San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-05

Copyright by The San Antonio Light.
Washington. ID. C., Aug. AT a
time like this with President dead,
personal "reminiscences Of the man
crowd fast upon one in a sort CT ka-
leidoscopic confusion. But to those
who were privileged to know Mr..
Harding more or less intimately, there
is one great outstanding impression
of his occupancy of the White House.
1t was his wonderful respect Tor the
President of the United States.
Warren Harding did not believe
that the presidency was but vehicle
of an individual. He did not believe
that the power of the presidency was
a thing to be welded against ones
enemies. He spoSe always of the Of
flee with the greatest reverence al
most with awe. He thought Of him
self as but a simple man with great
responsibility placed in his keeping.
If he could but administer the trust
so that in the end his fellow beings
might say. "well done, thou good and
faithful servant" his satisfaction, he
often declared, would be complete. Mr..
Harding did not look upon himself as
n brilliant genius. He did not feel that
he was the only man of his generation
fitted for the presidency. At times it
seems that he almost carried his high
ly developed sense of modcsty too far.
1t made some of those with whom he
came in contact rate him far below
his worth.
u,l,o .,,,a&a ,,1nIaeit,, ~ r,an
made him couch many Of his state
ments in negative form and thus
fail to carry the conviction to the
man in the street that more posi-
tive form Of statement from less
able. less sincere public official would
convey.
In speaking of what he intended
to do, or not to do. as President, Mr..
Harding never used the personal pro"
noun -" 1t was always 1.-THE execu-
tive" "That is as far as the exec
utive may co." he would say, and in
this phrase he expressed his reverence
for the constitutional division of gov
ernmental authority the individual
integrity of the legislative, the exec
utive and the judicial
Mr.. Harding was q great stfckler
for orderliness. He always wanted
TO do what he considered the "becom-
ing thing" The words "seemly" and
sweet" were often on his tongue. He
even the most lowly person about him.
/ recall thatethere was great
mystery once at Marion in the period
between the election and the Inaugural
ton of Mr.. Harding. The President
elect and Mrs. Harding were going
to Cleveland. They thought they could
slip away from the newspapermen-
possibly even get away from the secre:
service operatives who were already ON
the job guarding the new executive
to-be. There was great surprise there
fore. when one of the correspondents
casually remarked:
"What are you going to Cleveland
for today. senator?"
Mr.. Harding was obviously an
noyed.
IF any of you fellows 60 with me
to Cleveland or mention my going you
will incur mountains Of displeasure,
shot back the President-elect.
The mystery of the whole thing
puzzled the correspondents. They
thought the visit must have some
great political significance back of
it. But it leaked out at last that the
President was going to Cleveland to
consult a noted dentist and desired
that his going be kept a secret so as
not to hurt the feelings of the local
dentist in Marion.
For a considerable time after his
election. Mr.. Harding chafed visibly
under the surveillance of the CORE
spondents and the secret service racn.
He diG not see WHY n President. much
less President-elect. should he the
object of so much solicitude. When he
was starting for Florida for six
weeks sojourn just before the inau-
Mr.. Harding called together
the correspondents Mt Marion.
II am going to hold aloof from you
fellows for at least two weeks OF my
trip. he said. Il don't want to be