THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 141, 16 June 1928, Page 8

THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

As was generally . anticipated, the Republicans at their National Convention have se.scted Mr. Hoover as their official candidate for the Presidency by a very large majority. Quite early in the pro lings <t became evident that none of the other suggested candidates could make any serious stand against Hoover. But it was late in the day before Mr. Lowden, ex-Governor o: Illinois and Hoover's most formidable opponent, announced his withdrawal, and at the eleventh hour a vehement partisan attempted to check the "stampede" _n favour of Hoover by putting forward the name of Mr. Coolidge once more. But v.hen it came to the final vote the Hoover party gained a decisive and overwhelming victory.

As Mr. Hoover has at least a substantial chanoe of attaining the Presidency, his character and his personal career are matters of far more than local interest and e -ncern. He has risen from relative obscurity by unremitting industry, by the energetic exercise of exceptional though limited intellectual powers, and by maintaining a record of unblemished personal integrity. The late Mr. Page, a very competent authority, in his famous "Letters," describes lloover in eulogistic terms, which his fine qualities and his valuable public services well deserve, and we can be sure that, if elected, he will, irrespective of party prejudices, carry com plete public confidence in the goodness of his intentions, and will do nothing incompatible with the best traditions of his high office. It is certainly an advantage for the Republican party, after its recent experiences of ; espectable mediocrities like Mr. Harding and Mr. Coolidge, to be able to put forward as its candidate so able and distinguished public personality as Mr. Hoover. But whether those who object to Governor Al. Smith, the Democratic candidate, as a Roman Catholic and an anti-Prohibitionist, will for those reasons decide to vote for Hoover is a question which only time can answer.