Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-13
GUILTY ONES
Continued from Pace One)

| ~
/ Continued from Page One)
leasing of government oil lands" he
SAID. AT the revelation OF greed
making its subtle approaches to pub
lie officers OF the prostitution of high
place to private profit. we are filled
with Scorn and Indignation. We have
4 deep sense of humiliation at such
gross betrayal of trust, and we lam
ent the undermining OF public conf
dence in official integrity. But we
cannot rest With righteous wrath:
still eiss can we permit ourselves 10
give way to cynicism
Clear Open Path Of Just.ce
I'VE propose to follow the clear.
open path Of justice. There will be
Immediate, adequate, unshrinkinG
prosecution. criminal and civil to
punish the guilty and to protect ev-
cry national interest. In this effort
there will he no politics. no PARTISAN
ship. 1t Will be speedy. it will he
just. | am Republican. but ! can
not on that account shield anyone
because he is a Republican. | am a
Republican. but can not on that &C
count prosecute any one because he
is q Democrat.
Il want no hue and cry, noming-
ling OF innocent and guilty in UNI
thinking condemnation, no conrus-
ion OF mere questions OF law with
questions of fraud and corruption.
1t is a. such Il time that tie quail
ties CT our citizenry is tested--un-
releptinS toward evil. fair minded
and intent upon the requirements of
due process, the shield of the inno-
cent and the safeguard of society it
n q nf Ia
rs chief magistrate intent on the en-
forcement Of our laws without fear
or favor, no matter. who is hurt or
what the consequences"
Starting with the declaration that
the National unity for which Lin
coin laid the foundation requires
perpetual adjustment for its main
tcnance,' 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
its present state of depression when
, manufacturing. transportation. and
commerce are on Il whole in re-
markabie state of prosperity" He
analysed the difficulty as due to a
greater increase in production than
in tn power of distribution and
consumption and added that because
of this, the great food staples We're
not selling on 4 parity with the
products of industry. The farmer
he asserted, lis not receiving bis
, share"
Acknowledging that it might seem
strange that farming should he dis
cussed here in the country's metIop-
oil 4 IL,
that they had a direct economic, fin
ancial and political interest. He
outlined the steps already taken by
the administration through oncour-
agcmcnt of cooperative marketing
investigation of tariff rates and di-
rect governmental relief; the steps
contemplated through legislation
and then added:
What | am most anxious to i'm
press upon the prosperous part of our
country is the utmost necessity that
they should be willing to make sac
! ritice for the assistance of the un-
successful part. l do not mean 10y
that any unsound device like price
fixing. which | oppose. because 1t
would not make prices higher but
would In the end make them lower it
would not be successful and would
not prove a remedy, but l do mean
that the resources of the country
ought to come to the support of agri =
culture. The organization recently
perfected to supply money and man.
agement for the larger aspects of
agriculture ought to have your SYM
pathy and active support"
Taxation
Turning TO taxes, as one Of the
contributing causes to the agriculture
depression, Mr.. Coolidge traced the
steps taken to decrease and put in
order the national debt through re-
tirement and refunding of Domestic
securities; through the operation of
the budget. and by making every
| reasonable effort TO secure the
liquidation Of our international debts"
These steps have had the result of
permitting a decrease in taxes and
the Mellon plan was evolved, he said.
The provisions of this plan. now
| embodied in bill before Congress.
| Mr.: Coolidge asserted, ARE non-par-
! tisan. well thought out and sound"
He endorsed the proposal to reduce
surtaXeS to q maximum of % cercent,
mot that small incomes may be re-
quired to pay more and large incomes
be required to pay less but that more
revenue may De secured from large in =
comes and taxes on small incomes
may be reduced" He vas opposed. he
said, ito material alteration and com
promise because he wished ito give
all the people all the relief which the
bill proposes.
Il stand on the simple proposition
! that the country is entitled to all the
relief from the burden of taxation
which it is possible to give" he con-
tinued. THE proposed measure gives
such relief. Other measures which
have been brought forward do not
meet this requirement. You have
heard of the Garner plan. Brought
forward to have something different.
II purported to relieve the greatest
number of taxpayers. 1t gave not the
slightest heed to the indirect effect
OF high taxes. or to the approaching
drying up of the source of revenue
and the consequent failure of the pro-
1 gressiye income tax, or to the de-
struction of business initiative. 1t
] is political in theory. 1t is i'm
possible in practice"
Since August 1919, the public debt
has been decreasing. About s4.5e0.-