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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (June 24, 1920)
,r RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEP J i -; ik n e ilf ; 5 ' HOW WARREN G. HARDING WAS . NOMINATED BY THE REPUBLICANS Story of the National Convention at Chicago, the Struggle to Build a Platform and the Selection of a Ticket. GOVERNOR COOLIDGE GIVEN SECOND PLACE Wood, Lowden and Johnson, Leaders in the Early Balloting, Eliminated at the Behest of a Senatorial Coterie and a Dark Horse Wins the Race. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. For President WARREN Q. HARD. INQ of Ohio. For Vice President CALVIN COOL IDGE of Massachusetts. . . . There Is the ticket with' which the Republicans hope and Intend to regain possession of the national government next fall. For president, n mnn from the home fitnto of many presidents, a statesman of long experience mid solid reputa tion, who has been n member of the United States Bcnnto slnco 1014, u member of the "old guard" who stands well with the Itepubllcans who lire In control of the senate. For vlco president, the governor of the Rny state, who was virtually un known to the nation nt large until the strike of Boston policemen und his vig orous courso In its suppression gave Jilui n vast amount of publicity and mndo him the favorite son of Massa chusetts In tho balloting for tlrst place on tho ticket. These gentlemen now ntnnd beforo tho electors of the country on a plut form that Is so braid that It embraces nearly every topic and Issue of the day, though there ure those who nssert that In some places the planks are perilously thin. Its builders, how ever, maintain that there Is no danger of the candidates falling through the weak spots, nnd It may bo tbnt, with Borne Judicious straddling nnd side-stepping, this will prove true. Struggle Over the Platform., Seldom, If ever, has the choice of a presidential candidate been so close ly connected with tho building of the platform or l might be more exact to any tho rejection of a candidate. For If II I nun Johnson nnd his sup porters could hnvo compelled the adop tion of Just the plank they demanded on tho Leaguo of Nntlons Issue, tho California senator, and be alone, could with consistency liavo consented to go beforp the pcoplo standing on the plat form. As It was, his threat to bolt the party caused a long deadlock In tho de liberations of tho committee on reso lutions nnd at last forced the adop tion of a plank bnsed on tho cnbled suggestion of Kllhu Hoot. Tbnt wise mnn hnd gone to Europe, but kept In closo touch wlt)t the doings In Chi cago and at the crucial moment his plan was presented to Johnson, Rornh, McCormlck und tho other "Irreconcll nbles" nnd accepted by them. ,. .The resolution as tlnnlly Incorpo rated In the platform, nnd swallowed by the convention, almost without n quiver, completely avoids any pledge to ratify the treaty of peace nnd the league covenant with or without reser vations, strongly indorses the action of the Republican senators In that re gard nnd promises that the party will work for some kind of International arrangement for the peaceful adjust ment of disputes between nations with out tho sncrillco of American sov ereignty. Thus, as will be seen, tho way Is left open for an administration elected on this platform to do almost anything It sees tit In this regard, ex cept to ratify a treaty and league cov enant such ns President Wilson brought homo from Tails. , Wilson's Policies Scored. For tho rest, tho platform, in brief, scores President Wilson and tho Dem ocratic ndmlnlHtratlon for their unpre parcdness for war and for the equally unprepnrcd condition of the nation for tho reception of peace. Denouncing the autocratic assumption of author ity by tho president, tho platform pledges tho restoration of constitution al government. The republican con gress Is praised for Its efforts to copo with the problems caused by the presi dent's qourse. Tho fanners gained their requested support for extension of farm loans and the right to engage In co-opcrutlvu marketing and buying. Tho Industrial plank was Uio sub ject of much discussion. Some of tho committee members, presumably speak ing for big business, favored u plank for tho prevention of wtrlkes by law. Governor Allen and others wanted tho Kansas Industrial court plan Indorsed. And President Gompers traveled nil tbo way to Chicago to tell tho com inltteo wbnt kind of plnnk tho Ameri can Federation of Labor demanded. Nona of tbeso requests were satisfied, but tho plnnk adopted recognizes the Justlco of colloctlvo bargaining and continues; "Tho, Btrlko, or tho lockout, ns n means of settling Industrial disputes, Inflicts such loss and suffering on tho community as to Justify government Inltlatlvo to rcduco Its frequency and limit Its consequences. "Wo deny tho right to strike ngnlnst jtiie government; but the rights and In terests all government employ ooi must be safeguarded by