The Colorado statesman., 1924-05-10
LIKE COOLIDGE
AS VOTE GETTER
a. o. p. POLITICIANS ALSO THINK
HE GAINS FROM REBUkE TO
SENATE INVESTIGATORS.
BY EDWARD B. CLARK


Washlngton.-A certain bluntness
| In stating conditions sometimes Is
necessary to serve truths purpose. Re
publican politicians here are showing
no great personal enthusiasm over
President Coolidge as the party
nominee, but seemingly they are be-
coming convinced that he Will be
good vote-getter. In the recent pri-
maries proof has been adduced to
buttress this belief.
Signs in Washington point to the
conclusion that President Coolidge has
won additional support from the coun-
try by his sharp letter to the law
makers in administration antagonism
to the method and the means sena-
torially suggested for what really
amounts 10 an investigation into the
private affairs of the secretary of the
treasury. Washington seems to think
that the Presidents method of attack
may have been outlined by MIR. Mellon
but 1t does not regard this as sapping
the strength of 1t in any way.
1t is said by Republicans here that
the Democrats in the senate seem to
realize, even while sticking to their
original position, that the country Is
resenting their proposal of private
counsel to help them find things out
about the Treasury department, and as
a companion effort to find things out
about the treasury secretary. If there
be those who find partlsanship in this,
1t might be said that suggestion for
the employment of private counsel
came from both Republican and Demo
cratic sources.
Cleveland Set a Precedent.
A Democratic precedent for the
| position taken by the President in
this matter has been found. 1t was
| President cleveland who refused a
| demand, made it is true enough by
Republican senator, that he send
certain confidential papers to the
senate. Grover Cleveland stood on his
constitutional rights in that case and
President Coolidge has stood on his
constitutional rights in the current
| case.
The thing that is of particular i'm
portance in this precedent matter Is
| that Republicans in that day lost In
their fight, and moreover the position
taken by Cleveland was endorsed by
the press and the people of the coun-
| try.
Republicans here seem to think that
what happened in the Cleveland case
will happen in the Coolidge case. Wash
| ington still is hearing words of praise
for the Presidents position in the
Mellon matter. AS the Republicans
view 1t Mr.. Mellon, although a much
attacked man, is recognized by the
country for his ability, and moreover
the feeling still exists here that the
| Mellon tax plan which the house COM
| promised upon and which probably
will not be endorsed by the senate
| because of combination of Demo-
cratic and Republican opposition, still
is extremely popular with the country.
President Coolidge is conservative
and Mr.. Mellon is conservative. The
| attacks on both come largely from
| advanced thinkers" in the two parties,
except for few Democratic conserva-
| tive assaiants who probably entered
| the fight because they thought they
| must do so in order to keep intact their
| following of senatorial radicals of both
| parties.
Its Effect on Nomination Talk.
One effect of the recent happenings
in the two parties is noticeable. Many
of the Democratic leaders here are
| beginning to think that the nomina-
ton of at least a semi
Democrat for the presidency is
necessary in order to win the election.
They think apparently that If Cool
idge is the Republican candidate, as he
will be, and if a semi-conservative
Democrat also is n candidate, third
party will be inevitable, but that in
stead of losing by the happening of a
third party's entrance into the field,
the Democracy will win through a
repetition of what happened in that
year of upsets, 1912.
In Washington letters recently 1t
was said that there was an unmlstak-
able ripple of interest in the candl-
dacy, restrained so far as personal
effort is concerned, of John w. Davis,
one time ambassador to Great Britain
and now II lawyer of note and Of prop
erly lucrative practice in New York
city.
Within a day or two the reawakened
interest in Mr.. Davis has come to
the attention of some Democrats who
hitherto had thought him impossible
as u candidate. Seemingly many men
here expect the three or four Demo-
Gratis whose names have been most
prominently mentioned for the candi-
lacy to kill one. another off in the