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| author | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-08-08 06:22:02 -0700 |
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| committer | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-08-08 06:22:02 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/76649-0.txt b/76649-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a74c798 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4556 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76649 *** + + + + + + _The Autobiography_ + OF + CALVIN COOLIDGE + + [Illustration: CALVIN COOLIDGE] + + + + + _The Autobiography_ + OF + CALVIN COOLIDGE + + [Illustration: colophon] + + _New York_ + COSMOPOLITAN BOOK CORPORATION + 1929 + + + + + COPYRIGHT 1929 CALVIN COOLIDGE + + ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + + SECOND TRADE EDITION + + + PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. BY + J. J. LITTLE & IVES CO., NEW YORK + + + + +_CONTENTS_ + + +I. SCENES OF MY CHILDHOOD 1 + +II. SEEKING AN EDUCATION 35 + +III. THE LAW AND POLITICS 81 + +IV. IN NATIONAL POLITICS 139 + +V. ON ENTERING AND LEAVING THE +PRESIDENCY 169 + +VI. SOME OF THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT 193 + +VII. WHY I DID NOT CHOOSE TO RUN 237 + + + + +_ILLUSTRATIONS_ + + +CALVIN COOLIDGE _Frontispiece_ + + FACING PAGE + +VICTORIA JOSEPHINE (MOOR) COOLIDGE 30 + _Mother of Calvin Coolidge_ + +COLONEL JOHN C. COOLIDGE 48 + _Vermont Senate_ + +CALVIN COOLIDGE 66 + _At the Age of Three_ + +CALVIN COOLIDGE 90 + _Aged Seven_ + +CALVIN COOLIDGE 136 + _At Amherst College_ + +GRACE GOODHUE 190 + _Before Her Marriage to Calvin Coolidge_ + +CALVIN COOLIDGE AND HIS FAMILY 220 + _The Day He Became Governor of Massachusetts_ + + + + +SCENES OF MY CHILDHOOD + + + + +_CHAPTER ONE_ + +SCENES OF MY CHILDHOOD + + +The town of Plymouth lies on the easterly slope of the Green Mountains, +about twenty miles west of the Connecticut River and somewhat south of +the central part of Vermont. This part of the state is made up of a +series of narrow valleys and high hills, some of which rank as mountains +that must reach an elevation of at least twenty-five hundred feet. + +Its westerly boundary is along the summit of the main range to where it +falls off into the watershed of Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence +River. At one point a little rill comes down a mountain until it strikes +a rock, where it divides, part running north into the Ottauquechee and +part south into the Black River, both of which later turn easterly to +reach the Connecticut. + +In its natural state this territory was all covered with evergreen and +hardwood trees. It had large deposits of limestone, occasionally mixed +with marble, and some granite. There were sporadic outcroppings of iron +ore, and the sands of some of the streams showed considerable traces of +gold. The soil was hard and rocky, but when cultivated supported a good +growth of vegetation. + +During colonial times this region lay in an unbroken wilderness, until +the coming of the French and Indian War, when a military road was cut +through under the direction of General Amherst, running from +Charlestown, New Hampshire, to Fort Ticonderoga, New York. This line of +march lay through the south part of the town, crossing the Black River +at the head of the two beautiful lakes and running over the hill towards +the valley of the Otter Creek. + +When settlers began to come in around the time of the Revolution, the +grandfather of my grandfather, Captain John Coolidge, located a farm +near the height of land westward from the river along this military +road, where he settled in about 1780. + +He had served in the Revolutionary army and may have learned of this +region from some of his comrades who had known it in the old French +wars, or who had passed over it in the campaign against Burgoyne, which +culminated at Saratoga. + +He had five children and acquired five farms, so that each of his +descendants was provided with a homestead. His oldest son Calvin came +into possession of the one which I now own, where it is said that +Captain John spent his declining years. He lies buried beside his wife +in the little neighborhood cemetery not far distant. + +The early settlers of Plymouth appear to have come mostly from +Massachusetts, though some of them had stopped on the way in New +Hampshire. They were English Puritan stock, and their choice of a +habitation stamps them with a courageous pioneering spirit. + +Their first buildings were log houses, the remains of which were visible +in some places in my early boyhood, though they had long since been +given over to the sheltering of domestic animals. The town must have +settled up with considerable rapidity, for as early as 1840 it had about +fourteen hundred inhabitants scattered about the valleys and on the +sides of the hills, which the mountains divided into a considerable +number of different neighborhoods, each with a well-developed local +community spirit. + +As time went on, much land was cleared of forest, very substantial +buildings of wood construction were erected, saw mills and grist mills +were located along the streams, and the sale of lumber and lime, farm +products and domestic animals, brought considerable money into the town, +which was laid out for improvements or found its way into the country +store. It was a hard but wholesome life, under which the people suffered +many privations and enjoyed many advantages, without any clear +realization of the existence of either one of them. + +They were a hardy self-contained people. Most of them are gone now and +their old homesteads are reverting to the wilderness. They went forth to +conquer where the trees were thicker, the fields larger, and the +problems more difficult. I have seen their descendants scattered all +over the country, especially in the middle west, and as far south as the +Gulf of Mexico and westward to the Pacific slope. + +It was into this community that I was born on the 4th day of July, 1872. +My parents then lived in a five room, story and a half cottage attached +to the post office and general store, of which my father was the +proprietor. While they intended to name me for my father, they always +called me Calvin, so the John became discarded. + +Our house was well shaded with maple trees and had a yard in front +enclosed with a picket fence, in which grew a mountain ash, a plum tree, +and the customary purple lilac bushes. In the summertime my mother +planted her flower bed there. + +Her parents, who were prosperous farmers, lived in the large house +across the road, which had been built for a hotel and still has the old +hall in it where public dances were held in former days and a spacious +corner on the front side known as the bar room, indicating what had been +sold there before my grandfather Moor bought the premises. On an +adjoining farm, about sixty-five rods distant, lived my grandfather and +grandmother Coolidge. Within view were two more collections of farm +buildings, three dwelling houses with their barns, a church, a school +house and a blacksmith shop. A little out of sight dwelt the local +butter tub maker and beyond him the shoemaker. + +This locality was known as The Notch, being situated at the head of a +valley in an irregular bowl of hills. The scene was one of much natural +beauty, of which I think the inhabitants had little realization, though +they all loved it because it was their home and were always ready to +contend that it surpassed all the surrounding communities and compared +favorably with any other place on earth. + +My sister Abbie was born in the same house in April, 1875. We lived +there until 1876, when the place was bought across the road, which had +about two acres of land with a house and a number of barns and a +blacksmith shop. About it were a considerable number of good apple +trees. I think the price paid was $375. Almost at once the principal +barn was sold for $100, to be moved away. My father was a good trader. + +Some repairs were made on the inside, and black walnut furniture was +brought from Boston to furnish the parlor and sitting room. It was a +plain square-sided house with a long ell, to which the horse barn was +soon added. The outside has since been remodeled and the piazza built. A +young woman was always employed to do the house work. Whatever was +needed never failed to be provided. + +While in theory I was always urged to work and to save, in practice I +was permitted to do my share of playing and wasting. My playthings often +lay in the road to be run over, and my ball game often interfered with +my filling the wood box. I have been taken out of bed to do penance for +such derelictions. + +My father, John Calvin Coolidge, ran the country store. He was +successful. The annual rent of the whole place was $40. I have heard him +say that his merchandise bills were about $10,000 yearly. He had no +other expenses. His profits were about $100 per month on the average, so +he must have sold on a very close margin. + +He trusted nearly everybody, but lost a surprisingly small amount. +Sometimes people he had not seen for years would return and pay him the +whole bill. + +He went to Boston in the spring and fall to buy goods. He took the +midnight train from Ludlow when they did not have sleeping cars, +arriving in the city early in the morning, which saved him his hotel +bill. + +He was a good business man, a very hard worker, and did not like to see +things wasted. He kept the store about thirteen years and sold it to my +mother’s brother, who became a prosperous merchant. + +In addition to his business ability my father was very skillful with his +hands. He worked with a carriage maker for a short time when he was +young, and the best buggy he had for twenty years was one he made +himself. He had a complete set of tools, ample to do all kinds of +building and carpenter work. He knew how to lay bricks and was an +excellent stone mason. + +Following his sale of the store about the time my grandfather died, +besides running the farm, he opened the old blacksmith shop which stood +upon the place across the road to which we had moved. He hired a +blacksmith at $1 per day, who was a large-framed powerful man with a +black beard, said to be sometimes quarrelsome. + +I have seen him unaided throw a refractory horse to the ground when it +objected to being shod. But he was always kind to me, letting me fuss +around the shop, leaving his own row to do three or four hills for me so +that I could more easily keep up with the rest of the men in hoeing +time, or favoring me in some way in the hay field as he helped on the +farm in busy times. + +He always pitched the hay on to the ox cart and I raked after. If I was +getting behind he slowed up a little. He was a big-hearted man. I wish I +could see that blacksmith again. The iron work for farm wagons and sleds +was fashioned and put on in the shop, oxen and horses brought there for +shoeing, and metal parts of farm implements often repaired. My father +seemed to like to work in the shop, but did not go there much except +when a difficult piece of work was required, like welding a broken steel +section rod of a mowing machine, which had to be done with great +precision or it would break again. + +He kept tools for mending shoes and harnesses and repairing water pipes +and tinware. He knew how to perform all kinds of delicate operations on +domestic animals. The lines he laid out were true and straight, and the +curves regular. The work he did endured. + +If there was any physical requirement of country life which he could not +perform, I do not know what it was. From watching him and assisting him, +I gained an intimate knowledge of all this kind of work. + +It seems impossible that any man could adequately describe his mother. I +can not describe mine. + +On the side of her father, Hiram Dunlap Moor, she was Scotch with a +mixture of Welsh and English. Her mother, Abigail (Franklin) Moor, was +chiefly of the old New England stock. She bore the name of two +Empresses, Victoria Josephine. She was of a very light and fair +complexion with a rich growth of brown hair that had a glint of gold in +it. Her hands and features were regular and finely modeled. The older +people always told me how beautiful she was in her youth. + +She was practically an invalid ever after I could remember her, but used +what strength she had in lavish care upon me and my sister, who was +three years younger. There was a touch of mysticism and poetry in her +nature which made her love to gaze at the purple sunsets and watch the +evening stars. + +Whatever was grand and beautiful in form and color attracted her. It +seemed as though the rich green tints of the foliage and the blossoms of +the flowers came for her in the springtime, and in the autumn it was for +her that the mountain sides were struck with crimson and with gold. + +When she knew that her end was near she called us children to her +bedside, where we knelt down to receive her final parting blessing. + +In an hour she was gone. It was her thirty-ninth birthday. I was twelve +years old. We laid her away in the blustering snows of March. The +greatest grief that can come to a boy came to me. Life was never to seem +the same again. + +Five years and forty-one years later almost to a day my sister and my +father followed her. It always seemed to me that the boy I lost was her +image. They all rest together on the sheltered hillside among five +generations of the Coolidge family. + +My grandfather, Calvin Galusha Coolidge, died when I was six years old. +He was a spare man over six feet tall, of a nature which caused people +to confide in him, and of a character which made him a constant choice +for public office. His mother and her family showed a marked trace of +Indian blood. I never saw her, but he took me one time to see her +sister, his very aged aunt, whom we found sitting in the chimney corner +smoking a clay pipe. + +This was so uncommon that I always remembered it. I thought tobacco was +only for men, though I had seen old ladies outside our neighborhood buy +snuff at the store. + +He was an expert horseman and loved to raise colts and puppies. He kept +peacocks and other gay-colored fowl and had a yard and garden filled +with scarlet flowers. But he never cared to hunt or fish. He found great +amusement in practical jokes and could entice a man into a nest of bees +and make him think he went there of his own accord. + +He and my grandmother brought up as their own children the boy and girl +of his only sister, whose parents died when they were less than two +years old. He made them no charge, but managed their inheritance and +turned it all over to them with the income, besides giving the boy $800 +of his own money when he was eighteen years old, the same as he did my +father. He was fond of riding horseback and taught me to ride standing +up behind him. Some of the horses he bred and sold became famous. In his +mind, the only real, respectable way to get a living was from tilling +the soil. He therefore did not exactly approve having his son go into +trade. + +In order to tie me to the land, in his last sickness he executed a deed +to me for life of forty acres, called the Lime Kiln lot, on the west +part of his farm, with the remainder to my lineal descendants, thinking +that as I could not sell it, and my creditors could not get it, it would +be necessary for me to cultivate it. He also gave me a mare colt and a +heifer calf, which came of stock that had belonged to his grandfather. + +Two days after I was two months old, my father was elected to the state +legislature. By a curious coincidence, when my son was the same age I +was elected to the same office in Massachusetts. He was reelected twice, +the term being two years, and, while he was serving, my grandfather +took my mother and me to visit him at Montpelier. + +I think I was three years and four months old, but I always remembered +the experience. Grandfather carried me to the State House and sat me in +the Governor’s chair, which did not impress me so much as a stuffed +catamount that was in the capital museum. That was the first of the +great many journeys which I have since made to legislative halls. + +During his last illness he would have me read to him the first chapter +of the Gospel of John, which he had read to his grandfather. I could do +very well until I came to the word “comprehended,” with which I always +had difficulty. On taking the oath as President in 1925, I placed my +hand on that Book of the Bible in memory of my first reading it. + +So far as I know, neither he nor any other members of my family ever +entertained any ambitions in my behalf. He evidently wished me to stay +on the land. My own wish was to keep store, as my father had done. + +They all taught me to be faithful over a few things. If they had any +idea that such a training might some day make me a ruler over many +things, it was not disclosed to me. It was my father in later years who +wished me to enter the law, but when I finally left home for that +purpose the parting was very hard for him to bear. + +The neighborhood around The Notch was made up of people of exemplary +habits. Their speech was clean and their lives were above reproach. They +had no mortgages on their farms. If any debts were contracted they were +promptly paid. Credit was good and there was money in the savings bank. + +The break of day saw them stirring. Their industry continued until +twilight. They kept up no church organization, and as there was little +regular preaching the outward manifestation of religion through public +profession had little opportunity, but they were without exception a +people of faith and charity and of good works. They cherished the +teachings of the Bible and sought to live in accordance with its +precepts. + +The conduct of the young people was modest and respectful. For most of +the time during my boyhood regular Sunday school classes were held in +the church which my grandmother Coolidge superintended until in her +advanced years she was superseded by my father. She was a constant +reader of the Bible and a devoted member of the church, who daily sought +for divine guidance in prayer. + +I stayed with her at the farm much of the time and she had much to do +with shaping the thought of my early years. She had a benign influence +over all who came in