The Alaska daily empire., 1923-06-29
LET PARTIES STAND FOR SOMETHING
 RATHER THAN AGAINST SOMETHING.

In about loo 900 voters boiled by colere on who should be the next President of the United States something like 20 per cent. favor President Harding When it considered that President Harding is con ceded the Republican nomination this suggests the condition that Will Hays found when he set out 10 get into organization for the purposes of one election all those who were opposed to President Wilson-with this difference, Mr Hays found at the sart the largCt part of his task was the unpopuar- zation Of President Wilecn. There never was any such percentage Of the American against Pres- dent Wilson as Golfers poll would indicate to be against President Harding. But by using propaganda appealing tc the likes, dielkes prejudice5, whims and caprices- racial, religious and occu- patnnal-of Americas wide flung and diverse popu- lation using always kind missionary among kind the task of making President Wilson unpopular was accompl.t he'd and then the opposition organized into solid phalanx by very capably managed convention which discarded all the prominent Pres- dential candidates and nominated who had made no campaign and therefore, TO wounds, who likoable and able-a sort of Frank Pierce nom- nation. The result that about so per cent. of the voters cast their ballots against V Wilson Ad nfnistration and incidentally for Senator Harding
 If Golfers poll is indicative of the conditions of public sentiment. who would start out to do for 1924 what Mr. Hays did for 1920 would find his work half done, He would not have depopularize the Administration He would eny have to consolidate the opposition to H.
 However in the end what would be accomplished? Suppose, for instance that all these who favor Ford McAdoo. Smith, Underwood. Raston, Cox and others for the Presidency. those who oppose something in the Harding Administration, brought into a CO., operating force defeat President Harding, is it not almost certain that the Administration would soon find tself in minority? Would it be pcfsfble to shape the policies of the government that all the clements which would contribute to it's election would continue to cooperate? Would it not find itself where the Republicans find themselves now when there are strong representations each house of Congress claiming ta be members the party but who are more strongly opposed to each other than each is opposed to the Democratic Party?
 Would it not be better fer the country and, in the end for the separate parties if both of thon would nominate positive candidates positive plat ferns and appeal for support what they stand for rather than what they do stand for? The Republicans will probably do that President Harding will have his record and declaration of principles and policies that will be fairly well mapped by the time he competes his present journey He his record and hs speeches will be the Republican offering next year. IL would be better for the Democrats to meet that with positive program rather than indefinite cateh-al arrangement designed gather in all those who arc opposed the Republican program Then nc matter which side wins we will know what to look forward to.