Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-02-20
PRESIDENT GIVES
POLICIES IN SPEECH
Promises Oil Prosecution,
Backs Mellon Bill and
Farm Credits.

New York. - Immediate, adequate
ana unshrinking prosecution to punish
all persons guilty of fraud or corrup-
ton in the leasing Of government oil
lands, was promised Tuesday night
by President Coolidge in speech at the
Lincoln day dinner of the National Re
publican club at the Waldorf-Astoria.
More than two thousand persons at
tended.
Ihe~President set forth his views on
the necessity for tax revision, against
the soldier bonus as to the necessity
OF prompt federal action to help the
farmers of the country in their des-
perate financial situation, defending
the sale of arms to the Obregon gov
eminent in Mexico, and, lastly, on Tea
pot Dome.
There will be immediate, adequate
and unshrinking prosecution, criminal
and civil, to punish the guilty and to
protect every national interest. In this
effort there will be no politics nor par
tisanship. 1t win be speedy; it will
be just.
Il am Republican,, but l cannot on
chat account shield anyone because he
is Republican. am a Republican,
but l cannot on that account prosecute
anyone because he is a Democrat
Shows Farmers Needs.
VERY likely you are wondering" he
said, "why agriculture should be dis
cussed here in this metropolis. The
farm is one of the chief markets for
the industries of the nation. You have
direct economic, financial issue. You
cannot long prosper with that great
population and great area in distress.
You have a political interest. The
people of those numerous states cast
an enormous influence on the making
of>laws under which you are governed"
The President then recited the steps
he already has taken for relief of the
farmers, particularly the encouraging
OF organization and cooperative mar
keting, tariff Investigations for in
creased duties on wheat and relief
through the War Finance corporation
and the Federal Reserve Bank sys-
TEN. He called attention to the de-
tailed recommendations he had made
in his message to congress and to the
fact that bills Incorporating these ideas
now are before congress-
Denies FaVoritism to Rich.
With painstakfng simplicity, Mr..
Coolidge refuted the charge that the
purpose of the lower taxes on high
incomes is intended to remove the bur-
den from the rich and place it on the
poor. He produced figures to show
that the lower the income taxes on big
incomes, the greater the revenue pro-
duced by those surtaXeS, because there
is no scurrying on the part of the rich
TO get their money into taX-eXempt Sc
curities If the amount of money &C.
tually brought into the treasury is in
creased by lowering the surtaxes, the
President pointed out, just that much
less need be charged against the small
taxpayers.
Shows Budgeting Progress.
Telling what the national govern
ment had accomplished in cutting ex-
penditures, he said:
Our budget has long since been bal
anced and our debt-paying program is
at the rate of $500,0000O0 a year. In
spite of all these expenditures, the
next fiscal year has an estimated sur
plus revenue of more than $300,000,-
000 l stand on the simple proposition
that all the country is entitled to all
the relief from the burden of taxa
ton which it is possible to give"
At this point President Coolidge
made a direct appeal to the country to
let their representatives in congress
hear from them on this question of
voting for the Mellon plan, which the
President heartily Endorsed, or the
Garner plan which, he charged, had it's
inspiration in politics and would mean
floss of revenue beyond any expect
ed surplus"
The Mellon plan will fail, he de-
clared. unless the people by their in
sistence bring about change in the
lineup in congress. But the people
must understand this is their fight.
urge them to renewed efforts"
Passage of the soldier bonus, the
IIeSlueHl ueSldieu' "ouIu ueSlroy all
the great labor which the country has
gone through for the purpose of reduc-
ing it's debt" 1t would mean the sin
definite postponement of any tax
reduction; it would cause another in
crease in the cost of living" and il
would effect more drying-up of the
sources of credit"
Hints of Foreign Loans.
Speaking of the ex-soldiers opposed
to the bonus, who, he remarked, were
just as much entitled to consideration
as those advocating it, he said:
"They are just as eager now to save
their country from financial disaster as