New-York tribune., 1920-06-20
By William Howard Taft

tCoP%Tlght, l92o, by Public Ledger Coz
The nomination of Senator farding
at Chicago was happy outcome of a
doubtful and difficult situation. Men
who knew General Wood and Governor
countenanccd in any way the improper
use of money in their campaign was
wholly unwarranted. Yet the inevi-
table tendency of the Presidential
primary system was to bring about q
demand for large amounts of money to
organize their canvasses and give them
due publicity. They were made re-
cponsible for the acts of their rep
rcsontetiVes, however unauthorized.
The body of the delegates as whole
resented the use Of the Senate probe
committee as mere political instru-
mcnt for the benefit of one candidate:
They were conscious, however. of the
unfair but powerful use which could
be made of the facts brought out in
The national campaign against either
nee of the party.
"VpuSOH fhiNdSS sutpOSSiUic
The next candidate was Senator
Johnson. AS predicted often in these
columns, his nomination was impos-
sblc. He ard Senator Rorah, through
the Senate probe committee. did defeat
General Wood and Governor Lowden.
but that is all. They did not nomi-
nate Senator Harding. Mr.. johnson
throw none of his strength to Senator
Harding. The Harding strength began
TO show itself not in the going over of
whole delegations, but in changes here
and there, so that by the eighth ballot
he had increased from siXty-one votes
to 1888. Mr.. johnson lost fifty-one
votes out Of 14O in the same time, not.
however, at his instance, but against
his protest.
These votes were in Michigan, Ore
gon and Nebras ska, in which the ridicu-
lous primary preference obligation OBJ
tain5. He lost the men who were never
in a body, but were distributed be-
tween VI ood. Lowden and Harding.
The story that Mr.. Harding made an
agreement with Mr.. Johnson as to any
thing evidently has no foundation, be
cause Of its inherent improbability and
because there was no consideration for
such an agreement.
No Cabal for Harding
Nor did any Senate cabal nominate
Mr.. Harding. This story has been ex-
plotted by correspondents of leading
newspapers of the opposition and has
been taken up in editorial columns in
order to give the impression that SEN
ator Harding is only a tool and crea
ton of Senatorial conspiracy. Mr..
Harding was nominated by the dele
gates Of the convention as the best
man to be taken in the interests of the
party, in view of all the circumstances.
The convention was not boss rid
den convention. There were those who
attempted to make it So but failed At
the end Of the eighth ballot, when the
growth Of the Harding vote and the
deadlock character of the Wood-Low
den contest wefe evident, the Connec-
ticut delegation had caucussed to vote
cor Harding on the next ballot and
leave Lowden. Then it was that, against
the protest of many delegates, recess
was forced, in the pursuance Of a plan
of certain "bitter-ender' Senator'S to
put in a candidate to head off the evi-
dent trend toward Harding. The can
didate who was to be thus sprung on
the convention was Chairman Hays.
Whether this was only to stop Hard
ing and ultimately to lead to Senator
Knox one cann"t say, but that it was
n serious effort to prevent Harding s
nomination can be established by in