Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-04
The Much Discussed Idiom.

AS a contribution to the discussion
of President Coolidges idiom, II do
not choose to run for President in
1925" comes a statement by a life
long Vermonter that this form of ex-
preston is Indigenous to the soil of
the Green Mountain State and that
it means NO" without qualification.
According to this authority, when a
Vermonter at a town meeting whose
name has been proposed for Office says
Il choose not" his declination Is re.
garded as final. When a horse trader
at the State fair says II choose not
the nag" IT signifies that he positively
will not take the animal on any terms
So, says this Vermonter, Mr.. Cool
idge's II choose not to run" means
that he has definitely determined that
he will not be a candidate, not for the
nomination, but for the office; that
he will not allow his name to go be-
fore the convention. Which. if true,
puts an end to the speculation that
perhaps the President is merely pass
ing the buck" on the question of the
so-called third term, putting 1t up to
the country and the Republican party
to make the move for his second cleo
ton Notwithstanding the year and a
half that he served In the office as
successor to Mr.. Harding.
Opinion ranges far in the discussion
of this matter. Politicians differ wide
ly in Interpretation Of the cryptic
Coolidge once more heading the Re-
publican ticket declare that he will
yield to the irresistible pressure and
consent to the use Of his name. Others
see in the words the sense Of finality
: and are beginning to press forward
the claims and qualifications of other
Republicans for the office. Democrats
are considering whether this announce
| ment affects the plans of their party
and the chances Of Gov. Smith, who
is unmistakably the outstanding ''pos.
sibility" for the 1928 nomination.
Opinion differs, of course, as to the
effect of the Presidents statement IL
it is. in Vermontese vernacular, an
explicit denial Of the office. There are
several strong men in the Republican
ranks whose measure is unquestiona.
bly, presidential. At least half a dozen
are already in evidence as having a
chance-Hughes, Hoover, Dawes, Low
den. Longworth, Capper. AS many
more are in the development stage. 1t
is evident that IL the Presidents words
are taken as the Vermont interpreter
indicates, the Republican convention
OF 1928 will be free for all, with a
large field, very much like that of 1920.
An interesting reaction to the Presi.
dents announcement occurred yester.
day In Wall Street, where the market
broke sharply on the opening and
stocks went down with rush for a
period. The implication was that bust
+, ness was shocked by the prospect that
/ Mr.. Coolidge was out of the running.
But Immediately came an upturn. The
bulls rallied. bought heavily, taking
advantage Of the decline to get favor.
able prices, and when the market
closed the losses had been recovered
Did that mean that the street" found
consolation in the possibility that Mr..
| Coolidge was merely declining in a
| Pickwickian sense? Or did 1t mean
that it felt that after all his with
drawal would not affect the Republi
can chances for success? Or that II
felt that whoever may be chosen Pres
ident next year the country's economic
conditions are sound and that pros
perity will continue?
| 1t is altogether one Of the most in
teresting situations ever known ter
months ahead Of the nominating con
ventions. and subject to keen dispu
tation. The coming year will surely
be a lively one.
|