Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-01-06
DOMESTIC

DOlvAA0 I'M
Generally speaking, conditions were
conducive to a prosperous year In the
United States. Industry and commerce
fourished and the government piled
up a huge reserve that made a reduc-
ton of taxes a certainty. Adverse
features were the unprecedented
floods in the Mississippi valley, con-
tinued though somewhat ameliorated
depression In the agricultural indus
tries, the long coal strike In the BIZ
luminous fields which was ended In
several states in the autumn, and a
strike Of coal miners in Colorado u
der leadership Of the /. w. w.
Presidential politics occupied the
minds Of the people to a considerable
extent. President Coolidge, 1t was
conceded, could have the Republican
nomination for the asking, but during
his vacation In the Black Hills of
South Dakota he rather astonished
the nation by issuing the simple state
ment: II do not choose to run for
President In 1925" Thus the race was
made an open one, though many Of
Mr.. Ccolidge's admirers insisted that
he would accept the nomination II
drafted" by the party. OF the other
posi- ilities those most ~favorably con-
siderei were Frank O. Lowden, Her
bert Hoover and Vice President
Charles Dawes. Charles e. Hughes
also was liked by many. Senator
Charles Curtis of Kansas announced
that he was a candidate for the honor,
and a boom for Senator George Norris
of Nebraska was started by some Of
his fellow insurgents" Senator Willis
of Ohio threw his hat into the ring
after the President In December told
the national committee he had "elim-
mated" himself.
Kansas City was awarded the Re
publican national convention after a
spirited contest with San Francisco,
and the call was issued for June II.
AL Smith, at his fourth inauguration
as governor of New York, declared his
candidacy for the Democratic nomina-
ton and throughout the year he
seemed to gain steadily In strength. OF
course most of the drys in his party
opposed him and they sought for a
rival candidate to take the place Of
W.. G. McAdoo. The best they could
End nvnornnf1u uyor CAnofnr Tornac
Reed Of Missouri.
In February congress passed the
McNary-Haugen farm relief bill and
President Coolidge promptly vetoed 1t
because he and his official advisers
considered 1t economically bad. Dur
ing the year the various agricultural
organizations tried to get together OF
some measure that would serve their
needs and meet the Presidents ob|e-
lions, but failed. The matter came
up again in the SEVENTEEN congress
which met in December.
The senate in January refused to
admit Frank L. Smith and w. S. Ware,
senators-elect from Illinois and Penn
~sylvania respectively, because Of al
legged political corruption In their cam
paigns and elections. Senator Reed Of
Missouri spent considerable time dur
ing the summer investigating the
cases, and when the senate convened
on December 8 the battle for and
against the admission of the two men
was resumed.
President Coolidge declared himself,
early In the year, in favor OF adequate
national defense, and congress In Its
army and navy appropriations was
fairly liberal, going even beyond the
Chief Executives recommendations by
providing for three light cruisers. In
October Admiral Magruder severely
criticised the management Of the navy
in a magazine article and paid the
penalty, being removed from his com
mand Of the naval station at Philadel-
phia.
The Fall oil lease scandal came to
the front again several times. The
United States Supreme court cancelled
the leases given by Fall to e. L. Do
'heny on the ground Of fraud, and later
President Coolidge turned the naval
oil reserves back to the Navy depart
ment- In October the Supreme court
cancelled the Teapot Dome lease held
by Harry Sinclair. In that month the
conspiracy CASE against Fall and Sin
clair went to trial In Washington, but
a mistrial was ordered when it was
discovered some Of the jurors were
being Swallowed by Burns detectives