contact with her. The Puritan severity of her +convictions was tempered by the sweetness of a womanly charity. There +were none whom she ever knew that had not in some way benefited by her +kindness. + +Her maiden name was Sarah Almeda Brewer. When she married my grandfather +she was twenty and he was twenty-eight years old. She was accustomed to +tell me that from his experience and observations he had come to have +great faith in good blood, and that he chose her for his wife not only +because he loved her, but because her family, which he had seen for +three generations, were people of ability and character. + +While he would have looked upon rank as only pretense, he looked upon +merit with great respect. His judgment was vindicated by the fact that +more of her kin folks than he could have realized had been and were to +become people of merited distinction. + +The prevailing dress in our neighborhood was that of the countryside. +While my father wore a business suit with a white shirt, collar and +cuffs, which he always kept clean, the men generally had colored shirts +and outer garments of brown or blue drilling. But they all had good +clothes for any important occasions. + +I was clad in a gingham shirt with overalls in the summer, when I liked +to go barefooted. In the winter these were changed for heavy wool +garments and thick cowhide boots, which lasted a year. + +My grandmother Coolidge spun woolen yarn, from which she knitted us +stockings and mittens. I have seen her weave cloth, and when I was ten +years old I had a frock which came from her loom. We had linen sheets +and table cloths and woolen bed blankets, which she had spun and woven +in earlier days. I have some of them now. My grandfather Coolidge wore +a blue woolen frock much of the time, which is a most convenient garment +for that region. It is cut like a shirt, going on over the head, with +flaps that reach to the knees. + +When I went to visit the old home in later years I liked to wear the one +he left, with some fine calfskin boots about two sizes too large for me, +which were made for him when he went to the Vermont legislature about +1858. When news pictures began to be taken of me there, I found that +among the public this was generally supposed to be a makeup costume, +which it was not, so I have since been obliged to forego the comfort of +wearing it. In public life it is sometimes necessary in order to appear +really natural to be actually artificial. + +Perhaps some glimpse of these pictures may have caused an English writer +to refer to me as a Vermont backwoodsman. I wonder if he describes his +King as a Scotchman when he sees him in kilts. + +To those of his country who remember that Burgoyne sent home a dispatch +saying that the Green Mountains were the abode of the most warlike race +on the continent, who hung like a thunder cloud on his left--which was +fully borne out by what they helped to do to him at Bennington and +Saratoga--I presume the term of Vermont backwoodsman still carries the +implication of reproach. But in this country it is an appellation which +from General Ethan Allen to Admiral George Dewey has not been without +some distinction. + +While the form of government under which the Plymouth people lived was +that of a republic, it had a strong democratic trend. The smallest unit +was then the school district. Early in my boyhood the women were given a +vote on school questions in both the district and town meetings. + +The district meeting was held in the evening at the school house each +year. The officers were chosen and the rate of the school tax was fixed +by popular vote. The board and room of the teacher for two-week periods +was then assigned to the lowest bidders. The rates ran from about fifty +cents each week in the summer to as high as $1.25 in the winter. + +The town officers were chosen annually at the March meeting. Here again +the rate of taxes was fixed by popular vote. The bonded debt was rather +large, coming down, as I was told, from expenses during the war and the +costs of reconstructing roads and bridges after the disastrous freshet +of 1869. + +The more substantial farmers wanted to raise a large tax to reduce the +debt. I noticed my father did not vote on this subject and I inquired +his reason. He said that while he could afford to pay a high rate, he +did not wish to place so large a burden on those who were less able, and +so was leaving them to make their own decision. + +In those days there were about two hundred and fifty qualified voters, +not over twenty-five of which were Democrats, and the rest Republicans. +They had their spirited contests in their elections, but not along party +lines. + +One of the patriarchs of the town, who was a Democrat, served many years +as Moderator by unanimous choice. He was a man of sound common sense and +an excellent presiding officer, but without much book learning. + +When he read that part of the call for the meeting which recited that it +was to act “on the following questions, _viz._,” he always read it “to +act upon the following questions, _vizley_.” This caused him to be +referred to at times by the irreverent as Old Vizley. + +I was accustomed to carry apples and popcorn balls to the town meetings +to sell, mainly because my grandmother said my father had done so when +he was a boy, and I was exceedingly anxious to grow up to be like him. + +On the even years in September came the Freemen’s meeting. This was a +state election, at which the town representative to the legislature was +chosen. They also voted for county and state officers and for a +Representative to the Congress, and on each fourth year for Presidential +electors. I attended all of these meetings until I left home and +followed them with interest for many of the succeeding years. + +Careful provision was made for the administration of justice through +local authorities. Those charged with petty crimes and misdemeanors were +brought before one of the five Justices of the Peace, who had power to +try and sentence with or without calling a jury. He also had a like +jurisdiction in civil matters of a small amount. + +The more important cases, criminal and civil, went to the County Court +which sat in the neighboring town of Woodstock in May and December. My +father was nearly all his life a Constable or a Deputy Sheriff, and +sometimes both, with power to serve civil and criminal process, so that +he arrested those charged with crime and brought them before the Justice +for trial. + +Unless it would keep me out of school, he would take me with him when +attending before the local justices or when he went to the opening +session of the County Court. Before him my grandfather had held the same +positions, so that together they were the peace officers most of the +time in our town for nearly seventy-five years. + +In addition to this they often settled the estates of deceased persons +and acted as guardian of minors. This business was transacted in the +Probate Court, where I often went. + +My father was at times a Justice of the Peace and always had a +commission as notary public. This enabled him to take the acknowledgment +of deeds, which he knew how to draw, and administer oaths necessary to +pension papers which he filled out for old soldiers usually without +charge, or to take affidavits required on any other instruments. + +In my youth he was also always engaged in the transaction of all kinds +of town business, being constantly elected for that purpose. He was +painstaking, precise and very accurate, and had such wide experience +that the lawyers of the region knew they could rely on him to serve +papers in difficult cases and make returns that would be upheld by the +courts. + +This work gave him such a broad knowledge of the practical side of the +law that people of the neighborhood were constantly seeking his advice, +to which I always listened with great interest. He always counseled them +to resist injustice and avoid unfair dealing, but to keep their +agreements, meet their obligations and observe strict obedience to the +law. + +By reason of what I saw and heard in my early life, I came to have a +good working knowledge of the practical side of government. I understood +that it consisted of restraints which the people had imposed upon +themselves in order to promote the common welfare. + +As I went about with my father when he collected taxes, I knew that when +taxes were laid some one had to work to earn the money to pay them. I +saw that a public debt was a burden on all the people in a community, +and while it was necessary to meet the needs of a disaster it cost much +in interest and ought to be retired as soon as possible. + +After the winter work of laying in a supply of wood had been done, the +farm year began about the first of April with the opening of the +maple-sugar season. This was the most interesting of all the farm +operations to me. + +With the coming of the first warm days we broke a road through the deep +snow into the sugar lot, tapped the trees, set the buckets, and brought +the sap to the sugar house, where in a heater and pans it was boiled +down into syrup to be taken to the house for sugaring off. We made eight +hundred to two thousand pounds, according to the season. + +After that the fences had to be repaired where they had been broken down +by the snow, the cattle turned out to pasture, and the spring planting +done. Then came sheep-shearing time, which was followed by getting in +the hay, harvesting and threshing of the grain, cutting and husking the +corn, digging the potatoes and picking the apples. Just before +Thanksgiving the poultry had to be dressed for market, and a little +later the fattened hogs were butchered and the meat salted down. Early +in the winter a beef creature was slaughtered. + +The work of the farm was done by the oxen, except running the mowing +machine and horse rake. I early learned to drive oxen and used to plow +with them alone when I was twelve years old. Of course, there was the +constant care of the domestic animals, the milking of the cows, and +taking them to and from pasture, which was especially my responsibility. + +We had husking bees, apple-paring bees and singing schools in the +winter. There were parties for the young folks and an occasional +dramatic exhibition by local talent. Not far away there were some public +dances, which I was never permitted to attend. + +Some time during the summer we usually went to the circus, often rising +by three o’clock so as to get there early. In the autumn we visited the +county fair. The holidays were all celebrated in some fashion. + +Of course, the Fourth of July meant a great deal to me, because it was +my birthday. The first one I can remember was when I was four years old. +My father took me fishing in the meadow brook in the morning. I recall +that I fell in the water, after which we had a heavy thundershower, so +that we both came home very wet. Usually there was a picnic celebration +on that day. + +Thanksgiving was a feast day for family reunions at the home of the +grandparents. Christmas was a sacrament observed with the exchange of +gifts, when the stockings were hung, and the spruce tree was lighted in +the symbol of Christian faith and love. While there was plenty of hard +work, there was no lack of pleasurable diversion. + +When the work was done for the day, it was customary to drop into the +store to get the evening mail and exchange views on topics of interest. +A few times I saw there Attorney General John G. Sargent with his +father, who was a much respected man. + +A number of those who came had followed Sheridan, been with Meade at +Gettysburg, and served under Grant, but they seldom volunteered any +information about it. They were not talkative and took their military +service in a matter of fact way, not as anything to brag about but +merely as something they did because it ought to be done. + +They drew no class distinctions except towards those who assumed +superior airs. Those they held in contempt. They held strongly to the +doctrine of equality. Whenever the hired man or the hired girl wanted to +go anywhere they were always understood to be entitled to my place in +the wagon, in which case I remained at home. This gave me a very early +training in democratic ideas and impressed upon me very forcibly the +dignity and power, if not the superiority of labor. + +It was all a fine atmosphere in which to raise a boy. As I look back on +it I constantly think how clean it was. There was little about it that +was artificial. It was all close to nature and in accordance with the +ways of nature. The streams ran clear. The roads, the woods, the fields, +the people--all were clean. Even when I try to divest it of the halo +which I know always surrounds the past, I am unable to create any other +impression than that it was fresh and clean. + +We had some books, but not many. Mother liked poetry and read some +novels. Father had no taste for books, but always took and read a daily +paper. My grandfather Moor read books and papers, so that he was a +well-informed man. + +My grandmother Coolidge liked books and besides a daily Chapter in the +Bible read aloud to me “The Rangers or the Tory’s Daughter” and “The +Green Mountain Boys,” which were both stories of the early settlers of +Vermont during the Revolutionary period. She also had two volumes +entitled “Washington and His Generals,” and other biographies which I +read myself at an early age with a great deal of interest. + +At home there were numerous law books. In this way I grew up with a +working knowledge of the foundations of my state and nation and a taste +for history. + +My education began with a set of blocks which had on them the Roman +numerals and the letters of the alphabet. It is not yet finished. As I +played with + +[Illustration: + +Allison Spence + +VICTORIA JOSEPHINE (MOOR) COOLIDGE + +_Mother of Calvin Coolidge, about the time of her marriage_] + +them and asked my mother what they were, I came to know them all when I +was three years old. I started to school when I was five. + +The little stone school house which had unpainted benches and desks wide +enough to seat two was attended by about twenty-five scholars. Few, if +any, of my teachers reached the standard now required by all public +schools. They qualified by examination before the town superintendent. I +first took this examination and passed it at the age of thirteen and my +sister Abbie passed it and taught a term of school in a neighboring town +when she was twelve years old. + +My teachers were young women from neighboring communities, except +sometimes when a man was employed for the winter term. They were all +intelligent, of good character, and interested in their work. I do not +feel that the quality of their instruction was in any way inferior. The +common school subjects were taught, with grammar and United States +history, so that when I was thirteen I had mastered them all and went to +Black River Academy, at Ludlow. + +That was one of the greatest events of my life. The packing and +preparation for it required more time and attention than collecting my +belongings in preparation for leaving the White House. I counted the +hours until it was time to go. + +My whole outfit went easily into two small handbags, which lay on the +straw in the back of the traverse sleigh beside the fatted calf that was +starting to market. The winter snow lay on the ground. The weather was +well below freezing. But in my eagerness these counted for nothing. + +I was going where I would be mostly my own master. I was casting off +what I thought was the drudgery of farm life, symbolized by the cowhide +boots and every-day clothing which I was leaving behind, not realizing +what a relief it would be to return to them in future years. I had on my +best clothes and wore shoes with rubbers, because the village had +sidewalks. + +I did not know that there were mental and moral atmospheres more +monotonous and more contaminating than anything in the physical +atmosphere of country life. No one could have made me believe that I +should never be so innocent or so happy again. + +As we rounded the brow of the hill the first rays of the morning sun +streamed over our backs and lighted up the glistening snow ahead. I was +perfectly certain that I was traveling out of the darkness into the +light. + +We have much speculation over whether the city or the country is the +better place to bring up boys. I am prejudiced in behalf of the country, +but I should have to admit that much depends on the parents and the +surrounding neighborhood. We felt the cold in winter and had many +inconveniences, but we did not mind them because we supposed they were +the inevitable burdens of existence. + +It would be hard to imagine better surroundings for the development of a +boy than those which I had. While a wider breadth of training and +knowledge could have been presented to me, there was a daily contact +with many new ideas, and the mind was given sufficient opportunity +thoroughly to digest all that came to it. + +Country life does not always have breadth, but it has depth. It is +neither artificial nor superficial, but is kept close to the realities. + +While I can think of many pleasures we did not have, and many niceties +of culture with which we were unfamiliar, yet if I had the power to +order my life anew I would not dare to change that period of it. If it +did not afford me the best that there was, it abundantly provided the +best that there was for me. + + + + +SEEKING AN EDUCATION + + + + +CHAPTER TWO + +SEEKING AN EDUCATION + + +One of the sages of New England is reported to have declared that the +education of a child should begin several generations before it is born. +No doubt it does begin at a much earlier period and we enter life with a +heritage that reaches back through the ages. But we do not choose our +ancestors. When we come into the world the gate of gifts is closed +behind us. We can do nothing about it. So far as each individual is +concerned all he can do is to take the abilities he has and make the +most of them. His power over the past is gone. His power over the future +depends on what he does with himself in the present. If he wishes to +live and progress he must work. + +During early childhood the inspiration for anything like mental +discipline comes almost entirely from the outside. It is supplied by the +parents and teachers. It