The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-08-22
CHARTED WATERS

President Harding will go down :
in history as the greatest of our con- ]
structive executives. When he en-
tered the white house he found chaos ;
every hand. 1t became his duty
to restore order, reorganize the gov
eminent along sound business lines,
and salvage the wreckage of war. In
the two years and four months that
he directed the affairs of state a rec
ord of accomplishment was set never
equaled before in the history of any
government in the world, and likely
never to be approached again.
He foresaw that the task ahead
far exceeded the capacity Of any one
man to handle successfully, and he
proceeded to surround himself with a
cabinet who could not only give sound
advice when called upon, but who
could be trusted to manage the eX-.
ecutive departments in the way the
situation demanded. In his selection
of executive assistants the president
showed rare judgment. His appoint
GGO WGIG nlGl VI hld hCn llidAldS u a
ability, and all were skilled in the
work that Mr.. Harding allotted to
them. What they did under his direc-
tion and guidance will forever remain
an example to succeeding administra-
tions.
Economy was the watchword, and
in the treasury department the eff
feet Of the Harding policies was most
prominent. Just before he left for
the west the president had the salts
faction of announcing to the country
that the last fiscal year indicated a
! big surplus instead of the usual de-
ficit to which the people had been so
accustomed. The reduction of ex-
penditures and the increase of re-
ceipts made possible large cuts in the
national war debt and warranted a
substantial tightening of the tax bur-
den. Future payment of almost half
of the huge allied loan was also as
sured through the funding agreement
with Great Britain.
In the war and navy departments
the president has caused the CONVEX
sion of huge surplus stores Of sup
plies into cash, and in the shipping
board his appointees have struggled
successfully with heart-breaking dis
couragements. Under the Harding
policies the department of commerce
has become a practical aid to export
ers, the department Of the interior
has brought new efficiency to the adj
ministration of the public domain, the
the ~postoffice department is operat-
ing within its appropriations for the
first time, the department of agricul-
ture is headed by a man familiar with
both the practical and legislative as
poets of farming, and the state de-
partment has restored American pres
tige among the nations of the world.
In place of the disorder which he
inherited, MI. Harding bequeaths to
his successor an organization laid out
according to approved business prin-
ciples, one that already has had a
two-year demonstration of its ability
to function according to the best in
terests of the people. 1t is due to
his foresight thata the man who is
to direct that organization is al
ready trained for the task. Mr..
Harding established the precedent of
inviting the vice president to attend
the cabinet meetings. His purpose
was not only to receive the benefit of
Mr.. Coolidge's sound comment on af.
fairs of state, but to familiarize the
vice president with the duties of the
executive department so that, in the
event Of an emergency like the pres
ent, he could step into the presidents
office with no disturbance to the ma
tons business.
Never has a presidents death been
more deeply regretted, but never has
a president left his office in more or
{ DERBY condition than Mr.. Harding
{ President Coolidge can take up the
reins where his predecessor has
dropped them and pursue the Hard.
] ing policies to the end already mapped
out for them. Mr.. Harding met anC
successfully mastered the crises in
cident to the abrupt change from wal
I to peace, and Mr.. Coolidge has but
to follow the comparatively smooth
s road ahead. Mr.. Harding has pais
r the penalty for his overwork in be
= half of the people. His memory vii
be gratefully treasured by them.