The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-02-14
SPARE NO ONE"
SAYS COOLIDGE
President Promises I'm
f1inching Prosecution in
Oil Probe.
DISCUSSES TAX BILL
In Address on Lincoln Day
President Urges Support of
Mellon Tax Bill.

New York President Coolldge,
speaking Tuesday night before the Ma
tional Republican club, promised i'm
mediate and unshrinking prosecution
of the oil land lease cases, appealed
for national and bipartisan support
for the Mellon tax bill, called for as
sistance for agriculture from all re
sources of the country, and defended
the sale of arms to Mexico.
The Chief Executive also reiterated
his opposition to soldier bonus legis-
lation, declared there was some prone
Use of European settlement, and as
serted the United States stood ready
to join with other nations in further
limiting armament whenever there APP
peaEs to be reasonable prospect of
agreement.
Tie address, which was made at the
Lincoln birthday dinner of the club,
was the first Mr.. Coolidge has made
outside of Washington since he be-
came President. In many respects it
was an elaboration of his message to
Congress.
Hits On Oil Lease Cases.
The President devoted much atten-
ton to taxation and agriculture, but in
concluding turned to the sensation OF
the present time-the oil land lease
Investigation.
''Lately there have been most start
ling revelations concerning the leasing
of government oil lands" he said. "At
the revelation Of greed making its
subtle approaches to public officers, of
the prostitution of high place to pri-
vate profit, we are filled with scorn
and indignation. We have a deep sense
of humiliation at such gross betrayal
of trust, and we lament the undermin-
ing of public confidence in official in
tegrity. But we cannot rest with right
eous wrath; still less can we permit
ourselves to give way to cynicism.
Immediate Unshrinking Prosecution.
eve propose to follow the clear
open path of justice. There will be i'm
mediate, adequate, unshriking prose
cution, criminal and civil, to punish
the guilty and to protect every nation
al interest. In this effect there will be
no politics, no partisanship, it will be
peedy, it will be just. l am a Republ-
lean, but l cannot on that account
shield anyone because he is a Re-
publican. / am a Republican, but
cannot on that account prosecute any
one because he is a Democrat.
"I want no hue and cry, no mingling
of innocent and guilty in unthinking
condemnation, no confusion of mere
questions of law with questions OF
fraud and corruption. 1t is at such q
time that the qualities of our citizenry
notwithstanding toward evil, fair
minded and intent upon the require.
ments of due process, the shield OF
the innocent and the safeguard Of
society itself. / ask the support Of
our people as chief magistrate intent
on the enforcement of our laws with
out fear or favor, no matter who is
hurt or what the consequences"
Shows Agricultural Needs.
Starting with the declaration that
the national unity for which Lincoln
laid the foundation requires perpetual
adjustment for its maintenance" Mr.
Coolidge asserted the observance OF
this principle makes necessary that
much attention now should be given
to agriculture.
1t is obvious, the president said
that there is Something radically
wrong when agriculture is found in
it's present state of depression when
manufacturing, transportation and
commerce are on a whole in a re.
markable state of prosperity" He an
alyzed the difficulty as due to a great
er increase in production than in the
power of distribution and consumption
and added that because of this the
great food staples were not selling or
a parity with the products of industry
The farmer, he asserted, sis not re-
ceiving his share"
Interest Cities AS Well.
Acknowledging that it might seen
strange that farming should be discus
sed here in the country's metropolis
Mr.. Coolidge told his hearers that they
had a direct economic, financial and
political interest. He outlined the
steps already taken by the admins
tration through encouragement of CO.
operative marketing, investigation o!
tariff rates and direct government re-
lief; the steps contemplated through
legislation, and then added:
"What / am most anxious to impress
upon the prosperous part of our coun-
try is the utmost necessity that they
should be willing to make sacrifice foI
the assistance Of the unsuccessful
part. | do not mean by that any un-
sound device like price fixing, whicn
| oppose, because it would not make
prices higher, but would in the end
make them lower, it would not be sue
cessful and would not prove q remedy
but I do mean that the resources OF
the country ought to come to the sup
port of agriculture. The organization
recently perfected to supply money
and management for the larger aspects
or agriculture ought to have your sym
pathetic and active support"
Back Mellon Tax Plan.
Turning to taxes, as one of the con
tributing causes to the agricultural
depression, Mr.. Coolidge traced che
steps to decrease and put in order the
national debt through retirement and
refunding of domestic securities
through the operation of the budget
and by making every reasonable eff.
fort to secure the liquidation of oul
international debts" These steps have
had the result of permitting decrease
in taxes and the Mellon plan was
evolved, he said.
The provisions Of this plan, now en-
1.al;ad -, "a hiU hafora CaunrerS Nr