The Washington herald., 1920-10-28

~ Presidency will have ended. There are
those who think that SO far as any action
to affect its result is concerned it is ended
But they sre perhaps oversanguine. While it is
true enough that the bettors estimating Har
dng's chances eight times good those OF
Cox let US recall the fact that the odds on Hughes
in 1910 were at least two to one on election day.
Il has been curious campaign. Viewed dispas-
sionateIy It cannot be said to have reflected much
glory upon the Republican management. At the
very outset everything pointed unmistskably to Re-
publican success The revolt of the country against
the Wilson adninstration-whether justihable or
-not-~as so pronounced that it seemed all that
Senator Harding had to do to cling to his
front porch make pleasant and innocuous speeches,
and accept the Presidency a mark of the ma
tiH's discomfort with the Democratic party.
Confronted by this situation the Democratic can
di tate for time did little to change it. The
eatlier campaigning expedients OF Gov Cox were
distinctly harmful to his candidacy. 1t had been
all fged concerning him at the time OF his nomi-
naEon that he was mot of Presidential caiber."
T r meaning of the phrase in the minds of most
OF sthOse who employed it that the nominee
lacked in a certain sobriety OF expression and
d entity OF demeanor that we think of as essential
attributes OF the Presidency. And for time the
governors campaign methods seemed to justify the
charge. Nothing more sensational and undgnified
costrol OF the Republican campaign plotting to
bus the Presidency with "slush fund" OF $4,000
ooe. The charge substantiated, nor ever
Withdrawn. 1t was made with a wantonness that
made it ineffective a campaign document. 1t
probably indeed recoiled its author as among
a very large number OF voters it has been held to
support some degree the charge OF irresponsi-
bsty and lack OF dignity his part. The ten
desoy OF Gov Cox to substitute personal abuse
OF ibis opponents for reasoned argument has not
helped his cause. Soft words may butter no pars-
nips but hard words applied to an adversary Of
wlIOa a whole the country thinks we'll are of
no. political advantage
1t is a iact plainly apparent to every practced
obsever OF politics that Gov Cox's campaign
began to turn to his advantage when he aban-
doned, in part at least, the cheaper methods with
which he started out and addressed himself to the
grsater issue OF the campaign in a dignifcd way
$50 happened that his concentration OF attention
ana oratOry upon the league issue began just
about the time that Senator Harding, by an TN
fortunate phrase in his Des Moines speech gave
rise to the baeless suspicion that he was weaken
ing in his adherence to the principles of an inter
national organization for peace. Just at that mo-
m9It Gov. Cox began to grow more emphatic in
his ProtcstatIons OF devotion to the league, and in
proportion he has done so his strength has in
creased
No 'one can be blind to the fact that it is be-
cause q this issue that we read daily in the
Newspapers the names Of Republicans of the high
ESD standing who going over to the Demo
cratic candidates.
It IS quite true that those who take this action
are mislcd II they are dominated by their devotion
TO ithe Versailles treaty in its precise form they
must face the fact that Gov. Cox declares himself
favorable to amendments, and furthermore that the
political tendency in the country is such that there
Is scarcely the remotest possibility of there being
Democratic Senate to help a Democratic Presi-
dent put through any sort OF treaty whatsoever
Senator Harding is pledged to treaty includ-
ing league for the maintenance of peace and
with a Republican Senate, which seems assured,
viii be in a position to secure one
The apparent stimulus to the Democratic CAM
paign which results from Gov Cox's new policy,
whle impressive, is going to be sufficient to
stem the tide of the nation toward the Republican
patty.
But it is enough to attract attention to the
strength OF the league idea with the voters II
IS significant of public sentiment against which
thi rreconclabes Of the Johnson-B Borah- Reed type
clainor in vain Though not sufficient to swing
the election, which will be determined upon quite
other grounds, it should be sufficiently apparent
to impress the successful candidate whoever he
may be. No man, in the face of this very evident
public sentiment, will dare to enter the White
House with the purpose of giving to his admins
trafion that tone of narrow provincialism the
people repudiate.