was not until I left home in February of 1886 +that I could say I had much thought of my own about getting an +education. Thereafter I began to be more dependent on myself and assume +more and more self-direction. What I studied was the result of my own +choice. Instead of seeking to direct me, my father left me to decide. +But when I had selected a course he was always solicitous to see that I +diligently applied myself to it. + +Going away to school was my first great adventure in life. I shall never +forget the impression it made on me. It was so deep and remains so vivid +that whenever I have started out on a new enterprise a like feeling +always returns to me. It was the same when I went to college, when I +left home to enter the law, when I began a public career in Boston, when +I started for Washington to become Vice-President and finally when I was +called to the White House. Going to the Academy meant a complete break +with the past and entering a new and untried field, larger and more +alluring than the past, among unknown scenes and unknown people. + +In the spring of 1886 Black River Academy had just celebrated its +fiftieth anniversary. While it had some distinguished alumni, the great +body of its former students were the hard-working, every-day people, +that made the strength of rural New England. My father and mother and +grandmother Coolidge had been there a few terms. While it had a charter +of its own, and was independent of the public authorities, it was +nevertheless part village high school. At its head was a principal, who +had under him two women assistants. A red brick structure, built like a +church, with an assembly room and a few recitation rooms made up its +entire equipment, so that those who did not live at home boarded in +private families about the town of Ludlow. The spring term began in +midwinter in order that the girls could be out by the first Monday in +May to teach a summer district school and the boys could get home for +the season’s work on the farm. + +For the very few who were preparing for college a classical course was +offered in Latin, Greek, history and mathematics, but most of the pupils +kept to the Latin Scientific, and the English courses. The student body +was about one hundred and twenty-five in number. During my first term I +began algebra and finished grammar. For some reason I was attracted to +civil government and took that. This was my first introduction to the +Constitution of the United States. Although I was but thirteen years old +the subject interested me exceedingly. The study of it which I then +began has never ceased, and the more I study it the more I have come to +admire it, realizing that no other document devised by the hand of man +ever brought so much progress and happiness to humanity. The good it has +wrought can never be measured. + +It was not alone the school with its teachers, its students and courses +of study that interested me, but also the village and its people. It all +lay in a beautiful valley along the Black River supported on either side +by high hills. The tradespeople all knew my father well and he had an +intimate acquaintance with the lawyers. Very soon I too knew them all. +The chief industry of the town was a woolen mill that always remained a +mystery to me. But the lesser activity of the village was a cab shop. I +worked there some on Saturdays, so I came to know how toys and baby +wagons were made. It was my first acquaintance with the factory system, +and my approach to it was that of a wage earner. As I was employed at +piece work my wages depended on my own ability, skill and industry. It +was a good training. I was beginning to find out what existence meant. + +My real academy course began the next fall term when I started to study +Latin. In a few weeks I broke my right arm but it did not keep me out of +school more than two days. Latin was not difficult for me to translate, +but I never became proficient in its composition. Although I continued +it until my sophomore year at college the only part of all the course +that I found of much interest was the orations of Cicero. These held my +attention to such a degree that I translated some of them in later life. + +When Greek was begun the next year I found it difficult. It is a +language that requires real attention and close application. Among its +rewards are the moving poetry of Homer, the marvelous orations of +Demosthenes, and in after life an increased power of observation. + +Besides the classics we had a course in rhetoric, some ancient history, +and a little American literature. Plane geometry completed our +mathematics. In the modern languages there was only French. + +In some subjects I began with the class when it started to review and so +did the work of a term in two weeks. I joined the French class in mid +year and made up the work by starting my study at about three o’clock in +the morning. + +During the long vacations from May until September I went home and +worked on the farm. We had a number of horses so that I was able to +indulge my pleasure in riding. As no one else in the neighborhood cared +for this diversion I had to ride alone. But a horse is much company, and +riding over the fields and along the country roads by himself, where +nothing interrupts his seeing and thinking, is a good occupation for a +boy. The silences of Nature have a discipline all their own. + +Of course our school life was not free from pranks. The property of the +townspeople was moved to strange places in the night. One morning as the +janitor was starting the furnace he heard a loud bray from one of the +class rooms. His investigation disclosed the presence there of a +domestic animal noted for his long ears and discordant voice. In some +way during the night he had been stabled on the second floor. About as +far as I deem it prudent to discuss my own connection with these +escapades is to record that I was never convicted of any of them and so +must be presumed innocent. + +The expenses at the Academy were very moderate. The tuition was about +seven dollars for each term, and board and room for each week not over +three dollars. Oftentimes students hired a room for about fifty cents +per week and boarded themselves. In my own case the cost for a school +year averaged about one hundred and fifty dollars, which was all paid by +my father. Any money I earned he had me put in the savings bank, because +he wished me to be informed of the value of money at interest. He +thought money invested in that way led to a self-respecting independence +that was one of the foundations of good character. + +It was about twelve miles from Ludlow to Plymouth. Sometimes I walked +home Friday afternoon, but usually my father came for me and brought me +back Sunday evening or Monday morning. When this was not done I often +staid with the elder sister of my mother, Mrs. Don C. Pollard, who lived +about three miles down the river at Proctorsville. This was my Aunt +Sarah who is still living. She was wonderfully kind to me and did all +she could to take the place of my own mother in affection for me and +good influence over me while I was at the Academy and ever after. The +sweetness of her nature was a benediction to all who came in contact +with her. What men owe to the love and help of good women can never be +told. + +The Academy had no athletics in those days, as the boys from the farms +did not feel the need of such activity. A few games of baseball were +played, but no football or track athletics were possible. Games did not +interest me much though I had some skill with a bat. I was rather +slender and not so tall as many boys of my age. + +Those who attended the school from out of town were all there with a +real purpose of improving themselves, so that while there was no lack of +fun and play they all worked as best they could, for their coming had +meant too much sacrifice at home not to be taken seriously. They had +come seeking to better their condition in life through what they might +learn and the self-discipline they might secure. + +The school had much to be desired in organization and equipment, but it +possessed a sturdy spirit and a wholesome regard for truth. Of course +the student body came from the country and had country ways, but the +boys were inspired with a purpose, and the girls with a sweet sincerity +which becomes superior to all the affectations of the drawing-room. In +them the native capacity for making real men and women remained all +unspoiled. + +The Presidential election of 1888 created considerable interest among +the students. Most of them favored the Republican candidate Benjamin +Harrison against the then President Grover Cleveland. When Harrison was +elected, two nights were spent parading the streets with drums and +trumpets, celebrating the victory. + +During most of my course George Sherman was the principal and Miss M. +Belle Chellis was the first assistant. I owe much to the inspiration and +scholarly direction which they gave to my undergraduate days. They both +lived to see me President and sent me letters at the time, though they +left the school long ago. It was under their teaching that I first +learned of the glory and grandeur of the ancient civilization that grew +up around the Mediterranean and in Mesopotamia. Under their guidance I +beheld the marvels of old Babylon, I marched with the Ten Thousand of +Xenophon, I witnessed the conflict around beleaguered Troy which doomed +that proud city to pillage and to flames, I heard the tramp of the +invincible legions of Rome, I saw the victorious galleys of the Eternal +City carrying destruction to the Carthaginian shore, and I listened to +the lofty eloquence of Cicero and the matchless imagery of Homer. They +gave me a vision of the world when it was young and showed me how it +grew. It seems to me that it is almost impossible for those who have not +traveled that road to reach a very clear conception of what the world +now means. + +It was in this period that I learned something of the thread of events +that ran from the Euphrates and the Nile through Athens to the Tiber and +thence stretched on to the Seine and the Thames to be carried overseas +to the James, the Charles and the Hudson. I found that the English +language was generously compounded with Greek and Latin, which it was +necessary to know if I was to understand my native tongue. I discovered +that our ideas of democracy came from the agora of Greece, and our ideas +of liberty came from the forum of Rome. Something of the sequence of +history was revealed to me, so that I began to understand the +significance of our own times and our own country. + +In March of my senior year my sister Abbie died. She was three years my +junior but so proficient in her studies that she was but two classes +below me in school. She was ill scarcely a week. Several doctors were in +attendance but could not save her. Thirty years later one of them told +me he was convinced she had appendicitis, which was a disease not well +understood in 1890. I went home when her condition became critical and +staid beside her until she passed to join our mother. The memory of the +charm of her presence and her dignified devotion to the right will +always abide with me. + +In the spring of 1890 came my graduation. The class had five boys and +four girls. With so small a number it was possible for all of us to take +part in the final exercises with orations and essays. The subject that I +undertook to discuss was “Oratory in History,” in which I dealt briefly +with the effect of the spoken word in determining human action. + +It had been my thought, as I was but seventeen, to spend a year in some +of the larger preparatory schools and then enter a university. But it +was suddenly decided that a smaller college would be preferable, so I +went to Amherst. On my way there I contracted a heavy cold, which grew +worse, interfering with my examinations, and finally sent me home where +I was ill for a considerable time. + +But by early winter I was recovered, so that I did a good deal of work +helping repair and paint the inside of the store building which my +father still owned and rented. There was time for much reading and I +gave great attention to the poems of Sir Walter Scott. After a few weeks +in the late winter at my old school I went to St. Johnsbury Academy for +the spring term. Its principal was Dr. Putney, who was a fine +drill-master, a very exact scholar, and + +[Illustration: + +Allison Spence + +COLONEL JOHN C. COOLIDGE + +_While in the Vermont Senate_] + +an excellent disciplinarian. He readily gave me a certificate entitling +me to enter Amherst without further examination, which he would never +have done if he had not been convinced I was a proficient student. His +indorsement of the work I had already done, after having me in his own +classes for a term, showed that Black River Academy was not without some +merit. + +During the summer vacation my father and I went to the dedication of the +Bennington Battle Monument. It was a most elaborate ceremony with much +oratory followed by a dinner and more speaking, with many bands of music +and a long military parade. The public officials of Vermont and many +from New York were there. I heard President Harrison, who was the first +President I had ever seen, make an address. As I looked on him and +realized that he personally represented the glory and dignity of the +United States I wondered how it felt to bear so much responsibility and +little thought I should ever know. + +The fall of 1891 found me back at Amherst taking up my college course in +earnest. Much of its social life centered around the fraternities, and +although they did not leave me without an invitation to join them it was +not until senior year that an opportunity came to belong to one that I +wished to accept. It has been my observation in life that, if one will +only exercise the patience to wait, his wants are likely to be filled. + +My class was rather small, not numbering more than eighty-five in a +student body of about four hundred. President Julius H. Seelye, who had +led the college for about twenty years with great success as an educator +and inspirer of young men, had just retired. He had been succeeded by +President Merrill E. Gates, a man of brilliant intellect and fascinating +personality though not the equal of his predecessor in directing college +policy. But the faculty as a whole was excellent, having many strong +men, and some who were preeminent in the educational field. + +The college of that day had a very laudable desire to get students, and +having admitted them, it was equally alert in striving to keep them and +help them get an education, with the result that very few left of their +own volition and almost none were dropped for failure in their work. +There was no marked exodus at the first examination period, which was +due not only to the attitude of the college but to the attitude of the +students, who did not go there because they wished to experiment for a +few months with college life and be able to say thereafter they had been +in college, but went because they felt they had need of an education, +and expected to work hard for that purpose until the course was +finished. There were few triflers. + +A small number became what we called sports, but they were not looked on +with favor, and they have not survived. While the class has lost many +excellent men besides, yet it seems to be true that unless men live +right they die. Things are so ordered in this world that those who +violate its law cannot escape the penalty. Nature is inexorable. If men +do not follow the truth they cannot live. + +My absence from home during my freshman year was more easy for me to +bear because I was no longer leaving my father alone. Just before the +opening of college he had married Miss Carrie A. Brown, who was one of +the finest women of our neighborhood. I had known her all my life. After +being without a mother nearly seven years I was greatly pleased to find +in her all the motherly devotion that she could have given me if I had +been her own son. She was a graduate of Kimball Union Academy and had +taught school for some years. Loving books and music she was not only a +mother to me but a teacher. For thirty years she watched over me and +loved me, welcoming me when I went home, writing me often when I was +away, and encouraging me in all my efforts. When at last she sank to +rest she had seen me made Governor of Massachusetts and knew I was being +considered for the Presidency. + +It seems as though good influences had always been coming into my life. +Perhaps I have been more fortunate in that respect than others. But +while I am not disposed to minimize the amount of evil in the world I am +convinced that the good predominates and that it is constantly all about +us, ready for our service if only we will accept it. + +In the Amherst College of my day a freshman was not regarded as +different from the other classes. He wore no distinctive garb, or +emblem, and suffered no special indignities. It would not have been +judicious for him to appear on the campus with a silk hat and cane, but +as none of the other students resorted to that practice this single +restriction was not a severe hardship. A cane rush always took place +between the two lower classes very early in the fall term, but it was +confined within the limits of good-natured sport, where little damage +was done beyond a few torn clothes. If we had undertaken to have a class +banquet where the sophomores could reach us, it undoubtedly would have +brought on a collision, but when the time came for one we tactfully and +silently departed for Westfield, under cover of a winter evening, where +we were not found or molested. + +It had long been the practice at Amherst to give careful attention to +physical culture. It had, I believe, the first college gymnasium in this +country. Each student on entering was given a thorough examination, +furnished with a chart showing any bodily deficiencies and given +personal direction for their removal. The attendance of the whole class +was required at the gymnasium drill for four periods each week, and +voluntary work on the floor was always encouraged. We heard a great deal +about a sound mind in a sound body. + +At the time of my entrance the two college dormitories were so badly out +of repair that they were little used. Later they were