Evening star., 1924-12-31
The Presidents Year

The year that has just come to a close
was a notable one for President Cool
idge and the White House.
The past IL months were marked by
more than ordinary activity on the part
Of the executive branch Of the Govern
ment, as well as many tense and stirring
incidents.
There also was the tragedy, in the
sudden death of Calvin Coolidge, jr., last
July. which cast its gloom over the
White House and which caused genuine
grief throughout the entire Nation.
To sum up briefly President Cool
idge's year, it would be only natural to
select his decisive victory at the polls
November last, when he came before
the electorate for election to a full term.
as President, in his own name, as the
one big outstanding event of the year.
AS the Republican party's standard
bearer, President Coolidge was elected,
receiving 15,713,7S9 of the 2S,92O,o70
votes cast for the three leading candi-
dates thereby giving him the unprece-
dented plurality of 7,339,S27.
Reduction OF Taxes.
However. from an economic viewpoint
the greatest accomplishment by the pres
ent administration during the year 1924
was the reduction of taxes This was
made possible by a determined effort on
the part Of the Executive to economize
in the operation of the Federal Govern
ment and by a persistent effort to OBJ
tain the necessary legislation. In his
public utterances he has continually
preached economy, and promised further
tightening of the tax burden of the pub
,, lie. He made good this latter promise,
at least to the extent of recommending
further tax reductions, in his annual
| message to Congress when it recon
| vened December 5.
| Sentiment for Reform.
| In that portion of his message urging
| tax reduction the President said that
| every one desires a reduction of taxes
and that there is a great preponderance
| of sentiment in favor of taxation re-
| form. In this connection he Is opposed
| to the publication of income tax returns
and he informed Congress that he be-
lieces this laws continuation to be detri-
mental to public welfare and bound to
decrease public revenues, and for those
reasons it should be repealed
In line with this policy of govern
| mental economy the President vetoed all
| bills during the last session of Congress
| which, in his opinion, would make tax
reduction impossible, IL not extremely
difficult.
| Veto Of Bonus.
| In face of threats from his own
| party and threats of organized politi.
cal opposition, he vetoed the soldiers
/ bonus, which was afterward passed
| over his veto. He encountered the
I opposition of the veterans of the
| Civil and Spanish Wars by disap.
| proving the Bursum pension bill. and
then met storm of protest when
he put his veto to the bill increasing
the pay of postal employees.
| President Coolidge, in conferences
with nearly a third of the Senate
membership has urged them to await
! consideration of this legislation until
some means of providing the money
necessary to meet these salary in
| creases can be decided upon.
| 1t has been one of the chief aims
of the President to extend all pos
sible relief to the agriculturists OF
| the country. During the distress
| among the farmers and stock men
of the West and Northwest last Win
| ter, the President cast about, with
| out success. for some form of RENE
! dial legislation. Hs did not make i;
/ f2ss.pIS II. A..t .i--.s.4I@ 49, 1.e--i-. :.