Evening star., 1928-10-28

Associated Press PhOtO.
Wilson there was set new standard
of American living and of American
wages, and the Democratic party is only
living up to its history and to its ira
dition when 1t declares that 1t Will
maintain that standard. Gov. Hughes
attempts to make the point that the
members of Congress will hold to tariff
ideas that prevailed before the war and
would be unwilling to follow my leader
ship in the declaration that made at
Louisville. Tonight I will ease his
mind on that subject and set to rest
the fears generally Of the Republican
leaders as to what will happen IN the
event of Democratic success.
A telegram has been sent to every
Democratic member of Congress and
every Democratic candidate for Con-
gress, for the House and the Senate,
asking their attitude with respect to
my tariff declaration at Louisville.
Ei~hty per cent of them have replied
thus far. A few have not yet replied
because of absence from home in cam
paign work Every one who has replied
has authorized his signature to the fol-
lowing declaration:
I'VE, the undersigned Democratic
candidates for the House and Senate,
reafirm the allegiance of our party to
non-partisan tariff commission as
enupciated in the Democratic platform
adopted at Houston. and declare our
approval Of the constructive interpreta-
ton placed on the tariff plank by our
standard bearer, Gov. Smith, in his
Louisville speech, when he said: i def
nitely pledge that the only change /
fv1 Ina 10 will ho
cific revisions in specific schedules,
each, considered on its own merits on
the basis of investigation by an impair
tial tariff commission and careful
hearing before Congress of all con-
cerned. That no revision OF any spe-
cif1c schedule will have approval of
Democratic party which in any way in
terferes with American standard of liv-
ing and level of wages. In other words,
I say to the American working man
that the Democratic party will not do
a single thing that will take from his
weekly pay envelope scent piece.
To the American farmer say that the
Democratic party will do everything in
It's power to put back into his pocket
all that belongs there. And we further
say that nothing will be done that will
emharrasS or interfere in any way with
the legitimate progress Of business. big
or small. With this prescription hon.
estly put forth with clear-cut and
definite promise to make it effective,
assert with confidence that neither
labor nor industry, nor agriculture nor
business has anything to fear from
Democratic success at the polls in No
vember.' And we hereby pledge our
cooperation in carrying out the prin-
ciples and policies therein set forth"
Charges False COIOrs.
That puts an end to the effort of
Gov. Hughes and his Republican COL
leagues to disturb the business of this
country by predictions of business up
heaval in the event of my election be-
cause of the Democratic attitude to the
tariff.
Week before last in the State of Mis-
souri, I spoke on Federal finances and
I clearly showed that the Republican
administration at Washington was paint
ing for the people Of the country
false picture, calculated to make them
believe that the present administration
had reduced the cost of operating the
Government. clearly showed from
figures taken from the public record
that in 1927 and 1928 the Government
cost more to operate than 1t did in the
first year of the Coolidge administration.
Secretary Mellon Immediately came to
the rescue of the administration and
made the statement that had dis
torted the figures. Let us see what
he offered to back up this statement.
In the first place, he admitted that
there was an increase In the cost of
Government in the Coolidge administra-
ton, although in a radio speech de-
livered several weeks ago he claimed
1t had been decreasd. H says, however,
that the figures which gave showing
an increase of 5000, ,000, 900 between 1924
and 1927 we're wrong and he says the
increase is only $29,000,000. In order
to get this figure, for some reason know
only to himself, he left out of consid-
Grafton the Post Office Department.
Since when did that cease to be a
part of the Federal Government? 1t
is true 1t earns a revenue. The fact that
postal revenue Is earmarked for the use
of the postal service no more juStifles
leaving post Office expenditures out of
I would be justified in leaving out the
expenditures of the New York State
Motor Vehicle Bureau because the 80
odd million dollars received from motor
licenses are earmarked for highway pur-
poses.
This Is a little more of the trick
bookkeeping that / spoke about, designed
to withhold the truth about the increase
in the cost Of government under the
present Republican administration. =
said in Missouri, and ! say again to-
night in Pennsylvania, that the cost of
government between 1924 and 1927 in
erased 5000, 100000.
Cites Melons Reports.
Secretary Mellon in his own reports
shows that expenditures were higher in
1925 than in 1924, and in 1926 they
were still higher, and that In the two
years the increase amounted to, almost
$50, ,0o0, 900.
In my speech in Missouri I spoke
about the failure of the Republican ad-
ministration to make adequate appro-
priations for the housing OF our SOL
diers. Secretary Davis said that the
complaint I made about inadequate
housing had been taken care of and,
as a matter of protection, added what
was not already attended to would be
taken care of by the next Congress.
He knows nothing about what the
next Congress will do, and it Is not an
answer to statement of fact with re-
gard to neglect to say that In the next
Congress, or some following one, some
thing Is going to done about 1t. Only
a year ago, before the House commit
tee on appropriations. Secretary Davis
testified that 1t W6uld require $780,
100000 to finance .4he Army housing
program. and that only small amount