completely +remodeled and became fully occupied. About ten fraternity houses +furnished lodgings for most of the upper class men, but the lower class +men roomed at private houses. All the students took their meals in +private houses, so that there was a general comingling of all classes +and all fraternities around the table, which broke up exclusive circles +and increased college democracy. + +The places of general assembly were for religious worship, which +consisted of the chapel exercises at the first morning period each week +day, and church service in the morning, with vespers in the late +afternoon, on Sundays. Regular attendance at all of these was required. +Of course we did not like to go and talked learnedly about the right of +freedom of worship, and the bad mental and moral reactions from which +we were likely to suffer as a result of being forced to hear scriptural +readings, psalm singings, prayers and sermons. We were told that our +choice of a college was optional, but that Amherst had been founded by +pious men with the chief object of training students to overcome the +unbelief which was then thought to be prevalent, that religious +instruction was a part of the prescribed course, and that those who +chose to remain would have to take it. If attendance on these religious +services ever harmed any of the men of my time I have never been +informed of it. The good it did I believe was infinite. Not the least of +it was the discipline that resulted from having constantly to give some +thought to things that young men would often prefer not to consider. If +we did not have the privilege of doing what we wanted to do, we had the +much greater benefit of doing what we ought to do. It broke down our +selfishness, it conquered our resistance, it supplanted impulse, and +finally it enthroned reason. + +In intercollegiate athletics Amherst stood well. It won its share of +trophies on the diamond, the gridiron and the track, but it did not +engage in any of the water sports. The games with Williams and +Dartmouth aroused the keenest interest, and honors were then about even. +But these outside activities were kept well within bounds and were not +permitted to interfere with the real work of the college. Pratt Field +had just been completed and was well equipped for outdoor sports, while +Pratt Gymnasium had every facility for indoor training. These places +were well named, for the Pratt boys were very active in athletics. One +of them was usually captain of the football team. I remember that in +1892 George D. Pratt, afterwards Conservation Commissioner of the State +of New York, led his team to victory against Dartmouth, thirty to two, +and a week later kicked ten straight goals in a gale of wind at the +championship game with Williams, leaving the score sixty to nothing in +favor of Amherst. But both these colleges have since retaliated with a +great deal of success. + +In these field events I was only an observer, contenting myself with +getting exercise by faithful attendance at the class drills in the +gymnasium. In these the entire class worked together with dumbbells for +most of the time, but they involved sufficient marching about the floor +to give a military flavor which I found very useful in later life when I +came in contact with military affairs during my public career. + +The Presidential election of 1892 came in my sophomore year. I favored +the renomination of Harrison and joined the Republican Club of the +college, which participated in a torch-light parade, but the +unsatisfactory business condition of the country carried the victory to +Cleveland. + +For nearly two years I continued my studies of Latin and Greek. Ours was +the last class that read Demosthenes on the Crown with Professor William +S. Tyler, the head of the Greek department, who had been with the +college about sixty years. He was a patriarch in appearance with a long +beard and flowing white hair. + +His reverence for the ancient Greeks approached a religion. It was +illustrated by a story, perhaps apocryphal, that one of his sons was +sent to a theological school, and not wishing to engage in the ministry, +wrote his father that the faculty of the school held that Socrates was +in hell. Such a reflection on the Greek philosopher so outraged the old +man’s loyalty that he wrote his son that the school was no place for him +and directed him to come home at once. + +In spite of his eighty-odd years he put the fire of youth into the +translation of those glowing periods of the master orator, which were +such eloquent appeals to the patriotism of the Greeks and such +tremendous efforts to rouse them to the defense of their country. Those +passages of the marvelous oration he said he had loved to read during +the Civil War. + +My studies of the ancient languages I supplemented with short courses in +French, German and Italian. + +But I never became very proficient in the languages. I was more +successful at mathematics, which I pursued far enough to take calculus. +This course was mostly under George D. Olds, who came to teach when we +entered to study, which later caused us to adopt him as an honorary +member of our class. In time he became President of the College. He had +a peculiar power to make figures interesting and knew how to hold the +attention and affection of his students. It was under him that we +learned of the universal application of the laws of mathematics. We saw +the discoveries of Kepler, Descartes, Newton and their associates +bringing the entire universe under one law, so that the most distant +point of light revealed by the largest reflector marches in harmony with +our own planet. We discovered, too, that the same force that rounds a +tear-drop holds all the myriad worlds of the universe in a balanced +position. We found that we dwelt in the midst of a Unity which was all +subject to the same rules of action. My education was making some +headway. + +In the development of every boy who is going to amount to anything there +comes a time when he emerges from his immature ways and by the greater +precision of his thought and action realizes that he has begun to find +himself. Such a transition finally came to me. It was not accidental but +the result of hard work. If I had permitted my failures, or what seemed +to me at the time a lack of success, to discourage me I cannot see any +way in which I would ever have made progress. If we keep our faith in +ourselves, and what is even more important, keep our faith in regular +and persistent application to hard work, we need not worry about the +outcome. + +During my first two years at Amherst I studied hard but my marks were +only fair. It needed some encouragement from my father for me to +continue. In junior year, however, my powers began to increase and my +work began to improve. My studies became more interesting. I found the +course in history under Professor Anson D. Morse was very absorbing. His +lectures on medieval and modern Europe were inspiring, seeking to give +his students not only the facts of past human experience but also their +meaning. He was very strong on the political side of history, bringing +before us the great figures from Charlemagne to Napoleon with remarkable +distinctness, and showing us the influence of the Great Gregory and +Innocent III. The work of Abélard and Erasmus was considered, and the +important era of Luther and Calvin thoroughly explored. + +In due time we crossed the Channel with William the Conqueror and +learned how he subdued and solidified the Kingdom of England. The +significance of the long struggle with the Crown before the Parliament +finally reached a position of independence was disclosed, and the slow +growth of a system of liberty under the law, until at last it was firmly +established, was carefully explained. We saw the British Empire rise +until it ruled the seas. The brilliance of the statesmanship of the +different periods, the rugged character of the patriotic leaders, of +Anselm and Simon de Montfort, of Cromwell and the Puritans, who dared to +oppose the tyranny of the kings, the growth of learning, the development +of commerce, the administration of justice--all these and more were +presented for our consideration. Whatever was essential to a general +comprehension of European history we had. + +But it was when he turned to the United States that Professor Morse +became most impressive. He placed particular emphasis on the era when +our institutions had their beginning. Washington was treated with the +greatest reverence, and a high estimate was placed on the statesmanlike +qualities and financial capacity of Hamilton, but Jefferson was not +neglected. In spite of his many vagaries it was shown that in saving +the nation from the danger of falling under the domination of an +oligarchy, and in establishing a firm rule of the people which was +forever to remain, he vindicated the soundness of our political +institutions. The whole course was a thesis on good citizenship and good +government. Those who took it came to a clearer comprehension not only +of their rights and liberties but of their duties and responsibilities. + +The department of public speaking was under Professor Henry A. Frink. He +had a strong hold on his students. His work went along with the other +work, practically through the four years, beginning with composition and +recitation and passing to the preparation and delivery of orations and +participation in public debates. The allied subject of rhetoric I took +under Professor John F. Genung, a scholarly man who was held in high +respect. The courses in biology, chemistry, economics and geology I was +not able to pursue, though they all interested me and were taught by +excellent men. + +Not the least in the educational values of Amherst was its beautiful +physical surroundings. While the college buildings of the early +nineties were not impressive, the town with its spacious common and fine +elm trees was very attractive. It was located on the arch of a slight +ridge flanked on the north by Mount Warner and on the south by the +Holyoke Range. The east rose over wooded slopes to the horizon, and the +west looked out across the meadows of the Connecticut to the spires of +Northampton and the Hampshire Hills beyond. Henry Ward Beecher has dwelt +with great admiration and affection on the beauties of this region, +where he was a student. Each autumn, when the foliage had put on its +richest tints, the College set aside Mountain Day to be devoted to the +contemplation of the scenery so wonderfully displayed in forest, hill, +and dale, before the frosts of winter laid them bare. + +It always seemed to me that all our other studies were in the nature of +a preparation for the course in philosophy. The head of this department +was Charles E. Garman, who was one of the most remarkable men with whom +I ever came in contact. He used numerous text books, which he furnished, +and many pamphlets that he not only had written but had printed himself +on a hand press in his home. These he pledged us to show to no one +outside the class, because, being fragmentary, and disclosing but one +line of argument which might be entirely demolished in succeeding +lessons, they might involve him in some needless controversy. It is +difficult to imagine his superior as an educator. Truly he drew men out. + +Beginning in the spring of junior year his course extended through four +terms. The first part was devoted to psychology, in order to find out +the capacity and the limits of the human mind. It was here that we +learned the nature of habits and the great advantage of making them our +allies instead of our enemies. + +Much stress was placed on a thorough mastery and careful analysis of all +the arguments presented by the writers on any subject under +consideration. Then when it was certain that they were fully understood +they were criticized, so that what was unsound was rejected and what was +true accepted. We were thoroughly drilled in the necessity of +distinguishing between the accidental and the essential. The proper +method of presenting a subject and an argument was discussed. We were +not only learning about the human mind but learning how to use it, +learning how to think. A problem would often be stated and the class +left to attempt to find the solution unaided by the teacher. Above all +we were taught to follow the truth whithersoever it might lead. We were +warned that this would oftentimes be very difficult and result in much +opposition, for there would be many who were not going that way, but if +we pressed on steadfastly it was sure to yield the peaceable fruits of +the mind. It does. + +Our investigation revealed that man is endowed with reason, that the +human mind has the power to weigh evidence, to distinguish between right +and wrong and to know the truth. I should call this the central theme of +his philosophy. While the quantity of the truth we know may be small it +is the quality that is important. If we really know one truth the +quality of our knowledge could not be surpassed by the Infinite. + +We looked upon Garman as a man who walked with God. His course was a +demonstration of the existence of a personal God, of our power to know +Him, of the Divine immanence, and of the complete dependence of all the +universe on Him as the Creator and Father “in whom we live and move and +have our being.” Every reaction in the universe is a manifestation of +His presence. Man was revealed as His son, and nature as the hem of His +garment, while through a common Fatherhood we are all embraced in a +common brotherhood. The spiritual appeal of music, sculpture, painting +and all other art lies in the revelation it affords of the Divine +beauty. + +The conclusions which followed from this position were logical and +inescapable. It sets man off in a separate kingdom from all the other +creatures in the universe, and makes him a true son of God and a +partaker of the Divine nature. This is the warrant for his freedom and +the demonstration of his equality. It does not assume all are equal in +degree but all are equal in kind. On that precept rests a foundation for +democracy that cannot be shaken. It justifies faith in the people. + +No doubt there are those who think they can demonstrate that this +teaching was not correct. With + +[Illustration: + +Underwood & Underwood + +CALVIN COOLIDGE + +_At the age of three_] + +them I have no argument. I know that in experience it has worked. In +time of crisis my belief that people can know the truth, that when it is +presented to them they must accept it, has saved me from many of the +counsels of expediency. The spiritual nature of men has a power of its +own that is manifest in every great emergency from Runnymede to Marston +Moor, from the Declaration of Independence to the abolition of slavery. + +In ethics he taught us that there is a standard of righteousness, that +might does not make right, that the end does not justify the means and +that expediency as a working principle is bound to fail. The only hope +of perfecting human relationship is in accordance with the law of +service under which men are not so solicitous about what they shall get +as they are about what they shall give. Yet people are entitled to the +rewards of their industry. What they earn is theirs, no matter how small +or how great. But the possession of property carries the obligation to +use it in a larger service. For a man not to recognize the truth, not to +be obedient to law, not to render allegiance to the State, is for him to +be at war with his own nature, to commit suicide. That is why “the +wages of sin is death.” Unless we live rationally we perish, physically, +mentally, spiritually. + +A great deal of emphasis was placed on the necessity and dignity of +work. Our talents are given us in order that we may serve ourselves and +our fellow men. Work is the expression of intelligent action for a +specified end. It is not industry, but idleness, that is degrading. All +kinds of work from the most menial service to the most exalted station +are alike honorable. One of the earliest mandates laid on the human race +was to subdue the earth. That meant work. + +If he was not in accord with some of the current teachings about +religion, he gave to his class a foundation for the firmest religious +convictions. He presented no mysteries or dogmas and never asked us to +take a theory on faith, but supported every position by facts and logic. +He believed in the Bible and constantly quoted it to illustrate his +position. He divested religion and science of any conflict with each +other, and showed that each rested on the common basis of our ability to +know the truth. + +To Garman was given a power which took his class up into a high +mountain of spiritual life and left them alone with God. + +In him was no pride of opinion, no atom of selfishness. He was a +follower of the truth, a disciple of the Cross, who bore the infirmities +of us all. Those who finished his course in the last term of senior year +found in their graduating exercises a real commencement, when they would +begin their efforts to serve their fellow men in the practical affairs +of life. Of course it was not possible for us to accept immediately the +results of his teachings or live altogether in accordance with them. I +do not think he expected it. He was constantly reminding us that the +spirit was willing but the flesh was _strong_, but that nevertheless, if +we would continue steadfastly to think on these things we would be +changed from glory to glory through increasing intellectual and moral +power. He was right. + +To many my report of his course will seem incomplete and crude. I am not +writing a treatise but trying to tell what I secured from his teaching, +and relating what has seemed important in it to me, from the memory I +have retained of it, since I began it thirty-five years ago. He +expected it to be supplemented. He was fond of referring to it as a +mansion not made with hands, incomplete, but sufficient for our +spiritual habitation. What he revealed to us of the nature of God and +man will stand. Against it “the gates of hell shall not prevail.” + +As I look back upon the college I am more and more impressed with the +strength of its faculty, with their power for good. Perhaps it has men +now with a broader preliminary training, though they then were profound +scholars, perhaps it has men of keener