Impartial luws and tribunals." On Economy and H. C. of L. The failure of the administration to retrench during the post-war period and the addition of thousands of swi vel chnlr wurmers are derided and the party pledges Itself to n policy of economy nnd a carefully planned rt ndjustment. Tho need of nn execu tive budget and condemnation of the presidential veto that defeated this financial reform was coupled with cnttstlc characterization of the man ner In which the president, according to tho Itepubllcans, clings to his war tlmo powers1. Revision of taxation also Is demanded. Coming to tho great Issue of the high cost of living, the committee drew tip n declaration to the effect thut the present conditions are the hesult of nn Inflation of tie currency nnd of credit which the party pledges Itself to correct by deflation, the pre vention of unreasonable profits nnd the stimulation of private thrift by 'H chnngo In the Incomo tax law. The pnrty reaffirmed Its belief In the pro tective tariff, nnd pledged tho encour agement of an American merchnnt ma rine by the application of the work man's compensation net and the ex emption from cunnl tolls of the mer chant marine. Profiteering was condemned, govern ment ownership of railways opposed, wnterways encouraged und the regula tion of Industry nnd commerco prom- Mrs. Warren G. Harding. Ised in order to prevent monopolies. Re sumption of trado relations with every nntlon with which America Is nt peace was pledged. No changes were prom ised In tho existing Immigration Inws, but tbo bettering of naturalbatlon inwa was pledged, and the pnrty went on record ns favoring n policy by which American women who mnrry foreigners shall not lose their citizen ship. The government's authority to deport and exclude undesirable aliens was upheld, but asurance was given that tho rights of free speech, free press and free assembly will not be abridged. What They Said of Mexico. A lorge number of minor topics were hnndled In the plntrorm, and then came the plank on Mexico. It dealt very severely with President Wilson's policy nnd pledged tbnt tho party will not rocognlzo any Mexican govern ment miles the lives nnd property of Americans there are protected. Ar menln rnme next In the list of planks. Deep sympathy was expressed for the Armenians, but the president wns condemned for asking for authority to accept an Armenian mandate and It wns added that tlfh Republican pnrty was unalterably against the acceptance of a mnndto for any country In Eu rope or Asia. Tho men who fought In tho grent war were assured of the party's deep gratitude and were promised liberal legislation for the enre of the d's abled, Infirm nnd dependents. Though William Jennings Rr.vnn was present throughout tho entire" life of tbo convention with the avowed pur pose of reminding the Republican? to Insert a "dry" plank In their pint form, ho failed possibly becnuso the timely decision of the Supremo court seemed to render unnecosnry any ex pllclt declaration. Tim rmu,min.. merely declared that all Inws should oe eniorceu, ami lot It go nt that. Women and Irish Displeased. Two other elements also were dlsnp pointed. Theso were the suffragists Chv Republican Nominees yft"") WARREN G. HARDING and the friends of the Irish "republic." The former, under the leadership of tho heads of the woman's party, were In Chicago In strength and during the entire week maintained around the Coliseum a line of pickets bearing banners thnt warned the Republicans that tho women demanded tho fran chise and would be satisfied with no less. A plnnk wns Inserted In the pint form urging Republican legislatures that hnvo not acted to ratify the suf frage amendment, but this did not ap pease the Indies. In the last few mo ments of the Inst session they dropped from n balcony a grent yellow banner on which wns the statement thnt they wnnted votes, not planks. As for the Irish, they, too, mnde a big demon stration In Chicago nnd Do Valcra, the president of their "republic" wns there to deliver a speech before a grent gath ering. But something went wrong with tho plans; and the plnnk which wes tentatively shaped for tho platform suited them so little thnt It was omit ted entirely nnd nothing put In Its place. There wns n story that this resolution had been drawn up by Jus tice Cohalnn of New York In the hope that it would be unsuitable nnd thnt tho Democrats in San Francisco would bo "enabled to take advantage of the circumstance. So, though considerable space has perforce been given to the plntform of tho Republican party, It is not beenuse it must be considered as a great or a particularly strong pro nouncement. Lots of men nnd wom en in the pnrty nre far from pleased with many parts of It, nnd It must bo confessed that the writer failed to find anyone who wns crazed with enthusl nsm over it. Tho story of this convention would be Intensely Interesting If one could tell nil the truth about tbo secret In fluences that governed Its actions. On tho