Pueblo chieftain., 1921-07-24
NOBODY DOUBTS
HARDING LEADS
President Gains Control As
Congress Fails To Pro-
duce Leader
BY MARK SULLIVAN

Washington. d. c.. July 23.-Hardly
anybody in Washington doubts now
that President Harding has the leader
ship of the Republican ma jority in the
house and senate. II this had come
about suddenly it would be news in
sense both startling and important
Because 1t has come about gradually.
1t still remains important news. but Ia
not seen to be as startling as 1t really
Is.
Any reader who will cast a thought
back Just year will recall the Demo-
cratic slogan to the effect that IL
Harding were elected he would be the
creature of a Senatorial oligarchy".
This was not merely a campaign slo-
gan.
Some OF the Republican senator's
held the same theory. Their eSpecta-
ton was that the power and prestige
which had passed from the Capitol to
the White House under Wilson and
Roosevelt was to be restored to the
Capitol and they relied upol their fell
low Senator. Mr.. Harding. to be the
vehicle of that restoration. ... 90.
They visualized the future manage
ment of the country as being largely
in the hands of the Republican sena-
tors. acting. so to speak as board
OF directors. with the executive man
agement in the hands OF n president
who had been one of their intimates.
and who. they, expected. as president.
would continue to have toward them
the same differential relationship that
he had had when he was compare
lively new and easy going senator. and
they were veterans with an appetite
for power such as Harding did not
have.
That this picture. entertained both
by many OF tho Republicans and to
some extent by the public. IL not now
nj all true is accounted for by several
factors. OF these the most important
is HnrdinEs steadily increasing sue
cess i'm the presidency. During the
same months when Hardine's manage
ment Of the executive end OF the gov
eminent has been one conspicuous sue
cess after another. the Republican
management Of affairs in the senate
and the house has been. with equal
conspiciousness lacking i'm speed eff
cheney and the other qualities which
would give tho country the idea of
success. and would give the senators
the power and prestige they would
like.
Another reason for President Hard
ing coming. against his inclination. to
leadership of his party majority in tho
house and senate lies IN tho failure Of
tho Legislative end Of the government
to develop any Leadership within them
selves.
Not only have tho Republicans in the
house and Eennte failed to develop the
kind of leadership which would give
them command and discipline. but In
the lack Of that development the thins
that has happened or at least threat
ened to happen Has been an disin-
tsgration OF tho party in the house and
senate hardly equalled i'm our history.
Instead Of individual leadership and
party discipline. We have seen a
marked tendency of the unled mem
hers of the houte and senate TO split
into little groups and bloc" So ohvi
GUS has this tendency been that II
Harding should now continue in HIS
reluctance to accept the leadership in
the legislative branch Of the govern
mont, We would he certain to sec in
the house and senate n chaos Of these
little groups. pulling and hauling nc
cording to sectional interest, or indus
trial interest or eN-soldier interest or
whatnot, leadership is thrust upon
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