intellects though they then were +very exact in their reasoning, but the great distinguishing mark of all +of them was that they were men of character. Their words carried +conviction because we were compelled to believe in the men who uttered +them. They had the power not merely to advise but literally to instruct +their students. + +In accordance with custom our class chose three of its members by +popular vote to speak at the commencement. To me was assigned the grove +oration, which according to immemorial practice deals with the record of +the class in a witty and humorous way. While my effort was not without +some success I very soon learned that making fun of people in a public +way was not a good method to secure friends, or likely to lead to much +advancement, and I have scrupulously avoided it. + +In the latter part of my course my scholarship had improved, so that I +was graduated _cum laude_. + +After my course was done I went home to do a summer’s work on the farm, +which was to be my last. I had decided to enter the law and expected to +attend a law school, but one of my classmates wrote me late in the +summer that there was an opportunity to go into the office of Hammond +and Field at Northampton, so I applied to them and was accepted. After I +had been there a few days a most courteous letter came from the +Honorable William P. Dillingham requesting me to call on him at +Montpelier and indicating he would take me into his office. He recalled +the circumstance when I found him in the Senate after I became Vice +President. But I had already reverted to Massachusetts, where my family +had lived for one hundred and fifty years before their advent into +Vermont. Had his letter reached me sooner probably it would have +changed the whole course of my life. + +Northampton was the county seat and a quiet but substantial town, with +pleasant surroundings and fine old traditions reaching back beyond +Jonathan Edwards. It was just recovering from the depression of 1893, +preparing to eliminate its grade crossings and starting some new +industries that would add to the business it secured from Smith College, +which was a growing institution with many hundreds of students. + +The senior member of the law firm was John C. Hammond, who was +considered the leader of the Hampshire Bar. He was a lawyer of great +learning and wide business experience, with a remarkable ability in the +preparation of pleadings and an insight that soon brought him to the +crucial point of a case. He was massive and strong rather than elegant, +and placed great stress on accuracy. He presented a cause in court with +ability and skill. The junior member was Henry P. Field, an able lawyer +and a man of engaging personality and polish, who I found was an +Alderman. That appeared to me at the time to be close to the Almighty +in importance. I shall always remember with a great deal of gratitude +the kindness of these two men to me. + +That I was now engaged in the serious enterprise of life I so fully +realized that I went to the barber shop and divested myself of the +college fashion of long hair. Office hours were from eight to about six +o’clock, during which I spent my time in reading Kent’s Commentaries and +in helping prepare writs, deeds, wills, and other documents. My evenings +I gave to some of the masters of English composition. I read the +speeches of Lord Erskine, of Webster, and Choate. The essays of Macaulay +interested me much, and the writings of Carlyle and John Fiske I found +very stimulating. Some of the orations of Cicero I translated, being +especially attached to the defense of his friend the poet Archias, +because in it he dwelt on the value and consolation of good literature. +I read much in Milton and Shakespeare and found delight in the shorter +poems of Kipling, Field and Riley. + +My first Christmas was made more merry by getting notice that the Sons +of the American Revolution had awarded me the prize of a gold medal +worth about one hundred and fifty dollars for writing the best essay on +“The Principles Fought for in the American Revolution,” in a competition +open to the seniors of all the colleges of the nation. The notice came +one day, and it was announced in the next morning papers, where Judge +Field saw it before I had a chance to tell him. So when he came to the +office he asked me about it. I had not had time to send the news home. +And then I had a little vanity in wishing my father to learn of it first +from the press, which he did. He had questioned some whether I was +really making anything of my education, in pretense I now think, not +because he doubted it but because he wished to impress me with the +desirability of demonstrating it. + +But my main effort in those days was to learn the law. The Superior +Court had three civil and two criminal terms each year in Northampton. +Whenever it was sitting I spent all my time in the court room. In this +way I became familiar with the practical side of trial work. I soon came +to see that the counsel who knew the law were the ones who held the +attention of the Judge, took the jury with them, and won their cases. +They were prepared. The office where I was had a very large general +practice which covered every field and took them into all the Courts of +the Commonwealth but little into the Federal Courts. I assisted in the +preparation of cases and went to court with the members of the firm to +watch all their trial work and help keep a record of testimony for use +in the arguments. It was all a work of absorbing interest to me. + +The books in the office soon appeared too ponderous for my study, so I +bought a supply of students’ text books and law cases on the principal +subjects necessary for my preparation for the bar. These enabled me to +gain a more rapid acquaintance with the main legal principles, because I +did not have to read through so much unimportant detail as was contained +in the usual treatise prepared for a lawyer’s library, which was usually +a collection of all the authorities, while what I wanted was the main +elements of the law. I was soon conversant with contracts, torts, +evidence, and real property, with some knowledge of Massachusetts +pleading, and had a considerable acquaintance with the practical side +of statute law. + +I do not feel that any one ever really masters the law, but it is not +difficult to master the approaches to the law, so that given a certain +state of facts it is possible to know how to marshal practically all the +legal decisions which apply to them. I think counsel are mistaken in the +facts of their case about as often as they are mistaken in the law. + +All my waking hours were so fully employed that I found little time for +play. My college was but eight miles distant, yet I did not have any +desire to go back to the intercollegiate games, though I was accustomed +to attend the alumni dinner at commencement. There was a canoe club +which I joined, on the Connecticut, about a mile over the meadow from +the town where I often went on Sunday afternoons. I was full of the joy +of doing something in the world. Another reason why I discarded all +outside enterprises and kept strictly to my work and my books was +because I was keeping my monthly expenditures within thirty dollars +which was furnished me by my father. He would gladly have provided me +more had I needed it, but I thought that was enough and was determined +to live within it, which I did. Not much was left for any unnecessary +pleasantries of life. + +Soon after I entered the office Mr. Hammond was elected District +Attorney and Mr. Field became Mayor of the city, so that I saw something +of the working of the city government and the administration of the +criminal law. + +The first summer I was in Northampton came the famous free silver +campaign of 1896. When Mr. Bryan was nominated he had the support of +most of the local Democrats of the city, but he lost much of it before +November. One of them sent a long communication to a county paper +indorsing him. This I answered in one of the city papers. When I was +home that summer I took part in a small neighborhood debate in which I +supported the gold standard. The study I put on this subject well repaid +me. Of course Northampton went handsomely for McKinley. + +With the exception of a week or two at home in the summer of 1896 I kept +on in this way with my work from September, 1895, to June, 1897. I then +felt sufficiently versed in the law to warrant my taking the examination +for admission to the Bar. It was conducted by a County Committee of +which Mr. Hammond was a member, but as I was his student he left the +other two, Judge William G. Bassett and Judge William P. Strickland, to +act on my petition. I was pronounced qualified by them and just before +July 4, 1897, I was duly admitted to practice before the Courts of +Massachusetts. My preparation had taken about twenty months. Only after +I was finally in possession of my certificate did I notify my father. He +had expected that my studies would take another year, and I wanted to +surprise him if I succeeded and not disappoint him if I failed. I did +not fail. I was just twenty-five years old and very happy. + +It was a little over eleven years from the time I left home for the +Academy in the late winter of 1886 until I was admitted to the Bar in +the early summer of 1897. They had been years full of experience for me, +in which I had advanced from a child to a man. Wherever I went I found +good people, men and women, and young folks of my own age, who had won +my respect and affection. From the hearthstone of my father’s fireside +to the court room at Northampton they had all been kind and helpful to +me. Their memory will always be one of my most cherished possessions. + +My formal period of education was passed, though my studies are still +pursued. I was devoted to the law, its reasonableness appealed to my +mind as the best method of securing justice between man and man. I fully +expected to become the kind of country lawyer I saw all about me, +spending my life in the profession, with perhaps a final place on the +Bench. But it was decreed to be otherwise. Some Power that I little +suspected in my student days took me in charge and carried me on from +the obscure neighborhood at Plymouth Notch to the occupancy of the White +House. + + + + +THE LAW AND POLITICS + + + + +CHAPTER THREE + +THE LAW AND POLITICS + + +It is one thing to know how to get admitted to the Bar but quite another +thing to know how to practice law. Those who attend a law school know +how to pass the examinations, while those who study in an office know +how to apply their knowledge to actual practice. It seems to me that the +best course is to go to a school and then go into an office where the +practice is general. In that way the best preparation is secured for a +thorough comprehension of the great basic principles of the profession +and for their application to existing facts. Still, one who has had a +good college training can do very well by starting in an office. But in +any case he should not go into the law because it appears to be merely a +means of making a living, but because he has a real and sincere love for +the profession, which will enable him to make the sacrifices it +requires. + +When I decided to enter the law it was only natural, therefore, that I +should consider it the highest of the professions. If I had not held +that opinion it would have been a measure of intellectual dishonesty for +me to take it for a life work. Others may be hampered by circumstances +in making their choice, but I was free, and I went where I felt the +duties would be congenial and the opportunities for service large. Those +who follow other vocations ought to feel the same about them, and I hope +they do. + +My opinion had been formed by the high estimation in which the Bench and +Bar were held by the people in my boyhood home in Vermont. It was +confirmed by my more intimate intercourse with the members of the +profession with whom I soon came in contact in Massachusetts after I +went there to study law in the autumn of 1895. When I was admitted to +practice two years later the law still occupied the high position of a +profession. It had not then assumed any of its later aspects of a trade. + +The ethics of the Northampton Bar were high. It was made up of men who +had, and were entitled to have, the confidence and respect of their +neighbors who knew them best. They put the interests of their clients +above their own, and the public interests above them both. They were +courteous and tolerant toward each other and respectful to the Court. +This attitude was fostered by the appreciation of the uprightness and +learning of the Judges. + +Because of the short time I had spent in preparation I remained in the +office of Hammond and Field about seven months after I was admitted to +the Bar. I was looking about for a place to locate but found none that +seemed better than Northampton. A new block called the Masonic Building +was under construction on lower Main Street, and when it was ready for +occupancy I opened an office there February 1, 1898. I had two rooms, +where I was to continue to practice law for twenty-one years, until I +became Governor of Massachusetts in 1919. For my office furniture and a +good working library I paid about $800 from some money I had saved and +inherited from my grandfather Moor. My rent was $200 per year. I began +to be self-sustaining except as to the cost of my table board, which was +paid by my father until September, but thereafter all my expenses I +paid from the fees I received. + +I was alone. While I had many acquaintances that I might call friends I +had no influential supporters who were desirous to see me advanced and +were sending business to me. I was dependent on the general public; what +I had, came from them. My earnings for the first year were a little over +$500. + +My interest in public affairs had already caused me to become a member +of the Republican City Committee, and in December, 1898, I was elected +one of the three members of the Common Council from Ward Two. The office +was without salary and not important, but the contacts were helpful. +When the local military company returned that summer from the Cuban +Campaign I did my best to get an armory built for them. I was not +successful at that time but my proposal was adopted a little later. This +was the beginning of an interest in military preparation which I have +never relinquished. + +During 1899 I began to get more business. The Nonotuck Savings Bank was +started early that year, and I became its counsel. Its growth was slow +but steady. In later years I was its President, a purely honorary place +without salary but no small honor. There was legal work about the county +which came to my office, so that my fees rose to $1,400 for the second +year. + +I did not seek reelection to the City Council, as I knew the City +Solicitor was to retire and I wanted that place. The salary was $600, +which was not unimportant to me. But my whole thought was on my +profession. I wanted to be City Solicitor because I believed it would +make me a better lawyer. I was elected and held the office until March, +1902. It gave me a start in the law which I was ever after able to hold. + +The office was not burdensome and went along with my private practice. +It took me into Court some. In a jury trial I lost two trifling cases in +an action of damages against the city for taking a small strip of land +to widen a highway. I felt I should have won these cases on the claim +that the land in question already belonged to the highway. But I +prevailed in an unimportant case in the Supreme Court against my old +preceptor Mr. Hammond. It is unnecessary to say that usually my cases +with him were decided in his favor. The training in this office gave me +a good grasp of municipal law, that later brought some important cases +to me. + +In addition to the mortgage and title work of the Savings Bank, I +managed some real estate, and had considerable practice in the +settlement of estates. Through a collection business I also had some +insolvency practice. I recall an estate in Amherst and one in +Belchertown, both much involved in litigation, which I settled. In each +case Stephen S. Taft of Springfield was the opposing counsel. Perhaps +there is no such thing as a best lawyer, any more than there is a best +book, or a best picture, but to me Mr. Taft was the best lawyer I ever +saw. If he was trying a case before a jury he was always the thirteenth +juryman, and if the trial was before the court he was always advising +the Judge. But he did not win these cases. He became one of my best +friends, and we were on the same side in several cases in later years. +One time he said to me: “Young man, when you can settle a case within +reason you settle it. You will not make so large a fee out of some one +case in that way, but at the end of the year you will have more money +and your clients will be much better satisfied.” This was sound advice +and I heeded it. People began to feel that they could consult me with +some safety and without the danger of being involved needlessly in long +and costly litigation in court. Very few of my clients ever had to pay a +bill of costs. I suppose they were more reasonable than other clients, +for they usually settled their differences out of court. This course did +not give me much experience in the trial of cases, so I never became +very proficient in that art, but it brought me a very satisfactory +practice and a fair income. + +I worked hard during this early period. The matters on which I was +engaged were numerous but did not involve large amounts of money and the +fees were small. For three years I did not take the time to visit my old +home in Vermont, but when I did go I was City Solicitor. My father began +to see his hopes realized and felt that his efforts to give me an +education were beginning to be rewarded. + +What I always felt was the greatest compliment ever paid to my +professional ability came in 1903. In the late spring of that year +William H. Clapp, who had been for many years the Clerk of the Courts +for Hampshire County died. His ability, learning and painstaking +industry made him rank very high as a lawyer. The position he held was +of the first importance, for it involved keeping all the civil and +criminal records of the Superior Court and the