surface It was not n very excit ing nffnlr, nnd the enthusiastic out bursts thnt characterized some of Its sessions appeared too often to be face tious. For five days tho 14,000 dele gates, alternates, seat-holders and pos sessors of tickets that allowed them to stnnd about the few open plnces nnd hamper everyone else gathered faith fully In tho Coliseum, prepnred to howl with glee over expected contests nnd triumphs. Rut most of the time all they could do wns to cheer for their favorite on occasion nnd try to keep up with tbo strong-lunged cheer nnd song lender who had been brought up from Camp Dovens. Bossed by Senators. From tho first It wnB heralded ns that most unusual thing, an unbossed convention. All tho experts asserted thnt the delegates were going to do as they pleased and that tho old-time leadership wns Impotent. For a day or two this seemed true, but then the senate coterie got Into action, and from thnt time to the end what was done was generally what it wished done. To start with Senator Lodge was selected ns temporary chairman, and was continued permanently In the place, tho entire temporary organiza tion being retained. On the all-Important committee on resolutions there were numerous senators and ex-senators, and they pretty much dictated the makeup of the platform. In the selection of tbo ticket their Influence was seen and felt In every move nnd every shift of votes, clear down to tho moment when Senator Harding re ceived tho ballots that made him the convention's choice. All tills time the greutest of tbo old-time party bosses still nllve, Senator Roles Penrose, lay on n sick bed In his Philadelphia home. Rut n direct telephone wire wns run Into that room and there was scarcely an hour of the day or night when ho was not In communication with his friend, John T. King. lie knew nil that was going on, ami It Is fair to assume that In most c.nscs ho knew beforehand tbnt It was going to go on. W'hnt happened, happened hocnus-o ho willed that It should happen. This Is not written exnetly In criticism, for It may be that what Penrose decreed will suit the party nnd result In Its victory In November. Rut the fact cannot be blinked thnt some omlment Democrats who attended tho conven tion went away with grins of satisfac tion decorating their faces. Lodge Was Too Scholarly. To go back to the beginning ngnln, something must be snld of the keynote address by Chairman Lodge. It was one of the most scholarly efforts of Its kind, and tho grent rnnbs of the dele gates, to say nothing of the audience, utterly fulled to comprehend It. The senator did not once descend to the level of most of his hearers, and con sequently ho failed to arouse nny grent mensuro of enthusiasm. It wns noticeable thnt this address, ns well as every other speech and the platform ns well, devoted Its denunci atory passages not to the Democratic party, as Is usually the caw, but to President Wilson. It wns always his acts and bis policies that were con demned nnd tho Inngtingo used in denllng with him wns scorching. Of course, the reason for this- Is that, from tho viewpoint of the Republicans, Mr. Wilson hns been the Democratic party for the last seven years. Tho first day found three candidates In the forefront of the race for the nomlnntlon, nnd while the prelimi naries were completed their workers were straining every nerve to have them make the best possible show on the first bnllot. These men were Gov ernor Lowden of Illinois, General Leonard Wood, nnd Senator Illrnm Johnson of Cnllfornln. From their elnb'orate headquarters In the hotels swarms of men nnd women flocked to tho Coliseum with bnnners and but tons and literature. Each of them wns certnln of victory for public con sumptionbut each of them knew In his heart thnt he could not win If tho Honntorlnl bosses had their way. All tho rest of the possible candidates really ranked as dark horses. They Included Herbert Hoover, Dr. Nicholas Murray Rutlcr of Columbia university, Gov. Cnlvln Coolldgo of Massachusetts, Senntor Polndexter of Wnsblngton, Senator Howard Sutherland of West VIrglnIn, Governor Sproul of Pennsyl. vnnla, Senator Philander Knox of Pennsylvania nnd Senntor Ln Folletto of Wls-consln. A long enough list In nil conscience. From these dark horses, It was predicted, would emergo tho winner, and the prophecy wns ful filled. Routine Work, Then Oratory. It required three days to got through wtlh tho preliminary work of tbo gath ering nnd to hnvo the platform built, read nnd adopted. The latter took place on Thursday. As has been said, the resolutions met with nlmost unani mous approval. A young man from Milwaukee wns tho only dissenting member of tho committee nnd lie pre sented a minority report that embodied mnny of the policies advocated by Ln Follette. The audience did not want to hear him nnd ho took advantage of their Impatience to try to place him self In the position of a martyr, but Chairman Lodge cleverly forestalled this, nnd tho minority report