Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-13
Coolidge Nomination


clarity OF his mind. the depth Of his
thought. and the soundness of his
Judgment. There is no real states
manship without these qualities. My
function is to present the man. The
emphasis must be just there. My
primary task does not concern poll
cies or platforms as such. These
must, OF course, serve as highly i'm
portant illustrative material, but !
am asked 20 tell you why | believe
the President should succeed himself
and formally to place his name in
nomination.
1.-The Man
In these days Of worthy emphasis
upon social obligations and public
mindedness IL as easy to overlook the
fun meaning of the Individual. Many
powerful forces are now operative in
America which make for the dlsin-
tesration OF personality and consc-
quent failure always to realize that
back OF every great movement Is a
man. There can be no citizenship
without the citizen and no virtue
without the Virtuous. Every cause
is identified with a person. Just so
today the Republican party has its
wise leader, tried through many
years of faithful and striking public
service. His preparation for the high
Office he now holds has been ade-
quate and ideal.
To describe him in spoken or writ
ten word is quito impossible. Per-
sonality deties the rigid barriers of
speech. To know any man you must
see him. To know this man you must
spend time with him. AS he himself
said of Lincoln: The great men of
all times battle all analysis and all
description"
One thing we can say. He illus
hn ~ r1y..-
paradox is something which is zap
parently absurd yet true" Anyone
Will tell you he is "One of us" and
he Is. In keeping with his real quail
tiles | shall make no effort to exalt
him, for he does not need it. 1t would
be grossly inartistic and inconsistent.
He Is not a superman and would be
the last 10 think so. There is not
trace Of ostentation about him. for he
does nothing merely for appearance
lie may be an example, but he would
never set one. His quiet, unobtru-
slVe. and natural way OF doing things
was beautifully and Eraclously illus
frated during the sad days of last
August when he assumed the duties
or the presidency. He personifies the
plain simple virtues OF our citizens
at their best
that he il rarely common, il must
also be known that he is nobly I'M
common. A great man is always sim
pie and direct. About this man there
- something elemental He can see
into the heart of things" He knows
that every person has a soul and that
the greatest thing about America is
her spirit. He never lacks dignity
The office he occupies is exalted. for
when he performs a public duty it is
a ceremony.
lie has moral fibre. To me. Il Is
his
tic. There is moral grandeur about
him which does credit to American
life. You simply cannot think Of him
as soft or flabby. He aims actually
to do what he knows he ought TO do
There is n rigor and vfgor in his life
which suggests sternness and disci-
pline. He helps one to understand
that righteousness has nm actual
place in the world. knowing him.
you see a. once why ne believes that
the American spirit is the supreme
moral power of the world" With
him there Is no compromise. There
is no substitute for virtue" When
he knows what is right he follow
1t with rcsistless logic and persistent
endeavor. He seems the epitome of
sheer self-control. His achievements
in this respect are worthy of tho
highest emulation by the present
generation of Americans. From his
youth UP he learned that self-re-
straint is a necessity for useful liv-
ing as we'll as for civilization.
His father tells an incident which
throws a flood of light upon his early
training. 1t was the boys duty each
day to provide an ample supply Of
firewood for the kitchen stove. ON
one occasion 1n the middle Of the
night his father found the son at his
task because he had failed to provide
the wood for the coming morning
Stern duty was on his conscience. He
early learned that obedience is essen
tial In a well ordered group. He is
severe with every form of selhshness
and evil. They Exist to be conquered.
To him character Is the first neces-
sity. He welcomes prosperity pro-
Vided We transmute our wealth into
social progress. All our national
power and grandeur. all our physical
wealth. all of our guarantees Of lie
and liberty will be of real avail just
in proportion ~ individual citizens