PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1924, Page 3

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Til K I'll KSmKNT The new President, Air Calvin C'oolidge, was elected to the office of VicePresident in 1920, at the same time that Mr Harding was raised to the higher position. Air Coolidge was horn on a farm in Xew England in 1872, his ancestry running through a long line of farmers. Mis early years were spent in helping his father to do the heavy work on a hill farm, and his schooling took place in the adjoining village of Plymouth. Later he graduated at Amherst College, one of the smaller, hut older colleges which have not Ik'Cii replaced hy the larger universities. Leaving his college. Air Coolidge took up the profession of law in Northampton. a small village in Alassaehusetts. Til 1000 he was appointed its city solicitor, and later occupied other local body offices. From 1012 to 1915 lie was moodier of the State .Senate, and during the last two years of that period he presided over its destinies. In 1910 he became T.iontonant-Cnvor-nor of Massachusetts, and two years later was appointed Covernor.

Before his nomination ns Vice-Presi-dent. Air Coolidge was known to the eonntrv generally mainly through his handling of the Boston police strike in the summer of 1918. when lie made it plain that he had no sympathy with unlawful agitation. lie is described as a fine type of Xew Englander. quiet and dry in humour, and with a rcinitat.ion for fearless honcstv. Tn pol'lie** ho has always stood in tin' Republican camp, amongst whom he is respected as being progressive with a tinge of Conservatism. Physirnllv the new President is of that well-marked though certainly vanishing type. In hulk he makes scarcely half of his predecessor. He is -as lean as tlio caricaturist’s Uncle Sam, and his verbal meagreness is the theme of innumerable Boston and Washington stories. Roosevelt was torrential, AVilson was Victorian. Harding was involved and polysyllabic!. President Coolidge has a life-long habit of uttering the fewest and simplest words, except, when he is delivering a prepared oration.