Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-24
WATSON APPLAUDS
WORK Of HARDING
indiana Senator Credits Presi-
dent With Relieving Evils Of
M democratic Misrule"
bEvERlDGE ALSO SPEAKS
BY the Associated Press

wise management OF the nation afalrs.
both domestic and International. and
substantinl results in relieving 1.-THE
evils Of eight years Of Democratic mis-
rule" was claimed for the Harding Ad
@inlstration In an address here today
BY Senator Watson. Of Indiana. before
the Indiana Republican State Conven-
ton.
For years II has been the custom OF
Indiana Republicans to have the Key
note of the national campaigns sounded
before them. and Senator Watson ap-
parently undertook to perform this task.
Albert J. Beveridgc. the party 5 NOM
inee for colleague of Watson in the
Senate. also spoke. praising President
Harding and predicting Republican VIC
i tories in November.
Senator Watson praised thr eXecu-
tive. legislative and diplomatic record
Of the present Administration and tiayed
the recent Democratic administrations
as debt -incurring. deficit creating.
bond issuing. surplus scattering. fac
tory closing. industry raralyzng. pros
perity destroying. social -upheaving and
cataclysm producing.
AttaCkS IemOcTdtlC OFgS.
1--WE are not responsible for all this
waste" he declared I'VE did not
produce oil this wrcckase. We did not
Incur these debts. We have not piled
up this mountain OF obligations. and
those gentlemen who are responsible for
all this riotous orgy of extravaganza and
oil this upsetting OF industry and un-
settling of financial conditions. now
stand and jeer at uS because in four
teen months we have not overcome all
the evil they produced in eight wears. >,
1--WE have not yet accomplished all
that we have set out to do. he con-
tinued. I'VE have not cured all the
fills and corrected all the mistakes and
overcome all the evils of eight years OF
Democratic misrulc. but certainly we
have taken long strides in the right
direction and assuredly il the Repub-
Ncan party cannot adjust matters, what
hope is there in turning to the organiz-
alton that caused oil the disaster in the
beginning:
Reduction of taxes and appropria.
tions. reorganization OF the shipping
Board. agricultural relief. the tariff bill
and diplomacy Of the present Admins
tration were emphasized by Senator
Watson.
This Administration does not need
an apologist.' said Senator Watson.
''No administration ever before came
into power confronting such problems of
such complexity and difficulty as those
which were inherited by President
Harding and the Republican Congress.
- Calls Harding Peace Leader
President Hardins's call for the
Arms Conference. he declared. was the
largest step toward international peace
with justice the world has known in all
its history" and the whole world. he
said appIauded the results. he Four
Power Treaty. the Senator said. brough :
understanding and assurances for peace.
Declination of the invitation 10 the
Genoa conference also was commended
by Mr.. Watson. who said il was pO-
litical and not an economic conference.
1.-The world By this time ought TO
understand he continued. that We
do not intend to become involved in
their political wranglcs, and that We
are willing to lend aid or give counseI
and maintain always sympathetic
attitude, yet we will refuse to be
dragged into their financial difficulties
and we always will decline TO NEEDLE
with their national affairs or to become
Involved in their age old rivalries.
we 10 not InleNI 10 get INTO tnlS
confused tumble of European animosi-
ties. This attitude of the adninistra
tion meets with the hearty approval Of
everybody except intcrnationalists Of
most extreme type
Full Freedom in Business
In domestic affairs, Senator Watson
said the Harding Administration
stood for full freedom in business and
q recognition Of the lnrger right Of the
individual to control and operate his
own business affairs"
1.-THE new freedom preached by
Woodrow Wilson was Il grotcsque trav-
esty on the very name" he added,
''while the enfranchisemcnt Of bust
ness under Harding is an accomplished
fact.
Notwithstanding the near approach
to collapse of the monetary system Of
nearly every country in Europe.' he
continued. I'VE have balanced our bud
ret, we are living within our income.
we have issued no bonds and sold no
treasury certificates. we have paid off
81 ,OOO. 900 900 of the public debt. We
have reduced taxation by $50. 900 600
the first year and S52J. .OOO. 900 more the
second year, we have CurtailCl govern
mental expenses 81 600, 900. 600 and are
today financially solvent and CONNER
cially sound and on the upgrade toward
a normal resumption Of American pros
perity.'
100000 Employees Dismissed
Citing the new and fixed charges from
the war, Senator Watson said there
could not be any great reduction in
taxes for decade or more. but he con.
tended the Republican party had kept
It's platform pledge to reduce taxes as
far as possible consistent with gov
ernment needs.
This In part was possible, he said,
BY dismissal of more than 100, 900 gov
ernment employees in the last two years.
Incidentally discussing civil service.
Senator Watson said he stood for il as
applied to many government activities,
but he declared it should not be used
to "sheltcr men opposed to the policy
Of the administration and who secretly
cOnnive to overthrow it
'"They have not been getting rid ol
Democrats in some of the departments
fast enough to suit me he added. II
have been and am opposed to putting
post masters under civil service"
The pending tariff bill. which he
helped draft, was II prominent subject
Of Senator Watson's address. 1t would
do much he said TO restore business and
prosperity. Protection, he added had
been a proven policy.
This tariff he added. lis not being
made to please free traders. We did not
formulate 1t to suit Importers
The Fordney emergency tariff law, the
Senator asserted, had saved the wool
and sheep industry. and been IT i'm
mense value to the dairy interests and
70 the great benefit of the farmer