Arizona republican., 1922-02-12
PRESIDENT VOICES FAITH IN
PARTY SPIRIT Of L|NCOLNS
TIME As POPULAR EXPRESSION


WASHINGTON. Feb. 11-Presidsnt
Harding in a Lincoln day address be-
fore the League of Republican stare
Clubs OF the District OF Columbia To-
night said he craved "the return OF
intelligent conventions in the re-
public"
popular support on the pronounce
ments of party conventions, utterlng
their convictions" the president said'
''than to have the appeal OF the indl-
vidual for his particular locality.
81 would rather trust the declara-
ton of a party I'm National conven-
ton expressing the conscience OF its
membership in representative con-
vention looking forward to success
ful appeal 10 the conscience and con-
victions Of the country. he added'
"than / would to the ephemeral pass
ing whims of public life.
Il believe in political parties. ours
is the repre- resentative popular govern
ment. through political parties anu
il / could express one OUTSTANDING
wish tonight. ! would rather nave
little more Of the party spirit or LIN
coins time than some know Of now
a1ays.
'Iincoln was the great partisan. No
greater or better Republican ever
lived. And he believed, as know you
believe. that the greatest possibilities
OF service are in the party.
Senator Shortridge of California
Representative Beedy Of Maine, Col-
onal Edward James Cattell of Phila-
delphia, Mrs Harriet Taylor UPTON
vice chairman of the executive com
mittee of the Republican national
connmittee and Mrs. Virginia White
Speel OF the city also spoke. All
eulogized Abraham Lincoln and ap-
pealed for a continuance Of his splft
within the party. and the women ao-
ded TO their tributes TO the great
president an appeal for the women
OF the nation to take a greater part In
the public life of the country.
The president was accompanied py
Mrs Harding, who he said, was at
tending her first Republican banquet.
Discussing the Importance Of par
tv interest and party spirit and party
activity" Mr.. Harding said that !
do not forget that 1 first required
an expression of the trust of the Re-
publican party before | could have
position of trust in the nation.
II never forget he added, that et
was not r. the individual who won
the election of 1920, but the United
states of America gave its express
sion of confidence and hope In the
party of Lincoln, Mckinley ana
Roosevelt"
In speaking Of the importance of
political parties in the American sys-
tenn OF government, the president
said:
when you serve the nation you
honor the party that trusted YOU
If / did not believe with all my
heart that "a party policy was TOT the
public good then | would seek "
have my party alter the policy,
at has been repeatedly said the
president declared that men in con-
gYess represent the nation rather
than their districts. That ought TO
he true he added "but there is no
marty service worth while that is not
in the end of highest service TO the
nation | believe in the coll
lective judgment. l believe in the COLI
lectiVe vision of the convention, /
believe in the dictum of the party.
Referring to Lincoln and the diff
culties and criticism which he faced,
Mr.. Harding said:
"Do not forget how they came TO
the master martyr who was lashed
nv angry tongues as no public serv-
ant was ever lashed. He drank from
as bitter a cup as ever touched hu-
man lips: but his faith was unaf,
fected his courage was undaunted
and he wrote the supreme chapter
i'm the life of the republic. because
in the commitment of his party he
was devoted to union and nationality
and martyrdom revealed him as the
most colossal statesman OF all
times"
The league adopted a resolution
urging congress to declare Llncoln
birthday a legal holiday WITHIN the
District of Columbia.