Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-08-10
COOLIDGE OP-
POSES CLASS
DISTINCTIONS

President Coolidge Is said u Be a
comparatively unknown quantity a. a
statesman. Outside his own state Of
Massachusetts he has had no chance
TO distinguish himself He Is said 10
have number of achievements 10 his
credit As governor of his state that
reflect a spirit Of sympathy toward
Labor.
What he will be able to do as
president Is doubtful, even though he
is personally friendly TO the cause Of
the American Federation of Labor.
With strong eapitalistic machine
back OF him, unless he is a man OF
exceptionally strong character he is
unlikely TO 20 contrary to the dictates
Of the men who are responsible for
his election to the vice presidency.
Yet the Union men of the country
are hoping that he will assert him
self in the interest of the principles
of Labor. Several of his campaign
speeches as well as his speech of ac-
ceptanee following his nomination for
vice e-presldency contain extracts that
cause Union men 10 be hopeful. The
following extracts show his attitude
on the conservation of public re-
sources and his attitude TO class dis
tinctions:
Conservation Of Public Resources.
Diminishing resources warn US Of
the necessity of conservation. The
public domain is the property of the
public. 1t is held in trust for present
and future generations. The material
resources of our country are great,
very great, but they are not mex
haustible. They are becoming more
and more valuable mad more and more
necessary tn the public welfare. 1t is
not wise either to withhold water
power, reservoir sites, and mineral
deposits from development or to deny
a reasonable profit to such operations.
But these natural resources are not to
be turned over TO speculation to the
detriment of the public. Such a pol
icy would soon remove these resources
from public control and the result
would be that soon the people would
be paying tribute to private greed.
Conservation does not desire to re-
tard development. 1t permit IL and
encourages it. 1t is desire honestly
to administer the public domain. The
time has passed when public fran
chises and public grants can be used
for private speculation
Against Class Distinctions.
There is yet another manifest dis
position which has preyed on the
weakness of the race from its infancy,
denounced alike by the letter and the
spirit of the constitution and repug-
nant to all that is American, the at
tempt to create class distinctions. In
its full development this means the
caste system, wherein such civiliza-
ito mas exists is rigidiy set. and that
elasticity so necessary for progress,
and that recognition of equality which
has been the aim and glory of our in
stitutions, are destroyed and denied.
Society to advane must be not a dead
form, but living organism, plastic,
inviting progress. There are no
classes here. There are different oc-
cupations and different stations, GER
tainly theer can be no class of en-
ployer and employed. All true Amer
leans are working for each other. ex-
changing the results of the efforts of
hand and brain wrought thru the un-
COIlSuiIlSu tHOIls VI sCStcihas, NhSh
we call capital, all paying and being
paid by each other, serving and being
served. To do otherwise is to stand
disgraeed and alien to our institutions.
This means that government must
look at the part in the light of the
whole, that legislation must be direct
ed not for private interests but for
public welfare, and that thereby alone
will each of our citizens find their
greatest accomplishment and success:
If the great conflict has disturbed
our political conditions it has caused
an upheaval in our economic relations.
The mounting prices of all sorts of
commodities have put a well nigh
unbearable burden on every home.
Much of this is beyond relief from
law, but the forces of the government
can and must afford a considerable
remedy"