wns speedily dumped into the waste basket. Friday was tho day of oratory. Men who thought themselves eloquent nnd others who really were eloquent mount ed tbo speaker's platform In procession throughout most of the dny to place: boforo tho convention tho names nnd qualifications of tho candidates. In many cases women were among those who seconded the nominations, and usually they ncqultted themselves much more to tho satisfaction of their bearers than did tho men, for thoy were brief, snappy and graceful of address. On tho roll call of stntes Arizona yielded to Kansas, and Governor Hen ry .7. Allen stepped up to nominate General Wood. Though obviously nervous and not qulto adequate of volco, bo did his excellent Biibject full tistlce, setting forth specially tho fine record tho general bad in a do In Culm nnd the Philippines, and his pre paredness for wnr when tbo grent conflict broke out. CALVIN COOLIDGE "We heard from him no platitudes nbout a million men springing to iirms over night," cried Allen, und everyone strained for a look nt Mr. Rryau, who nit In the press stand close to the speaker. The governor went on to describe Wood's skillful training of an army and bis un.-elliHli and uncomplaining devotion to duty when he was kept from going to Europe In command of the boys whom he had taught bow to fight and conquer. He also recounted the general's success In quelling labor and race disturbances within the last year or so, and dwelt on bis popular ity with the very men whom he had been sent to quiet. Wood's Feathery Ovation. As the governor ceased .speaking a storm of applause broke out, and an other storm of red und green feathers fell from the ratters all over the house. Tho Wood delegates marched through the aisles, led by Reverldge of Indiana and Frank Hitchcock, and the tumult continued for half an hour. "If Wood drops leathers, 1 suppose Johnson will drop light wines and beers from the ratters," laughed Mr. Rryan, and someone said: "Get your cup ready then, William." The demonstration was calmed at Inst really It did not seem very spon taneoiis and utter Frank Knox of New Hampshire bad made a seconding speech, the first of the convention's woman orators appeared. She was Mis. Corlnne Roosevelt Robinson ot New York, sister of the late Colonel Roosevelt. With much of the colonel's fire and vim, she told why Leonard Wood should be the next president, and she told it so well thnt prolonged ap plause rewarded her efforts. Governor Lowden's turn came next, nnd the honor of presenting his name was entrusted to Congressman Roden berg of Illinois, a big muii with a big volco who mnde an old-fash 'mum! speech that hit tho audience In the right wuy. He, too, hnd an excellent subject, whose cause was handicapped only by the revelations of excessive expenditures brought out by the .en ate committee at, the instigation of Johnson and his friends. Lowden's ovation outlasted that for Wood, but was no more enthusiastic. It was featured by a display of ban ners und portraits of the candidate nnd by a pretty girl ln a cerlso sweat er who was carried on men's shoulders nt the head of tho puraders. Lowden, too, had a woman among his second ers, Mrs. Fletcher Dobyns of Chicago, a doer politician and good speaker. Then Governor Morrow of Kentucky told why the Republicans" of his state loved Lowden und wanted him for president. Johnson's Sponser a Failure, Charles S. Wheeler of San Francisco had been deputed to place Senator Johnson in nomination, und much was expected of him, because a reputation for fiery eloquence had preceded him. Rut, though his address was smooth and Ids volco pleasing, he scored tho worst failure of tbo entire convention. He evoked some cheering from the gal leries by a denunciation of the League of Nations, but soon after made the gross mistake of twitting tbo rescrvn tionlsts on having been worsted by Johnson In the committee on resolu tions. The delegates did not relish that, nor did most of tho others In the hall. Then ho made nn unfortu nate allusion to tho campaign expendi ture revelations, and ns thoso had hit most of the candidates, their friends resented it with boos and hisses. Mr. Wheeler smilingly waited for the row to cease, nnd proceeded to finish an address thnt was fully twice as long ns It sliould have been. Ills poor per formance cast a wet blanket on the planned demonstration, and the Cali fornia delegates, accompanied by a few others, marched rather sadly through tho aisles, listlessly waving fiugs. Far better than Wheeler's was the speech for Johnson by Thorn D. Schnll, tho blind congressman from Minneapolis, and better, uIbo, were the brief talks by Rlchnrd Doherty of New Jersey, Charles P. O'Neil of Michigan nnd Mrs. Katherlne Phillip's Edsou of Cnllfornln. Now began the parade tof dork horses. They were led forth' us fol lows: Calvin Coolldge. by Speaker Gillette of the house of representatives nnd Mrs. Alexander Pelffer; Rutler, by Ogden Mills or New York; Prltcluird, by