Supreme Judicial Court +for the County. The Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court appointed me +to fill the vacancy. I always felt this was a judgment by the highest +Court in the Commonwealth on my professional qualifications. Had I been +willing to accept the place permanently I should have been elected to it +in the following November. The salary was then $2,300, and the position +was one of great dignity, but I preferred to remain at the Bar, which +might be more precarious, but also had more possibilities. Later events +now known enable any one to pass judgment on my decision. Had I decided +otherwise I could have had much more peace of mind in the last +twenty-five years. + +As the Clerk of the Courts I learned much relating to Massachusetts +practice, so that ever after I + +[Illustration: + + Underwood & Underwood + +CALVIN COOLIDGE + +_At the age of seven_] + +knew what to do with all the documents in a trial, which would have been +of much value to me if I had not been called on to give so much time to +political affairs. These took up a large amount of my attention in 1904 +after I went back to my office, so that my income diminished during that +year. I had been chosen Chairman of the Republican City Committee. It +was a time of perpetual motion in Massachusetts politics. The state +elections came yearly in November, and the city elections followed in +December. This was presidential year. While I elected the +Representatives to the General Court by a comfortable margin at the +state election I was not so successful in the city campaign. Our Mayor +had served three terms, which had always been the extreme limit in +Northampton, but he was nominated for a fourth time. He was defeated by +about eighty votes. We made the mistake of talking too much about the +deficiencies of our opponents and not enough about the merits of our own +candidates. I have never again fallen into that error. Feeling one year +was all I could give to the chairmanship I did not accept a reelection +but still remained on the committee. + +My earnings had been such that I was able to make some small savings. My +prospects appeared to be good. I had many friends and few enemies. There +was a little more time for me to give to the amenities of life. I took +my meals at Rahar’s Inn where there was much agreeable company +consisting of professional and business men of the town and some of the +professors of Smith College. I had my rooms on Round Hill with the +steward of the Clarke School for the Deaf. While these relations were +most agreeable and entertaining I suppose I began to want a home of my +own. + + * * * * * + +After she had finished her course at the University of Vermont Miss +Grace Goodhue went to the Clarke School to take the training to enable +her to teach the deaf. When she had been there a year or so I met her +and often took her to places of entertainment. + +In 1904 Northampton celebrated its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary. +One evening was devoted to a reception for the Governor and his Council, +given by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Miss Goodhue +accompanied me to the City Hall where the reception was held, and after +strolling around for a time we sat down in two comfortable vacant +chairs. Soon a charming lady approached us and said that those chairs +were reserved for the Governor and Mrs. Bates and that we should have to +relinquish them, which we did. Fourteen years later when we had received +sufficient of the election returns to show that I had been chosen +Governor of Massachusetts I turned to her and said, “The Daughters of +the American Revolution cannot put us out of the Governor’s chair now.” + +From our being together we seemed naturally to come to care for each +other. We became engaged in the early summer of 1905 and were married at +her home in Burlington, Vermont, on October fourth of that year. I have +seen so much fiction written on this subject that I may be pardoned for +relating the plain facts. We thought we were made for each other. For +almost a quarter of a century she has borne with my infirmities, and I +have rejoiced in her graces. + +After our return from a trip to Montreal we staid a short time at the +Norwood Hotel but soon started housekeeping. We rented a very +comfortable house that needed but one maid to help Mrs. Coolidge do her +work. Of course my expenses increased, and I had to plan very carefully +for a time to live within my income. I know very well what it means to +awake in the night and realize that the rent is coming due, wondering +where the money is coming from with which to pay it. The only way I know +of escape from that constant tragedy is to keep running expenses low +enough so that something may be saved to meet the day when earnings may +be small. + +When the city election was approaching in December I was asked to be a +candidate for School Committee. It was a purely honorary office, which +had no attraction for me, but I consented and was nominated. To my +surprise another Republican took out nomination papers, which split the +party and elected a Democrat. The open compliment was that I had no +children in the schools, but the real reason was that I was a +politician. That reputation I had acquired by long service on the party +committee helping elect our candidates. The man they elected gave a +useful service for several years and left me free to turn to avenues +which were to be much more useful to me in ways for public service. I +was also better off attending to my law practice and my new home. + +The days passed quietly with us until the next autumn, when we moved +into the house in Massasoit Street that was to be our home for so long. +I attended to the furnishing of it myself, and when it was ready Mrs. +Coolidge and I walked over to it. In about two weeks our first boy came +on the evening of September seventh. The fragrance of the clematis which +covered the bay window filled the room like a benediction, where the +mother lay with her baby. We called him John in honor of my father. It +was all very wonderful to us. + +We liked the house where our children came to us and the neighbors who +were so kind. When we could have had a more pretentious home we still +clung to it. So long as I lived there, I could be independent and serve +the public without ever thinking that I could not maintain my position +if I lost my office. I always made my living practicing law up to the +time I became Governor, without being dependent on any official salary. +This left me free to make my own decisions in accordance with what I +thought was the public good. We lived where we did that I might better +serve the people. + +My main thought in those days was to improve myself in my profession. I +was still studying law and literature. Because I thought the experience +would contribute to this end I became a candidate for the Massachusetts +House of Representatives. In a campaign in which I secured a large +number of Democratic votes, many of which never thereafter deserted me, +I was elected by a margin of about two hundred and sixty. + +The Speaker assigned me to the Committees on Constitutional Amendments +and Mercantile Affairs. During the session I helped draft, and the +Committee reported, a bill to prevent large concerns from selling at a +lower price in one locality than they did in others, for the purpose of +injuring their competitor. This seemed to me an unfair trade practice +that should be abolished. We secured the passage of the bill in the +House, but the Senate rewrote it in such a way that it finally failed. +I also supported a resolution favoring the direct election of United +States Senators and another providing for woman suffrage. These measures +did not have the approbation of the conservative element of my party, +but I had all the assurance of youth and ignorance in supporting them, +and later I saw them all become the law. + +The next year I was reelected, but in running against a man who had a +strong hold on some of the Republican Wards, my vote was cut down. +Serving on the Judiciary Committee, which I wanted because I felt it +would assist me in my profession, I became much interested in modifying +the law so that an injunction could not be issued in a labor dispute to +prevent one person seeking by argument to induce another to leave his +employer. This bill failed. While I think it had merit, in later years I +came to see that what was of real importance to the wage earners was not +how they might conduct a quarrel with their employers, but how the +business of the country might be so organized as to insure steady +employment at a fair rate of pay. If that were done there would be no +occasion for a quarrel, and if it were not done a quarrel would do no +one any good. + +The work in the General Court was fascinating, both from its nature and +from the companionship with able and interesting men, but it took five +days each week for nearly six months, so that I thought I had secured +about all the benefit I could by serving two terms and declined again to +be a candidate. Another boy had been given into our keeping April 13 who +was named Calvin, so I had all the more reason for staying at home. + +My law office took all my attention. I never had a retainer from any +one, so my income always seemed precarious, but a practice which was +general in its nature kept coming to me. In June of 1909 I went to +Phoenix, Arizona, to hold a corporation meeting. It was the first I had +seen of the West. The great possibilities of the region were apparent, +and the enthusiasm of the people was inspiring. It told me that our +country was sure to be a success. + +For two years Northampton had elected a Democrat to be Mayor. He was a +very substantial business man, who has since been my landlord for a +long period. He was to retire, and the Republicans were anxious to +elect his successor. At a party conference it was determined to ask me +to run and I accepted the opportunity, thinking the honor would be one +that would please my father, advance me in my profession, and enable me +to be of some public service. It was a local office, not requiring +enough time to interfere seriously with my own work. + +Without in any way being conscious of what I was doing I then became +committed to a course that was to make me the President of the Senate of +Massachusetts and of the Senate of the United States, the second officer +of the Commonwealth and the country, and the chief executive of a city, +a state and a nation. I did not plan for it but it came. I tried to +treat people as they treated me, which was much better than my deserts, +in accordance with the precept of the master poet. By my studies and my +course of life I meant to be ready to take advantage of opportunities. I +was ready, from the time the Justices named me the Clerk of the Courts +until my party nominated me for President. + +Ever since I was in Amherst College I have remembered how Garman told +his class in philosophy that if they would go along with events and have +the courage and industry to hold to the main stream, without being +washed ashore by the immaterial cross currents, they would some day be +men of power. He meant that we should try to guide ourselves by general +principles and not get lost in particulars. That may sound like +mysticism, but it is only the mysticism that envelopes every great +truth. One of the greatest mysteries in the world is the success that +lies in conscientious work. + +My first campaign for Mayor was very intense. My opponent was a popular +merchant, a personal friend of mine who years later was to be Mayor, so +that at the outset he was the favorite. The only issue was our general +qualifications to conduct the business of the city. I called on many of +the voters personally, sent out many letters, spoke at many ward rallies +and kept my poise. In the end most of my old Democratic friends voted +for me, and I won by about one hundred and sixty-five votes. + +On the first Monday of January, 1910, I began a public career that was +to continue until the first Monday of March, 1929, when it was to end +by my own volition. + +Our city had always been fairly well governed and had no great problems. +Taxes had been increasing. I was able to reduce them some and pay part +of the debt, so that I left the net obligations chargeable to taxes at +about $100,000. The salaries of teachers were increased. My work +commended itself to the people, so that running against the same +opponent for reelection my majority was much increased. I celebrated +this event by taking my family to Montpelier where my father was serving +in the Vermont Senate. Of all the honors that have come to me I still +cherish in a very high place the confidence of my friends and neighbors +in making me their Mayor. + +Remaining in one office long did not appeal to me, for I was not seeking +a public career. My heart was in the law. I thought a couple of terms in +the Massachusetts Senate would be helpful to me, so when our Senator +retired I sought his place in the fall of 1911 and was elected. + +The winter in Boston I did not find very satisfactory. I was lonesome. +My old friends in the House were gone. The Western Massachusetts Club +that had its headquarters at the Adams House, where most of us lived +that came from beyond the Connecticut, was inactive. The Committees I +had, except the Chairmanship of Agriculture, did not interest me +greatly, and to crown my discontent a Democratic Governor sent in a +veto, which the Senate sustained, to a bill authorizing the New Haven +Railroad to construct a trolley system in Western Massachusetts. + +But as chairman of a special committee I had helped settle the Lawrence +strike, secured the appointment of a commission that resulted in the +passage of a mothers’ aid or maternity bill at the next session, and I +was made chairman of a recess committee to secure better transportation +for rural communities in the western part of the Commonwealth. + +During the summer we did a large amount of work on that committee and +made a very full and constructive report at the opening of the General +Court in 1913. This was the period that the Republican party was divided +between Taft and Roosevelt, so that Massachusetts easily went for +Wilson. But in the three-cornered contest I was reelected to the +Senate. + +It was in my second term in the Senate that I began to be a force in the +Massachusetts Legislature. President Greenwood made me chairman of the +Committee on Railroads, which I very much wanted, because of my desire +better to understand business affairs, and also put me on the important +Committee on Rules. I made progress because I studied subjects +sufficiently to know a little more about them than any one else on the +floor. I did not often speak but talked much with the Senators +personally and came in contact with many of the business men of the +state. The Boston Democrats came to be my friends and were a great help +to me in later times. + +My committee reported a bill transforming the Railroad Commission into a +Public Service Commission, with a provision intending to define and +limit the borrowing powers of railroads which we passed after a long +struggle and debate. The Democratic Governor vetoed the bill, but it was +passed over his veto almost unanimously. The bill came out for our +trolley roads in Western Massachusetts and was adopted. He vetoed this, +and his veto was overridden by a large majority. It was altogether the +most enjoyable session I ever spent with any legislative body. + +It had been my intention to retire at the end of my second term, but the +President of the Senate was reported as being a candidate for +Lieutenant-Governor, and as it seemed that I could succeed him I +announced that I wished for another election. When it was too late for +me to withdraw gracefully President Greenwood decided to remain in the +Senate. I wanted to be President of the Senate, because it was a chance +to emerge from being a purely local figure to a place of state-wide +distinction and authority. I knew where the votes in the Senate lay from +the hard legislative contests I had conducted, and I had them fairly +well organized when I found the President was not to retire. + +In this year of 1913 the division in the Republican party in +Massachusetts was most pronounced. Our candidate for Governor fell to +third place at the election, and another Democrat was made chief +executive, carrying with him for the first time in a generation the +whole state ticket. But my district returned me. When I reached my +office the next morning I found President Greenwood had been defeated. +Again I was ready. By three o’clock that Wednesday afternoon I was in +Boston, and by Monday I had enough written pledges from the Republican +Senators to insure my nomination for President of the Senate at the +party caucus. It had been a real contest, but all opposition subsided +and I was unanimously nominated. + +The Senate showed the effects of the division in our party. It had +twenty-one Republicans, seventeen Democrats and two Progressives. When +the vote was cast for President on the opening day of the General Court, +Senator Cox the Progressive had two votes, Senator Horgan the Democrat +had seven votes, and I had thirty-one votes. I had not only become an +officer of the whole Commonwealth, but I had come into possession of an +influence reaching beyond the confines of my own party which I was to +retain so long as I remained in public life. + +Although I had arrived at the important position of President of the +Massachusetts Senate in January of 1914, I had not been transported on +a bed of roses. It was the result of many hard struggles in which I had +made many mistakes, was to keep on making them up to the present hour, +and expect to continue to make them as long as I live. We are all +fallible, but experience ought to teach us not to repeat our errors. + +My progress had been slow and toilsome, with little about it that was +brilliant, or spectacular, the result of persistent and painstaking +work, which gave it a foundation that was solid. I trust that in making +this record of my own thoughts and feeling in relation to it, which +necessarily bristles with the first personal pronoun, I shall not seem +to be overestimating myself, but simply relating experiences which I +hope may prove to be an encouragement