The Holly chieftain., 1923-08-09
President Harding's Sudden De-
: mise Shocks the Nation
and the World.
Mr.. COOLIDGE TAKES OATH
New Chief Executive Requests Cabinet
to Continue In offies-underwood
Now an Avowed Candidate
England Delays Break
With France Over
Ruhr.
BY EDWARD W. pIcKARo

~ 6S"D0S W. TISNNnS
DRESIDENT HARDING is dead, and
! all the nation Is in mourning. In
deed, all the world mourns with US.
for all the world recognized the truly
great qualities of the man and held
him in the highest esteem.
Death came at Z 80 o'clock Thurs
day evening In the Palace hotel, San
Francisco, with suddenness that was
stunning. The Presidents physicians
had been announcing TO the country
cry, though they admitted the process
of convalescence would be slow; nearly
all the members of his party were
scattered, only Mrs. Harding, who sell
dom had left his side, and two nurses
being in the sick room. The devoted
wife had been reading aloud. One Of
the nurses remarked, Doesn't he look
finer AS they turned to look at him
again a shudder went through his
frame and in few moments, without
having spoken word, he passed away.
Death was due to stroke of cerebral
apoplexy.
Ten minutes before midnight Calvin
Coolidge was notified Of the death of
Mr.. Harding and Of his own elevation
from the office of vice president to
that of president. He was visiting at
the home of his father in Plymouth,
Vt, where he was born on July 4, 1872.
The oath of office was administered
to him at 2 :47 Friday morning by his
father, who Is notary public. and he
hastened to Washington. Edward p.
Clarke, his secretary, was in the ma
tional capital and he 1t was who sent
the news to Mr.. Coolidge. The only
members of the cabinet in Washington
at the time were Secretary Of State
Hughes and Postmaster General New.
Secretaries Mellon OF the treasury and
Davis of labor are in Europe and 9TH
ers of the cabinet were in the Far
West. All the members of the cabi-
net, following established procedure,
offered their designations to the new
President. He asked them all to re-
tain office.
President Coolidge's first statement
was:
Reports have reached me, which
/ fear nre correct, that President Hard
ing is gone. The world has lost a
great and good man. mourn his
loss. He was my chief and my friend.
1t will be my purpose to carry out the
policies which ne has begun for the
service Of the American people and
for meeting their responsibilities wher-
ever they may arise.
''For this purpose, shall seek the
cooperation Of all those who have
been associated with the President
during his term of Office. Those who
have given their efforts to assist him
I wish to remain in Office that they
may assist me.
II have faith that God will direct
the destinies of our nation"
MR.. HARDING's body was placed
1Nl on a special train Friday evening
and taken direct to Washington by
way Of Reno. Ogden, Cheyenne. Oma-
ha and Chicago. No stops were made
en- route save those necessary for
operation of the train. On board was
a guard Of sixteen soldiers and sailors
and at all times two men from each
arm Of the service stood at attention
beside the casket. The car was lighted
at night, and all the long way across
the continent the sorrowing people
gathered to see 1t pass. The train car
ried the presidential party as COM
posed during the western trip, and also