Marlon Rutler of North Carolina ; Hoover by Judge Nathan L. Miller of New York: Harding, by Frank Willis of Ohio; Sproul. by William I. Schaf fer; Polnde.Mer. by George II. Walker, and Sutherland, by Joseph M. Saiide.ru. When Wisconsin was reached on the roll call the clerk paused expectant ly, but no one appeared to nominate La Follette, and the crowd seemed grateful. Balloting Is Begun. The powers that were decieed that several ballots should be taken that day before adjournment, and In an ex cited hush the call of tha states was begun. The hush' did not Inst, how ever, for every, considerable vote for any one aspirant was greeted with tlie cheers of his friends. As had been foretold, Wood lei) on the first ballot with 2S7V6 votes, Lowden was second with UlHa. nnd Johnson gathered In V.WA. The oth ers In general wereaccorded the votes of their home stales and n few more. Of the Wisconsin delegation 21 voted for La Follette; and It may as well be recorded here thnt those 24 dele gates kept voting for Ln Follette. to the hitler end. And every time the announcement was greeted with groans and hisses from the galleries. In the following three ballots Wood climbed to HM'A, which the wise ones said was about his maximum strength. Lowden nlso Increased his vote, going; up to 28!), while Johnson reached MOU.. The votes for the dark horses did not vary to any grent ex tent though Rutler lost steadily ami Piitcbard soon dropped out entirely. Ry this time ovevyono was ready for a rest and tbo convention adjourned to Saturday innrniiig. The Break to Harding. The crowd filled thu Coliseum to sulfocatlon on what was destined to be the final day of tbo convention, for It was felt tfiat the conferences of the preceding night would be fruitful. The senatorial coterie had been In ses. slon many hours and tho word was passed around thnt they had picked on Harding as the nominee. In tho early ballots of Saturday thoOhlnnn did not gain rapidly, and nil wero waiting for the moment when the big delegations from New York. Pennsyl vanla and Massachusetts would find the time ripe for n break. The men from the Keystone stale had been voting almost solidly for Sproul, fr the bosses were not decided between him and Harding. And the New Yorkers really did not know to whom to throw their strength. Johnson's vote dwindled gradually, and then the Lowden column suddenly began to go to pieces. He was really the victim of the shift, for the Wood delegations stood by the general almost to the last moment. On the ninth ballot It wns seen thnt Harding; could bo "put across," so the uncer tain ones climbed Into the band ff ag on on the tenth nnd gave the Ohio senator a grand total of flT-Hfe. which was 181 J more than necessary to nom inate. Tho hubbub wns deafening nnd aftof Pennsylvania ptit GO votes In the Hard ing column the clerks could scarcely complete tho roll call. At Its finish the usual motion to make the choice unanimous wns made, hut those 21 La Follette men from Wisconsin voted ln the negative and marred the lovo feast. Coolldge Gets Second Place. There still remained the task of selecting n vice presidential candi date. Senntor Lcnroot of Wisconsin, Governor Allen of Kansas, Governor Coolldgo of Massachusetts and Ol. Harry Anderson of Virginia wcie placed In nomination nud the roll of tho sintes was called. Lenroot re ceived n good vote, but Coolldge was the evident fucrlte and long before the roll was completed his nomination was assured. The 21 La Follette men voted for Senator, Gronmi. With some dilllculty Chairman Lodge, whoso voice wns gone, managed to hold thu delegates together long et.ougli to pass tho usual resolutions of thanks to thu ollldiils of the convention nnd to the city of Chicago, and then the republican convention of 1020 came to an end. Convention Well Handled. Thu management of the convention: hall teullv deserved thanks, for the svatlng, tho policing nnd the other arrangements wero the best over seen In such gatherings. The Coliseum was handsomely decorated and well lighted and tho comfort of the delegates nud guests was ns well looked after as could bo expected. Of courso the niinl swarm of sergeants at arms was pres cut, clogging up the aisles iiml l." t tlng In the wny of the '( is nut that Is inevitable, for the iiiutiou of thosu badges is u peiipi e of the local Republicans. It wis i.u worse this time than usunl. The doors were In chnrge of a for'-o of ex-service men under the coiiiuiniid of General Ryan, and their wnrk'was done with milllnry efllclency Everyone had good tilings to say nbout the music supplied by Johnny Ilnnd's band, which was stationed In a lofty little gallery. On occasion it wns led by John Hand third, a sturdy chap In brilliant uniform who used the baton presented to his fniher, Armln Hand, by Theodore Roosevelt at the Progressive convention. It was made of wood from trees on the "Itlver of Doubt," which the colonel discovered. 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