Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-06-17
THURSDAY, JUNE IT, 1920.
THE NOMINATION OF HARDING

THE NOMINATION OF HARDING. ].
 Upon platform that has produced general dissatisfaction, the ChicagoI convention presents a candidate whose nomination will be received with as. tonishment and dismay by the party whose ,suffrages he invites. WarrenI C. Harding is g very respectable OhioI politician of the second class. He has, never been leader of men or al director of policies. For years al protege of Foraker, he rose to al subordinate office by favor of Boss Cox of Cincinnati. Beaten by Judson Harmon in the contest for the govern. { orship in 1910, he has never shown Independent strength in his own state save when he was named for. senator in 1914, having majority of little more than 100000 over his democratic competitor; and outside of Ohio h. $ hes only such strength as he now de r4ves from his place at the head of the republican ticket. Senator Harding's record at Washington has been fain, and colorless. He was an undistin- .A .4 -s ' guishcd and indistinguishable unit iii the ruck of republican senators wht obediently followed Mir. Lodge in the twistings and turnings of that states mans toray upon the treaty and the covenant.
 The nomination of Harding, foi whose counterpart we must go back to Franklin Pierce if we would seek 3 president who measures down to his political stature, is the fine and per. feet flower of the cowardice and imbe, sility of the senatorial cabal tha, enlarged itself with the management, ' of the republican convention, agains, whose control Governor Beeckman st vchemently protested. Rejecting heonard Wood, probably the stronges. ea3f all because they knew he would never be dectated to bs them, they favored Governor Lowde1 until Borah served upon them his no tice of veto of that nomination Borah was commanding and truculent because he knew that he had to deal with group of white livered and in. competent politicians. If republican leadership had not fallen into the hands of pigmies the chief men al Chicago would have told Borah ts bolt and be hanged, just as upon tn. issue of the league they would have defied Johnson to do his worst. But they ran like frightened flock, sur, rendered everything. Mir. Lodge finally throwing off all disguises and stand ing out us the open foe of the cove nant of the league of nations, even with his own reservations.
 What has befallen the republican party of the early days, the party O. sixty years ago, when it was possess, ed of moral purposes, or of forty anc thirty years ago, when it could stil profess to have them and find be, lievers?
 Where are it's leaders that can b, compared to Morrill,, Seward, Hale Platt of Connecticut, Oliver P. Nor ton, Sumner, Blaine, Conklin ano dozen others who rose to high place. in the party councils? And, if tht question be not too unfeeling, wher, and what are it's principles, if any ii have? Party control, exercised by {; group of senators, is divided between < Lodge on the one hand and Boraf and Johnson on the other. None O. them, none of their accomplices il party degredation, would have come within hailing distance of the fore most rank of party chiefs in ths brilliant days of republicanism. Ant for principles, they have only hatred of MT. Wilson and ravening hunger $ for the offices.
 
 Governor Coolidge for vice-presi dent really shines by comparison witl the head of the ticket. He at least i man 0f achievement. he is known t the party and to the nation. Whel the police force of Boston went oi strike lie showed himself to be man 1Ie met that menace to the publi kfety with courage and determination