Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1920-06-18
THE MIDDLEBURY REGISTER
Entered as second-class matter at
the postoffice at Middlebury, Vt.
O K HARDING

measure up to everyone's expectations
There is no gainsaying that the choice
of the Ohio senator was received IN
this section with surprise, and with
some dismay, but it was a disappolnt-
ment born ignorance rather than OF
understanding.
A weeks study of the fragmentary
sketches of Harding's private lie ana
public service has surely raised him in
the esteem of those who were at trst
inclined to doubt his worth as a presi-
dental candidate. His nomination is
obviously an "Old Guard" victory,
and there NAV be truth to warrant the
New York Times and other critics TO
attack Mr.. Harding as a weakling as
compared with such men as WOOD OF
Hughes, or Butler There may even be
some ground for fear that his admins
tration would be that of a 'puppet
with the leading strings in the hands
of his party leaders, But even II TINS
be true, the rank and file OF RepuoA-
can voters will surely find it source
of qualification rather than OF disap-
pointment
Those who have followed Mr.. Wilson
in his idealism have met with their
greatest handicap because he was so
strong-minded and self-directed that
the best counsel of even his own party
leaders availed little toward keeping
him from running ahead of his times,
md of far exceeding what are general
" conceded to be the constitutional
limits of executive authority
A great many wen-wishers of the
President, even in his own party, have
been forced to desert him because OF
his uncompromising attitude and MS
tendency to make the executive ONCE
autocratic and legislative in its func-
tons AS against the single-tracK
mind, the over-reaching idealism and
the stubborn seclusion of this one-man
president, no stronger contrast could be
offered than in the personality OF Sen
ator Harding He is judged on his past
record as a safe, middle-of-the-road
man. and his friends strike a respon-
sive chord when they describe him as
a man of the Mckinley type.
As Senator it appears that Mr.. Hard
ing had upheld the hands Of the presi-
dent vigorously during the war; but
that his motives were Americansm
rather than Internationalism. In the
debate on the Peace Treaty he die
not aLy himself strongly either witt
the Lodge or Borah obstructionists
but was for the treaty, with rese1va
lions.
If. on Election Day, November 2nd-
which, by coincidence happens to b'
Senator Hardings 5jth birthday
is honored with the office for which hi
party has named him, he will have
won his high station with clean hands
Though he began life soiled with print
er's ink. his political record has ap
narentlv been unstained and he offer
no easy point of attack, The only ar
row thus far let loose is the charge o
"mediocre ability" True, his is n
"master-mind" and his friends re
ioice in the fact They are conhden
that in the executive chair he will sur
round himself with the able couns(
which his party affords, reinsttutln
the Cabinet on the high plane OF pull
lie esteem and confidence which it ha
held during a number Of Republica
administrations.
Vermonters are surely pleased owe
the nomination OF their native sol
Calvin Coolidge, for vice-president.
is gratifying also that Senator Hardin
is pleased genuinely pleased with h
running mate. The two men pose
intimate friends and if they are SUI
cessful in carrying this relationsh
through four years of administratio
it will be a unique circumstance, al
of public benefit. Postmortem expl
nations from Chicago make it appe
that Governor Coolidge might hims(
have had the Presidential nominate
if his friends from Oregon had Or
sented his name to the convention
few hours earlier Such a differen
do a few hours make
The tenacity with which the We
mont delegation held to General Wo,
has the full approval OF the peor
back home, and, at the same time, t
acclaim Of Senator Harding as a We
thy substitute will grow, the clio;
becomes our acquaintance with hi
VARSITY VS.. ALUMNI