New Britain herald., 1926-07-06

1 the popular imagination as cool, calculating and granite-like citizen from Vermont that he was kept in office by the tune of 100000 ma jority. A congress that reflected the political trend of the year sailed into office on the tail of the Cool idge kite. Everything was set for "Rooseveltan" leadership.
 But there hasn't been any. The millions who placed the President where he is realize that the White House leadership has not turned out to be marvel Of force. Only those important issues which were not accepted as party blanks, and which were accelerated by support from all political faiths. managed to be passed into law. The list Of recommendation made by the President, but which have not been acted upon because the dominant party has not dominated. and be- cause the presidential leadership has not been powerful enough, forms a dismal commentary of po- litical conditions in the national capital.
 Congress in the spring of 1924 1 proceeded 10 pass it's own type of tax reduction regardless of the wishes of the President, and passed the soldiers bonus over his veto. Of course. the insurgent Republi- cans and the Democrats did it. It was then that the need for a Re publican majority in Congress be- came manifest, and the country ac- ceeded to the demand.
 The major accomplishments Of the 1925-26 Congress. with Cool idge majority seated, have been four: Tax reduction, the World Court resolution, the foreign debt settlements, and the elimination Of the Rail Labor board and the sub stitution of a board Of mediation. ] All of them were passed with the help of the Democrats, and not as ! party issues.
 The Coolidge leadership began by failing ignominiously in the at- tempt 10 make Charles B. Warren of Michigan attorney general: and at the close of the present session failed 10 put over the administra- ton kind of farm relief embodied in the Fess bill. The administration succeeded in defeating the Haugen bill, and succeeded in passing the innocuous cooperative marketing bill. the latter a minor exploit that will not help the corn belt and may not please it.
 + may be doubted whether these arc times for presidential leader ship such as was once known in ' Washington. The people evidently have the kind of government they
 want; whether it is one of slow ac- ton. curtailment and negation gen. . erally seems 10 make slight differ.
 ence so long as business is gooG and prosperity fair The facts may
 be that the people are Of q minC
 10 be less interested in the me
 chanics of government than they
 are in a favorable economic balance
 in the individual family budgets
 This is evidenced partly in th' character of the opposition the ad
 ministration has been receiving This opposition has centered il
 those sections Of the country wher, economic conditions have been un
 satisfactory,
 The November elections n,
 ionbt will provide change in th' complexion of Congress. one ovc
 which leadership will be even nor difficult If it is true. as man, claim, that the Presidents ideal o
 the presidency is not to lead Con
 gress, but to let it accept or rejec
 his recommendations without
 definite struggle on his part. thel r he no doubt will be even better ac s commodlted in the next two year ? than in the past.
 ---------------------------