
dependent candidate for governor o.
Illinois will interest his Washing
ton friends His father was one o.
the giants Of an earlier era Of tn,
Supreme Court. and young HarIoI
, has had official status in Washing
/ ton long enough TO make him wei
known. II he decides to make tn.
run" against the regulars oi
/ both parties it will be to register
: his own protest against the petty
decisive situation which Republican,
! face.
The fact that Assistant Secretar,
OF War Crowell has come out 70,
Harding will he received with un
qualified JOY among Republicans :,
long as il is definitely understood
that il does not foreshadow sImiIar
action by Secretary Baker.
If the President really thinks tha'
gross ignorance and impudent aU
! dacity' are the characteristics o
those who oppose his form OF
! league OF nations. he must he will
ing to draw an indictment agsins
majority Of the American people
The New York Legislature havinl
sought to encourage the building o
new homes by authorizing the citie,
, TO free all new construction from
! taxation for a period OF ten year
lit is discovered that Greater New
York cannot afford to make the eN
emption. While a Tammany cover
nor pushed the remedial Legislation
at Albany a Tammany mayor in tn,
. City Hail makes il Ineffective. tn,
situation does not contribute 1,
Tammany confidence in the pending
campaign.
1t would. OF course. he desirabi,
! for the Illinois Republicans 10 de
I termine whom they have nominated
. for governor before election da!
arrives.
With Tom" TaEFart running a
dry in Indiana and the oratorica
/ breath Of Cox as parChing as
| sirscCO there doesn't seem much
chance for the vets in this car
paign unless they can hN up a dea
with Debs.