The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-08-09
Calvin Coolidge SpIendidly to
Take Over ReinS of Government

Geography, not infrequently y major
consideration in the nomination Of a
candidate for second place on the
ticket" played less part than history
in the nomination of Calvin Coolidge of
Massachusetts, for Vice President of the
United States by the Republican ma
tional convention in 1920. his stepping
stone to elevation as the thirtieth
President.
From actual observation at the time
and scene of that selection, it may be
stated that there was less talk of Civ
ing the necessary geographical balance
to the ticket when his name went be-
fore the convention than there was
of the achievements of the man and
what he stood for in American politics.
In the commonwealth of Massachu-
sets, where he was best known and
had spent more than twenty years in
public office before he achieved ma
tional prominence. the name of Calvin
Coolidge was a synonym for 1ndepend-
ence rugged honesty, simplicity OF
habits, courage, infieXible devotion to
duty and the austere virtues generally
associated with the pioneer stock from
which hes prang 1t had become
synonym also for success at the polls,
for he had never been defeated for Of
flee, and, generally speaking, in each
successive election at which. he was a
candidate the returns had shown in
creased pluralities.
Politicians in Massachusetts, mar
veled at this, for Coolidge never was a
..handshaker." He was admittedly the
poorest kind of a mixer, and he APP
peared to shun rather than seek the
publicity so eagerly sought by most
men in public life, apparently living
up to a homely adage of his own: Let
men in public office substitute the light
that comes from the midnight oil for
the limelight."
When the Republican national con-
vention was held in June, 1920, only a
few months had elapsed from the
time when, overnight, Calvin Coolidge,
then serving his first term as governor
of Massachusetts, became the talk of
the nation for the important part he
had played in breaking" the police
strike in Boston.
What he did in that grave crisis to
stay the forces of disaster, to uphold
American institutions and to vidicate
the principles of law won him com
mendation from governors, United
States senators, members of the house
and from a host of men prominent in
and out of public life.
Woodrow Wilson, then President of
the United States, although of the OPP
posite political faith, took occasion to
send a message to Gov. Collidge in
which he lavished praise upon him for
the courageous stand he had taken in
that emergency.
What has been termed 1.-THE great
adventure" in the public career of
Coolidge that called for the exercise
of those qualities of courage and de-
cision that had been latent within him
and only awaiting an opportunity to
assert themselves came in September,
1919.
In thirty-seven cities in different
parts of the country unions had been
formed within the uniformed police
forces and become affiliated with the
American Federation of Labor. For
ST. f,,1C
Der organizers had been at work with
in the Boston force.
Their efforts had been attended with
considerable success, and early in the
month a demand was made by the
unionized policemen on Police Com
missioner Edwin M. Curtis for permits
sion to join the American Federation
of Labor. Commissioner Curtis imme-
diately promulgated rule prohibiting
any union of the Boston police force
from affiliating with an outside labor
union.
A strike Of dissatisfied policemen was
threatened when an appeal was made
to Gov. Collidge to reverse the order
of the police commissioner, coupled
with a demand for the removal of the
commissioner himself. The union or
ganizers and the unionized policemen
of Boston it was understood at this
time had received considerable aid and
comfort from the mayor of the city,
who had failed to give even moral sup
port to the commissioner of police.
In the emergency that had arisen,
Gov. Coolidge sought advice from a
committee composed of prominent citi-
zens. conference was held at which
the situation was reviewed from every
angle At this meeting the governor
did little but listen After he had heard
the views Of all present Gov. Coolidge
arose abruptly from his seat and said:
ST thank you, gentlement I see my
way clearly, and now 1 am going to
act"
He then summoned the police com
missioner and called upon him to en-
force his order, assuring him that in
whatever he found necessary to do in
that direction he would have his full
support. The Boston police union