Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-25
Editorial Comment
The Presidents Mandate
IN. Y. Times, lind. Deml)


disappointed. at the quiet way in
which Mr.. Coolidge has gone forward
as if his election by an overwheim
ing majority meant no particular
change. What could not an am
bilious and far-planning President
have. done with such an immense
leverage at his disposal? He could
have gone to Congress to trample
under his feet those members who
had taken pleasure in fiouting@ htnl
before With millions Of votes in
his hand. he could have unfolded
visions of great endeavors and of
projects filing the imagination and
appealing to the kind OF national
pride most easily aroused. But
President Coolidge did none Of these
things. FIis message to Congress
went on just where he had been
when interrupted by the Presidential
campaign. All his talk was of
thrift. careful management. cutting
the Government cost according to
the cloth. and relieving the people
from needless and vexatious taxes.
All this was excellent enough in
it's way, cried some enthusiasts. but
In it there was not single spark OF
"idealtsm," One despairing critic of
the Presidents message and of his
daily fight for public economy pro-
fessed to discover in him a mystic
PASSION for parsimony," very difficult
to understand. But still more diff
ficuIt is 1t to understand the failure
to perceive that there is the best
kind of idealism in applying the
maxims of prudence to the business
OF the Government: and that n
resolute purpose to save for the
benefit Of the whole people may be
the finest mystic passion to seek to
develop in the breasts of layishiy
spending public men.
The truth is that the President
has shown his native simplicity and
his common sense reinforced by
experience, in interpreting as he has
done the mandate so emphatically
given to him by the American people.
If they laid any charge upon him at
all, 1t was to go on being what he
Rad shown himself to be before. He
lad worked hard to keep down
Government expenditures, and they
wished him to continue to do so. He
had used voice and veto against
public extravaganza, and they spoke
approval Of that course, with the
implied demand that 1t continue to
he pursued. The President had
preached and practiced the homely
virtues of frugality and close over
sight of every public outlay, and the
election was taken by him merely
as warrant to cleave to those
policies He did not read into his
mandate from the people any direc-
ton whatever to embark upon
Prandiose schemes which he mi"ht !
bangle in glittering form before the
eyes of Congress and Of the country. !
To his clear way Of reasoning. 1t
seemed demonstrable that II the peo- |
pie had decided to keep Coolidge"
1t meant keeping him as he was. and
as they knew him 70 be. not at all
IS an official chartered to lead the I,
nation out upon some unknown sea
of new policy.
To the seeing eye. there Is
abundant ideaIism In the sort of
work which President Coolidge has !
marked out for himself and for Con
gress and to which he Is success
fully bending all the energies Of his /
Administra tion. II might seem more |
Z omanfic, and al,uring to summon !
his fellow countryrnen to some high !
adventure. But II they win look into !
their own homes and communities !
they VIII readily see what wonder |
full thing IL is which the President Is !
He desires to prevent |
the heavy hand OF the Government |
from reaching needlessly into the /
purse of the private citizen. What !
Goes this mean? Not merely the !
saving Of little money. II denotes !
a release OF individual energy and |
enterprise now hampered. It means
the coming Of new hope into thou
sands Of families. with the opper-
tunities, through RENTED taxes, for
for enlargement of OUT
look. for travel, for wider SYM 1
pathies. for duickened phiIanthro- !,
pies. for upbuilding in a thousand
ways.
Is there nothing in such prospect
to stir idealistx? What Is contempt
uously called mystic passion for |