Pueblo chieftain., 1921-06-25


understood will be the care of Mr.
Warrington, but he will ''see- people
or a great variety of subjects. Every
one who has had any dealings with ad-
ministration knows that there is al
ways an unofficial some one whose
car is sometimes worth more to the
seeker of favors than that of the
president himself. In the late admin
| istration of course. this place was
long held by Colonel House. In Taft's
time, Brother Charlie was the man to
see, and during the Roosevelt admins
tration. despite the -sufficiency Of
| its chief incumbent Sec Lodge" was
advice given so often that even Archie
Roosevelt. as small lad, is said to
have given it to a watchman in tho
White House grounds who was in need
of some favor from on high. Hanna
was the power behind the portico in
McKinley's administration. and Daniel
! S. Lamont was Cleveland's favorite
advisor. So the succession runs all
the way back to Andrew jackson, who
seems to have been the first to lean
heavily on unofficial advisers. and 20
have given. origin to the term
''kitchcn Cabinet"
Mrs. Hardins's Part.
All of these have been men of mys-
terry to some extent. That is, no ona
has known just what part each has
played one might guess with some
confidence that some of them hava
been strong men dominating weak
presidents and others have been in
istruments employed by strong presi-
dents.
1t has been suggested that in the
present administration, the Kitchen
Cabinet may well be said to include
the riGhtful mistress of the kitchen.
or course. other first ladies have had
an acknowledged influence upon what
their husbands did in public matters.
and this was notably true of Mrs
Hay. There was much contradictory
gossip about what Mrs. Wilson did
during her husbands illness. some
giving her credit for considerable use
fulncss in political way.
OF Mrs. Hardins's keen interest in
her husba ud's political life, and of his
confidence in her, there seems to he
nc doubt. Besides, she is the first Of
he first ladies to have a vote. and a
large voting constituency of her own
lscx. II it becomes known that the
president places large confidence in
his wife. and that tho wife is favor
able to the legislation that women
want, those facts would certainly he
worth many feminine votes to tho ad-
ministration. Certainly a situation
has been created in which a presi-
dents wife might build for herself
really formidable political power. IL
she was a woman Of strength and in
teiliEcnce.
Whether such a part is to be taken
by Mrs. Harding cannot yet be ascer-
tanned. perhaps But II is interesting
to note that tho somewhat surpris-
ing favor which MIR. Bryan enjoys At
the White House Is said to he in part
duo to Mrs, Harding. Bryan spends
an hour at the White House whcncvcr
he is in town. The recent appoint
ment of prohibition chief Is said 10
have been in accordance with his
wishes. At tho Same time. it is
known that Mrs. Harding. while pre-
sumahly dcprccsting MIR. Bryan's poll
ttcal radicalisn, regards him as
Srcat religious and neral teacher
| Nnothcr story they toll is that dur
ing the campaign President Harding
showed iamontabIc tendency for a
time to derart from tho text OF hie
speeches. These speeches were care
fuzzy prepared and represented not
only a Erat deal of effort on his part
hut also. II Is said. on the part OF
others. In fact, many of them wcro
probably what tho best minds
thought he ought TO gay. But tho
president. once on his feet under full
steam. was frequently seized with a
desire for spontaneous sclf-cxprcssion.
He would 80 off on little rhetorical
side trips. for which. SO to speak, he
had no official ticket. and some OF
discreet. Various Of his advisers took
him To task for this matter without
avail. and finally It was turned over
to Mrs. Harding. II has been noted
by many that she hears all of her
husba nds speeches and IL is said that
tho presidential improvisations havc
ceased