to others in their struggles to +improve their place in the world. + +It appeared to me in January, 1914, that a spirit of radicalism +prevailed which unless checked was likely to prove very destructive. It +had been encouraged by the opposition and by a large faction of my own +party. + +It consisted of the claim in general that in some way the government was +to be blamed because everybody was not prosperous, because it was +necessary to work for a living, and because our written constitutions, +the legislatures, and the courts protected the rights of private owners +especially in relation to large aggregations of property. + +The previous session had been overwhelmed with a record number of bills +introduced, many of them in an attempt to help the employee by impairing +the property of the employer. Though anxious to improve the condition of +our wage earners, I believed this doctrine would soon destroy business +and deprive them of a livelihood. What was needed was a restoration of +confidence in our institutions and in each other, on which economic +progress might rest. + +In taking the chair as President of the Senate I therefore made a short +address, which I had carefully prepared, appealing to the conservative +spirit of the people. I argued that the government could not relieve us +from toil, that large concerns are necessary for the progress in which +capital and labor all have a common interest, and I defended +representative government and the integrity of the courts. The address +has since been known as “Have Faith in Massachusetts.” Many people in +the Commonwealth had been waiting for such a word, and the effect was +beyond my expectation. Confusion of thought began to disappear, and +unsound legislative proposals to diminish. + +The office of President of the Senate is one of great dignity and power. +All the committees of the Senate are appointed by him. He has the chief +place in directing legislation when the Governor is of the opposite +party, as was the case in 1914. At the inauguration he presides over the +joint convention of the General Court and administers the oaths of +office to the Governor and Council in accordance with a formal ritual +that has come from colonial days, and is much more ceremonious than the +swearing-in of a President at Washington. + +It did not seem to me desirable to pursue a course of partisan +opposition to the Governor, and I did not do so, but rather cooperated +with him in securing legislation which appeared to be for the public +interest. The general lack of confidence in the country and the +depression of business caused by the reduction of the tariff rates in +the fall of 1913 made it necessary to grant large appropriations for the +relief of unemployment during the winter. But I could see the steady +decrease of the radical sentiment among the people. + +In the midst of the following summer the World War enveloped Europe. It +had a distinctly sobering effect upon the whole people of our country. +It was very apparent in Massachusetts, where they at once began to +abandon their wanderings and seek their old landmarks for guidance. The +division in our party was giving way to reunion. Confidence was +returning. + +The Republican State Committee chose me to be chairman of the committee +on resolutions at the state convention which met at Worcester, largely +because of the impression made by my speech at the opening of the +Senate. I drew a conservative platform, pitched in the same key, +pointing out the great mass of legislation our party had placed on the +statute books for the benefit of the wage earners and the welfare of the +people, but declaring for the strict and unimpaired maintenance of our +present social, economic and political institutions. While I did not +deliver it well, in print it made an effective campaign document. After +starting in the contest with little confidence, our strength increased, +so that our candidate, Samuel W. McCall, received 198,627 votes and was +defeated by only 11,815 plurality. All the rest of our state ticket was +victorious. The political complexion of the Senate was completely +changed. From a bare majority of twenty-one the Republican strength rose +to thirty-three, and the opposition was reduced to seven Democrats. + +My district returned me for the fourth time and I was again made +President of the Senate by a unanimous vote. My opening address +consisted of forty-two words, thanking the Senators for the honor and +urging them in their conduct of business to be brief. + +As a presiding officer it has constantly been my policy to dispatch +business. It always took a long time to get all the Committees of the +General Court to make their reports, but I was able to keep the daily +sessions of the Senate short. I also wanted to cut down the volume of +legislation. In this some progress was made. The Blue Book of Acts and +Resolves for 1913 had 1,763 pages, for 1914 it had 1,423, and for 1915 +only 1,230, which was a very wholesome reduction of more than thirty per +cent. People were coming to see that they must depend on themselves +rather than on legislation for success. + +Massachusetts was beginning to suffer from a great complication of laws +and restrictive regulations, from a multiplicity of Boards and +Commissions, which had reached about one hundred, and from a large +increase in the number of people on the public pay rolls, all of which +was necessarily accompanied with a much larger cost of state government +that had to be met by collecting more revenue from the taxpayers. The +people began to realize that something was wrong and began to wonder +whether more laws, more regulations, and more taxes, were really any +benefit to them. They were becoming tired of agitation, criticism and +destructive policies and wished to return to constructive methods. + +When I went home at the end of the 1915 session it was with the +intention of remaining in private life and giving all my attention to +the law. During the winter the Lieutenant-Governor had announced that +he would seek the nomination for Governor which caused some mention of +me as his successor, but I was President of the Senate and did not +propose to impair my usefulness in that position by involving it in an +effort to secure some other office, so I gave the matter no attention. A +very estimable man who had done much party service and was a brilliant +platform speaker had already become a candidate, but although my record +in the General Court was that of a liberal, the business interests +turned to me. In this they were not alone as the event disclosed. To the +people I seemed, in some way that I cannot explain, to represent +confidence. When the situation became apparent to me I went to Boston +and made the simple statement in the press that I was a candidate for +Lieutenant-Governor, without any reasons or any elaboration. + +It was at this time that my intimate acquaintance began with Mr. Frank +W. Stearns. I had met him in a casual way for a year or two but only +occasionally. In the spring he had suggested that he would like to +support me for Lieutenant-Governor. He was a merchant of high character +and very much respected by all who knew him, but entirely without +experience in politics. He came as an entirely fresh force in public +affairs, unhampered by any of the animosities that usually attach to a +veteran politician. It was a great compliment to me to attract the +interest of such a man, and his influence later became of large value to +the party in the Commonwealth and nation. I always felt considerable +pride of accomplishment in getting the active support of men like him. +While Mr. Stearns always overestimated me, he nevertheless was a great +help to me. He never obtruded or sought any favor for himself or any +other person, but his whole effort was always disinterested and entirely +devoted to assisting me when I indicated I wished him to do so. It is +doubtful if any other public man ever had so valuable and unselfish a +friend. + +My activities were such that I began to see more of the Honorable W. +Murray Crane. When he came to Boston he was accustomed to have me at +breakfast in his rooms at the hotel. Although he had large interests +about which there was constant legislation he never mentioned the +subject to me or made any suggestion about any of my official actions. +Had I sought his advice he would have told me to consult my own judgment +and vote for what the public interest required, without any thought of +him. He confirmed my opinion as to the value of a silence which avoids +creating a situation where one would otherwise not exist, and the bad +taste and the danger of arousing animosities and advertising an opponent +by making any attack on him. In all political affairs he had a wonderful +wisdom, and in everything he was preeminently a man of judgment, who was +the most disinterested public servant I ever saw and the greatest +influence for good government with which I ever came in contact. What +would I not have given to have had him by my side when I was President! +His end came just before the election of 1920. + +These men were additional examples of good influences coming into my +life, to which I referred in relating the experience of some of my +younger days. I cannot see that I sought them but they came. Perhaps it +was because I was ready to receive them. + +In the summer of 1915 politics became very active in Massachusetts. +There was a sharp campaign for the nomination for Governor, my own +effort to secure the Lieutenant-Governorship, and many minor contests. I +shall always remember that Augustus P. Gardner, then in Congress, +honored me by becoming one of the committee of five who conducted my +campaign. Many local meetings were held, calling for much speaking. In +the end Samuel W. McCall was renominated for Governor. I was named as +candidate for Lieutenant-Governor by a vote of about 75,000 to 50,000. +The news reached my father on the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth +of his father. My campaign was carried on in careful compliance with the +law, and the expense was within the allowed limit of $1,500, which was +contributed by numerous people. I was thus under no especial obligation +to any one for raising money for me. + +In the campaign for election I toured the state with Mr. McCall, making +open-air speeches from automobiles during the day, and finishing with an +indoor rally in the evening. It was the hardest kind of work but most +fascinating. I remember that Warren G. Harding and Nicholas Longworth +came into the state to promote our election and spoke with us at a large +meeting one night at Lowell. + +I did not refer to my own candidacy, but spent all my time advocating +the election of Mr. McCall. He was a character that fitted into the +situation most admirably. He was liberal without being visionary and +conservative without being reactionary. The twenty-five years he had +spent in public life gave him a remarkable equipment for discussing the +issues of a campaign. Whatever information was needed concerning the +state government I was in a position to supply. Much emphasis was placed +by me on the urgent necessity of preventing further increases in state +and national expense and of a drastic reduction wherever possible. The +state was ready for that kind of a message. + +When the election of 1915 came, Mr. McCall won by 6,313 votes and my +plurality was 52,204. After having been held five years by Democrats, +the Governorship of Massachusetts was restored to the Republican party, +where it was to remain for the next fifteen years and probably much +longer. The extended struggle in which the Republicans had been engaged +to restore the people of Massachusetts to their allegiance to sound +government under a reunited party had at last been successful. With that +prolonged effort I had been intimately associated. + +The office of Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts differs from that of +most states. As already disclosed he does not preside over the Senate. +The constitution of our Commonwealth is older than the Federal +Constitution and so followed the old colonial system, while most of the +states have followed the Federal system. I was _ex officio_ a member of +the Governor’s Council and chairman of the Finance and Pardon +committees. As the Council met but one day each week I was pleased with +the renewed opportunity I expected to have to practice law. But it soon +developed that I must be away so much that I asked Ralph W. Hemenway to +become associated with me, and he has since carried on my law office so +successfully that it has become his law office rather than mine. + +It has become the custom in our country to expect all Chief Executives, +from the President down, to conduct activities analogous to an +entertainment bureau. No occasion is too trivial for its promoters to +invite them to attend and deliver an address. It appeared to be the +practice of Governor McCall to accept all these invitations and when the +time came, to attend what he could of them, and parcel the rest out +among his subordinates. In this way I became very much engaged. It was +an honor to represent the Governor, and a part of my duties according to +our practice. Some days I went to several meetings for that purpose, +ranging well into the night, so I was obliged to stay in Boston most of +the time. + +It was during this period that I wrote nearly all of the speeches +afterwards published in “Have Faith in Massachusetts.” They were short +and mostly committed to memory for delivery. This forced me to be a +constant student of public questions. + +It did not seem best for me to take a very active part in the +Presidential primaries of 1916, but I quietly supported the regular +ticket for delegates, which was elected. We had at least three +candidates for President in Massachusetts, with all of whom I was on +friendly terms, as I had never allied myself with any faction of the +party, but I felt the convention did the wise thing in turning to the +great statesman Charles Evans Hughes, and I supported him actively in +the campaign for election. He carried Massachusetts by a small vote. My +renomination came without opposition, as did that of the Governor, who +had a plurality of 46,240 at the election. My own was 84,930. + +During the summer I had been chairman of a special commission to +consider the financial condition of the Boston Elevated Street Railway, +and helped make a report recommending that the Governor be authorized to +appoint a Board of Trustees who should have the control of this property +and be vested with authority to fix a rate of fare sufficient to pay the +costs of operation and a fair return to the stockholders. This was +adopted by the General Court and solved the pressing problem of street +railway transportation, which became so acute on account of the +increasing costs of operation. Later the plan was applied to the other +large company in the eastern part of the state. It was not perfect, but +saved the properties from destruction and gave a fair means of travel +at cost, which was to be ascertained by public authority. + +It was in the ensuing year that the United States entered the World War. +While this took most of our thoughts off local affairs it did not +prevent opposition to the renomination of Governor McCall. Had it been +successful it would have deferred any chance for me to run for Governor +for two or three years and probably indefinitely. Under the +circumstances most of my friends supported the Governor, and he was +renominated by a wide margin. I had no opposition. But interest in the +election was not great, so that the vote was light. Nevertheless the +Governor ran 90,479 votes ahead of his nearest competitor. In my own +contest my opponent secured the Democratic, the Progressive and the +Prohibition nomination. I did not think the combination would prove +helpful to him, and it did not. He fell off 77,000 from the vote of his +predecessor, and I won by 101,731. + +While the United States had been engaged in the World War every public +man, and I among them, had been constantly employed in its many +activities. It increased every function of government from the +administration in Washington down to the smallest town office. The whole +nation seemed to be endowed with a new spirit, unified and solidified +and willing to make any sacrifice for the cause of liberty. I was +constantly before public gatherings explaining the needs of the time for +men, money and supplies. Sometimes I was urging subscriptions for war +loans, sometimes contributions to the great charities, or again speaking +to the workmen engaged in construction or the manufacture of munitions. +The response which the people made and the organizing power of the +country were all manifestations that it was wonderful to contemplate. +The entire nation awoke to a new life. + +It was no secret that I desired to be Governor. Under the custom of +promotion in Massachusetts a man who did not expect to be advanced would +scarcely be willing to be Lieutenant-Governor. But I did nothing in the +way of organizing my friends to secure the nomination. It is much better +not to press a candidacy too much, but to let it develop on its own +merits without artificial stimulation. If the people want a man they +will nominate him, if they do not want him he had best let the +nomination go to another. + +The Governor very much desired to be United States Senator, but made no +statement indicating he would seek that honor which would cause him to +retire from his present office. Neither I nor my friends approached him +or sought to influence him. Finally he called me aside and told me to +announce that I would run for Governor, which I did. As no one knew what +he had told me, some supposed I would run against him, which I would not +have done. + +I had a strong liking for this veteran public servant, and so I felt +sure he liked me. He was away on many occasions, which under the +constitution left me as Acting Governor, but at such times I was always +careful not to encroach upon his domain. While I may have differed with +my subordinates I have always supported loyally my superiors. They have +never found me organizing a camp in opposition to them. Finally the +Governor sought the Senatorship, but before his campaign was under way +he very manfully announced that as the country was at