The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-01-13
EXPERIENCED POLITICIANS 90
NOT BELIEVE HARDING HAS
MADE ANY PROMISES.
WISH FATHERS THE THOUGHT
President.sleet Undoubtedly Follow
ING Example Of His Predecessors In
Retaining From Making Direct
Pledges Of Appointment or Policy.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

Is u heavy pilgrimage to the home Of
the P-esident-elect by the Democrats
or by the Republicans. This year Is
no exception TO the rule, and Washing
ton is watching with mingled interest
and amusement tie going forth of the
pilgrims 10 the shrine of the incoming
one at Marion.
II the pilgrims of the past were to
be believed. and II the pilgrims Of the
present are To he believed. Presidents
elect OF the United States are the
greatest promise makers In the world.
and likewise If there il u thought that
the promises are TO be fulfilled they
must have memories which are Ike
the prOverbial ones of the men whose
minds are like wax to receive impress
sions and like marble to retain them.
THE wish is father to the thought"
Is saying as old as that which has
TO do with inpressionable and retain
ing mentalitles Washington believes
that In nine cases out of ten the pill
grims who come away from Marion
thinking and saying that things are
to be thus and so" in almost every
case are persons to whom "the wish
is father to the thought"
To go no further back than 1906,
william Mckinley met the pilgrims
face TO face and talked with them
and. II they were to he believed, prom
Used them Slany things. Woodrow
Wilson In 1913 met thousands Of those
whose steps were New Jerseyward
bent Washington In the past heard
the same tales then concerning the
certain accomplishment of this thing
or that thing. and of the promises
that had been made on this matter or
that matter. or on the appointment OF
this man or that man.
Skeptical About Promises.
Today in Marion the scenes of 9th
or days are being re-enacted and
Washington craftsmanship and near
craftsmanship looks on smilipgly and
under breath speaks of the day when
the pilgrims are 10 wake up and to
get a somewhat sharp sense Of disil-
luslOnment.
All the old Washington politicians
say that no Presldent-elect ever makes
direct promise until just before he
can drop u elect" and write his
name with l. Elk President. AT a
town In Ohio today. as AT Il town in
New Jersey in 1913, there are arriv-
Ing day by day politicians who know
what they want. doctrinaires who
know what they want, theorists WHO
know what they want. advisers who
know what they want to say. and
scores of others who think they know
what they want but probably don't.
So far as one can determine. all Of
these pilgrims ON returning from Ma
rion. as they or their like returned
from the other places in the years
gone by, have deep-seated convic-
ticn that they have carried their
points either in having advice accept
ed or in securing the promise that
somebody or other is to get high
place In government. Washington says
there is nothing To IT,"
Up to the present time the lists OF
men who are certain" to be appoint
ed TO cabinet positions has reached
that number which the Psalmist puts
down as the allotted years of mans
life. three score and ten. There are
only ten cabinet jobs. II sixty men
are 10 he placed congress will have to
do some hurry-up legislation In order
10 provide departments enough to 90
around.
Praise Doesn't Mean Appointment.
Sometimes Presidents-elect are com
PEELED In self-defense. and to save
their regulations for veracity, TO is
sue specific statements in denial that
they have promised Dick that Tom
shall have this job. or Harry that Bill
shall have that job. In Washington
the old stagers say that II Presi-
dent-elect tells petitioner in behalf
Of Bill that Bin Is a good fellow, the
petitioner instantly takes II for grant
ed that Bill is going tn be secretary
of state, or secretary of the treasury,
or be made ambassador extraordinary
and plenipOtentiary to the Court Of
Saint James, or consul general al Lon
don. or minlstering angel 10 the Hot
tentots.
Within a short time the names ~
four men have been given rs of those
who are certain TO be appointed sec
rotary Of state-Charles l.. Hughes,
Phllander Chase Knox. David Jayne
lin and George Sutherland. Not all
Of these gentlemen can occupy the
chief chair at the Presidents table NJ
the same time. II has been suggested
in Washington that they might serve
year each. thus satisfying all the
gentlemen concerned and probably
those Others who are stlcklers for
| rotation In office.
Who viii Be Hardins's seeretaryf
PrcsidSn' Elect Harding has not yet
named definitely the man who Is 10
be his secretary when he takes pos.
session of the White House In
March. Gossip mas II that either