Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-06-23
HARDING AND HAET.

Tue tnliduelnnla Noftn American,
Republican paper OF ardent progress
sive tendencies prints an editorial re.
view Of President Harding and hi,
administration 10 date which. although
couchcd IN friendly terms, seems 70 bS
about as severe an arraignment of the
President as a partisan Democratic
paper would present In this editorial
IN a politically friendly newspa per
President Harding is compared with
President Taft, and his administratio
thus far with that OF President Taft,
for a similar period of time. and
great Is the similarity which this Re.
publican newspaper rnds I'm them
Harding Is the same kind Of a failure
that Taft was. (, points out, in un
satisfactory cabinet appointments. hi,
inefficient direction Of affairs. and IL
his failure 10 induce Congress 10 pa,
attention 20 his recommendations
After this presentation the editoria
continues:
In respect TO ma,or anno,,,-
Hents' his relations with Conrr-.s
and the urgency Of doms.,,c a..
sues involving danger to the AS
cendancy OF his party. Harding "a
certainly not more favorably situ-
ated than was Taft at a corrs-
spending period. Taft appointed as
Attorney-General George "
"ickersham. an eminent and able
lawyer whom the public politically
aistrusted. and his selection for
secretary OF the interior ,or.-
Swallowed a scandal from the f,rst.
Harding. or the other hand. chos.
for Attorney General a politician
who WIS certain 10 be a ta-rs. ~
overwhelming criticism. but who
was without any legal attainment.
10 recommend him for the position.
while his secretary OF the interior
lacks public confidence and has
adopted policies against which
storm is already rising. The head
OF the navy department 1. Iik.-
wise under fire in connection with
the leasing OF oil lands.
"Hardins's influence with the
Republicans in Congress is no
greater than was that Of Taft In
his phase Of the n1stter. however.
there is a marked difference. INF,
surrendered power TO the old guard
leaders. and thereafter they be-
came responsible TO the country
for legislation. Harding for the
most part has kept his hands off.
intervening only when conditions
had become intolerable. and. since
Congress lacks strong leadership.
there has been no definite respon-
sibility anywhere.
1T is 20 be noted. meanwhile,
that thus far the Harding inter
ventions have been quite futile.
He demanded a reduction In the
agreed surtax on large incomes,
and Congress disregarded him.
He Numbered against the farm
bloc, and that organization went on
getting the legislation II wanted.
He took a courageous stand
against the bonus scheme, but the
bin will doubtless be passed. and
It's advocates confidently predict
that he Will Sign Il. He urged
speedy action on the tariff, and
fifteen months elapsed before a
beginning was made. Now he
makes ship subsidy a paramount
issue. and faces stubborn opposi-
ton IN his party. By backing
Daugherty and Fall and DENLY
he has drawn criticism upon him.
self. His open support Of the
bosses plan 10 repeal the popular
primary laws has cost him a grea'
deal Of support.
Yet. despite all the perils thai
he has created for his admins
tration. there is no such concen-
tration Of forces against him al
there was against Taft in 1910
This ~ due largely to his winning
personality. Those of his part,
in Congress who fout his com
mands and oppose his policies
stil regard him with friendliness
while fifteen months after Taf