Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-08-09
Cox Acceptance
Sadly Distorted
Declares HARDING

Marion, u, Aug. S.-ASSalllng Gov
ernor Cox speech of acceptance as
"a curious mixture of errors and mis-
statements" Senator Harding's head
quarters replied at length in an off
cial statement tonight to the COVER
nor's criticism of the record of the
Republican congress on taxation, fin
ances and the League of Nations.
The Republican party, the state :
ment said. is ready to join battle on
the question that the Senate at
tempted to subvert and did subvert
the wishes of the American people in
preventing ratification of the Presi-
dents league"
Charges that the Republican Senate
and House had made no effort to re-
duce war time tax burdens were de-
scrlbed as far from recorded facts and
1t was declared that by opposing
Democratic appropriation proposals
the present congress had effected a
saving of s2,414,115,144 in government
expenditures.
The statement also asserted that by
suggesting repeal of consumption and
enactment of blanket one and one
halp per cent. levy on the total BUSH
ness of going concerns Governor Cox
had shown that he has no program
whatever except to appeal for the
support of people who want somebody
else to pay the taxes"
"A leadership which would distort
these outstanding facts as Governor
Cox has DONE" it continued. will
hardly command confidence when the
country turns attention to the pro-
blem of our fiscal future"
The statement, given out over the
signature of Senator Harding's head
quarters follows:
Governor Cox acceptance address
will not fail to please mis- political op-
ponents, Republicans and Democrats
alike, who are convinced that the
country's most immediate task is to
get its business administration into
the hands of people competent to care
of 1t, and get it's international rela-
tons into the control of men who are
Americans first rather than interna-
tionalists.
The speech is a curious mixture
of errors and misstatements as to
facts so well known that mere utter
ance can cause nothing less than
amazement.
Thus on the subject OF GOV eminent
expenses. Governor Cox said:
" Immediately following the armis-
tice. measures to modify onerous and
annoying taxation should have been
taken and the Republican Congress
has not made a single effort
or passed a single law to lift from the
American people a load of war taxa
tlon that cannot be tolerated in a time
of peace. Federal taxation must be
heavily reduced. and it will be done
a once if a Democratic administration
is chosen in November
The foregoing is far from recorded
facts. The 66th Congress in a little
more than a year of it's existence re-
duced the country's taxes by s2.414,-
115,144.13. That is, it appropria ted
that much less than the amount which
the Democratic administration de-
manded should be appropriated
THE Democratic 65th Congress died
March 4. 1919. 1t had failed to pass
many of the appropriation bills. it's
task was turned over to the incoming
Republican Congress. which proceeded
Immediately to prune down the est,-
mates that had been embodied in the
appropriation bills prepared by it's
Democratic predecessors. This prun-
ing process resulted in saving of
1899. .54197.
That is. if the Democratic Con-
gress had succeeded in passing, before
It's lease of life expired, the bills that
II mad framed, it would have appro-
prlated nearly billion dollars more
than the Republican Congress immedi-
ately following appropriated for the
same purpose.
followlng this came the regular
session of the Republican 6sth Con.
gress from which the Democratic ad-
mlnistration demanded appropriations
aggregating S6,334,31o,92e.4s. Instead
OF granting this amount, which was in
sisted upon with all vehemence by the
various Democratic departments. this
session of a Republican Congress .cut
the estimated appropriation s1,47442a
CONTINUED on Pans 7-H.I e>