war he was +entirely unwilling to divert public attention from the national defense +to promote his political fortune and therefore withdrew. My nomination +was again unanimous. + +The campaign was difficult. The really great qualities of my principal +colleague, Senator John W. Weeks, had been displayed mostly in +Washington and were not appreciated by his home people. A violent +epidemic of influenza prevented us from having a State Convention, or +holding the usual meetings, and the party organization was not very +effective. In spite of my protest and the fact that we were engaged in a +tremendous war, criticism was too often made of President Wilson and his +administration. My own efforts were spent in urging that the people and +government of Massachusetts should all join in their support of the +national government in prosecuting the war. While I was elected by only +16,773, Senator Weeks to my lasting regret was defeated, so the state +and nation lost for a time the benefit of his valuable public service. +Later he was in the Cabinet where he remained until, during my term, he +retired due to ill health, and did not long survive. + +Again I supposed I had reached the summit of any possible political +preferment and was quite content to finish my public career as Governor +of Massachusetts--an office that has always been held in the highest +honor by the people of the Commonwealth. + +To get a few days’ rest I went to Maine the next Friday after the +election. It was there that I was awakened in the middle of Sunday night +to be told that the Armistice had been signed. I returned to Boston the +following day to take part in the celebration. What the end of the four +years of carnage meant those who remember it will never forget and those +who do not can never be told. The universal joy, the enormous relief, +found expression from all the people in a spontaneous outburst of +thanksgiving. + +While the war was done, its problems were to confront the state and +nation for many years. I was to meet them as Governor and President. +They will remain with us for two generations. Such is the curse of war. + +In my inaugural address I dwelt on the need of promoting the public +health, education, and the opportunity, for employment at fair wages in +accordance with the right of the people to be well born, well reared, +well educated, well employed and well paid. I also stressed the +necessity of keeping government expenses as low as possible, assisting +in every possible way the reestablishing of the returning veterans, and +reorganizing the numerous departments in accordance with a recent change +of the constitution which limited their number to twenty. + +There being no Executive Mansion the Governor has no especial social +duties, so I kept my quarters at the Adams House, as I had always lived +there when in Boston, where Mrs. Coolidge came sometimes; but as our +boys needed her she staid for the most part in Northampton. She never +had taken any part in my political life, but had given her attention to +our home. It was not until we went to Washington that she came into +public prominence and favor. + +In February, President Wilson landed at Boston on his return from France +and spoke at a large meeting, where I made a short address of welcome, +pledging him my support in helping settle the remaining war problems. I +then began a friendly personal relation with him and Mrs. Wilson which +has always continued. Our service men were constantly returning and had +to be aided in getting back into private employment. About $20,000,000 +was paid them out of the state treasury. + +In the confusion attending the end of the war the work of legislation +dragged on well into the summer. While I did not veto many of the bills +which were passed, I did reject a measure to increase the salaries of +members of the General Court from $1,000 to $1,500, but my objection was +not sustained. + +In the great upward movement of wages that had taken place those paid by +street railways had not been proportionately increased. It is very +difficult to raise fares, so sufficient money for this purpose had not +been available, though some advances had been made. Because of this +situation a strike occurred in midsummer on the Boston Elevated that +tied up nearly all the street transportation in the city district for +three or four days. Finally I helped negotiate an agreement to send the +matter to arbitration, so that work was resumed. The men secured a very +material raise in wages, which I feel later conditions fully justified. + +In August I went to Vermont. On my return I found that difficulties in +the Police Department of Boston were growing serious and made a +statement to the reporters at the State House that I should support +Commissioner Edwin U. Curtis in his decisions concerning their +adjustment. I felt he was entitled to every confidence. + +The trouble arose over the proposal of the policemen, who had long been +permitted to maintain a local organization of their own, to form a union +and affiliate with the American Federation of Labor. That was contrary +to a long-established rule of the Department, which was agreed to by +each member when he went on the force and had the effect of law. + +When the policemen’s union persisted in its course I was urged by a +committee appointed by the Mayor to interfere and attempt to make +Commissioner Curtis settle the dispute by arbitration. The Governor +appoints the Commissioner and probably could remove him, but he has no +more jurisdiction over his acts than he has over the Judges of the +Courts; besides, I did not see how it was possible to arbitrate the +question of the authority of the law, or of the necessity of obedience +to the rules of the Department and the orders of the Commissioner. These +principles were the heart of the whole controversy and the only +important questions at issue. It can readily be seen how important they +were and what the effect might have been if they had not been +maintained. I decided to support them whatever the consequences might +be. I fully expected it would result in my defeat in the coming campaign +for reelection as Governor. + +While I had no direct responsibility for the conduct of police matters +in Boston, yet as the Chief Executive it was my general duty to require +the laws to be enforced, so I remained in Boston and kept carefully +informed of conditions. I knew I might be called on to act at any time. + +On Sunday, September seventh, I went to Northampton by motor and +remained overnight as I had an engagement to speak before a state +convention of the American Federation of Labor at Greenfield Monday +morning, which I fulfilled. I left that town at once for Boston, +stopping at Fitchburg to call my office to learn if there were any new +developments. I reached Boston after four o’clock that afternoon, and +had a conference with some of the representatives of the city. I did not +leave Boston again for a long time. + +When it became perfectly apparent that the policemen’s union was acting +in violation of the rules of the Department the leaders were brought +before the Commissioner on charges, tried and removed from office, +whereat about three-quarters of the force left the Department in a body +at about five o’clock on the afternoon of Tuesday, September ninth. This +number was much larger than had been expected. + +The Metropolitan Police of more than one hundred, and the State Police +of thirty or forty men, had been kept in readiness and were at once put +on duty, the Motor Corps of the State Guard was held at the armory, and +that night I kept the Attorney General, the Adjutant General and my +Secretary at my hotel to be ready to respond to any call for help. As +everything was quiet the Motor Corps went home. Around midnight bands of +men appeared on the street, who broke many shop windows and carried away +quantities of the goods which were on display. Many arrests were made, +but the remaining police and their reinforcements were not sufficient to +prevent the disorder. I knew nothing of this until morning. + +The disorder of Tuesday night was most reprehensible, but it was only an +incident. It had little relation to the real issues. I have always felt +that I should have called out the State Guard as soon as the police left +their posts. The Commissioner did not feel this was necessary. The +Mayor, who was a man of high character, and a personal friend, but of +the opposite party, had conferred with me. He had the same authority as +the Governor to call out all the Guard in the City of Boston. It would +be very unusual for a Governor to act except on the request of the +local authorities. No disorder existed, and it would have been rather a +violent assumption that it was threatened, but it could have been made. +Such action probably would have saved some property, but would have +decided no issue. In fact it would have made it more difficult to +maintain the position Mr. Curtis had taken, and which I was supporting, +because the issue was not understood, and the disorder focused public +attention on it, and showed just what it meant to have a police force +that did not obey orders. + +On reaching my office in the morning it was reported to me that the +Mayor was calling out the State Guard of Boston to report about five +o’clock that afternoon. He also requested me to furnish more troops. I +supplemented his action by calling substantially the entire State Guard +to report at once. They gathered at their armories and were patrolling +the streets in a few hours. When they came with their muskets in their +hands with bayonets fixed there was little more trouble from disorder. + +It was soon reported to me that the Mayor, acting under a special law, +had taken charge of the police force of the city, and by putting a +Guard officer in command had virtually displaced the Commissioner, who +came to me in great distress. If he was to be superseded I thought the +men that he had discharged might be taken back and the cause lost. +Certainly they and the rest of the policemen’s union must have rejoiced +at his discomfort. Thinking I knew what to do, I consulted the law as is +my custom. I found a general statute that gives the Governor authority +to call on any police officer in the state to assist him. I showed this +to the Attorney General and to Ex-Attorney General Herbert Parker, who +was advising Mr. Curtis. They thought I was right and consulted a +profound judge of law, Ex-Attorney General Albert E. Pillsbury, who +confirmed their opinions. The strike occurred Tuesday night, the Guard +were called Wednesday, and Thursday I issued a General Order restoring +Mr. Curtis to his place as Commissioner in control of the police, and +made a proclamation calling on all citizens to assist me in preserving +order, and especially directing all police officers in Boston to obey +the orders of Mr. Curtis. + +This was the important contribution I made to the tactics of the +situation, which has never been fully realized. To Mr. Curtis should go +the credit for raising the issue and enforcing the principle that police +should not affiliate with any outside body, whether of wage earners or +of wage payers, but should remain unattached, impartial officers of the +law, with sole allegiance to the public. In this I supported him. + +When rumors started of a strike at the power house which furnished +electricity for all Boston, a naval vessel was run up to the station +with plenty of electricians on board ready to go over the side and keep +the plant in operation. A wagon train of supplies, arms, and ammunition +was brought in from Camp Devens and all the State Guard mobilized. A +statement was made by President Wilson strongly condemning the defection +of the police. Volunteer police began to come in, and over half a +million dollars was raised by popular subscription to meet necessary +expenses in caring for dependents of the Guard and even for helping the +families of some of the police who left their posts. Later I helped +these men in securing other employment, but refused to allow them again +to be policemen. Public feeling became very much aroused. While offers +of support came from every quarter the opposition was very active. + +Soon, Samuel Gompers began to telegraph me asking the removal of Mr. +Curtis and the reinstatement of the union policemen. This required me to +make a reply in which I stated among other things that “There is no +right to strike against the public safety by any body, any time, any +where.” This phrase caught the attention of the nation. It was beginning +to be clear that if voluntary associations were to be permitted to +substitute their will for the authority of public officials the end of +our government was at hand. The issue was nothing less than whether the +law which the people had made through their duly authorized agencies +should be supreme. + +This issue I took to the people in my campaign for reelection as +Governor. Though I was hampered by an attack of influenza and spoke but +three or four times, I was able to make the issue plain even beyond the +confines of Massachusetts. Many of the wage earners both organized and +unorganized, who knew I had always treated them fairly, must have +supported me, for I won by 125,101 votes. The people decided in favor +of the integrity of their own government. President Wilson sent me a +telegram of congratulations. + +I felt at the time that the speeches I made and the statements I issued +had a clearness of thought and revealed a power I had not before been +able to express, which confirmed my belief that, when a duty comes to +us, with it a power comes to enable us to perform it. I was not thinking +so much of the Governorship, which I already had, as of the grave danger +to the country if the voters did not decide correctly. My faith that the +people would respond to the truth was justified. + +The requirements of the situation as it developed seem clear and plain +now, and easy to decide, but as they arose they were very complicated +and involved in many immaterial issues. The right thing to do never +requires any subterfuges, it is always simple and direct. That is the +reason that intrigue usually falls of its own weight. + +After the election I had the work of making the appointments in order to +reduce the entire state administration to the limit of twenty +Departments and a special session of the General Court to deal with some +street railway problems, so I had little time to think of politics. But +I soon learned that many people in the country were thinking of me. + +The two years that I served as Governor were a time of transition from +war to peace. New problems constantly arose, great confusion prevailed, +nothing was settled and it was possible only to feel my way from day to +day. But they were years of progress if partly in a negative way. The +new position of the wage earners was perfected and solidified. A +forty-eight-hour week for women and minors was established by a bill +passed by the General Court, which I signed. The budget system went +fully into effect the first year I was Governor and helped keep the +state finances in good condition. The departments were reorganized, and +the street railways given relief. In my second year a bill was passed +allowing the sale of beer with a 2.75 per cent alcoholic content, which +I vetoed because I thought it was in violation of the Constitution which +I had sworn to defend. The veto was sustained. A constant struggle + +[Illustration: + +Wide World Photos + +CALVIN COOLIDGE + +_At Amherst College_] + +was going on to keep the costs of living down and the rate of wages up. +A State Commission was held in office with increased powers to resist +profiteering in the necessaries of life. In the depression of 1920 some +of our banks and manufacturers found themselves in difficulties. All of +these things reached the Governor in one form or another. But, in +general, conditions were such that the entire efforts of the people were +engaged in easing themselves down. There was little opportunity to +direct their attention towards constructive action. They were clearing +away the refuse from the great conflagration preparatory to rebuilding +on a grander and more pretentious scale. Nothing was natural, everything +was artificial. So much energy had to be expended in keeping the ship of +state on a straight course that there was little left to carry it ahead. +But when I finished my two terms in January, 1921, the demobilization of +the country was practically complete, people had found themselves again, +and were ready to undertake the great work of reconstruction in which +they have since been so successfully engaged. In that work we have seen +the people of America create a new heaven and a new earth. The old +things have passed away, giving place to a glory never before +experienced by any people of our world. + + + + +IN NATIONAL POLITICS + + + + +_CHAPTER FOUR_ + +IN NATIONAL POLITICS + + +No doubt it was the police strike of Boston that brought me into +national prominence. That furnished the occasion and I took advantage of +the opportunity. I was ready to meet the emergency. Just what lay behind +that event I was never able to learn. Sometimes I have mistrusted that +it was a design to injure me politically; if so it was only to recoil +upon the perpetrators, for it increased my political power many fold. +Still there was a day or two when the event hung in the balance, when +the Police Commissioner of Boston, Edwin U. Curtis, was apparently cast +aside discredited, and my efforts to give him any support indicated my +own undoing. But I soon had him reinstated, and there was a strong +expression of public opinion in our favor. + +The year 1919 had not produced much on the positive side of our +political life. President Wilson had returned from the peace conference +at Paris determined to have the United States join the League of Nations +as established in the final Treaty of Versailles. He found opposition in +the Senate both within and without his own party. In attempting to gain +the approval of the country he had made his trip across the continent +and returned a broken man never to regain his strength. For eight years +he had so dominated his party that it had not produced any one else with +a marked ability for leadership. During these months the contest was +raging in the Senate over the peace treaty, but as a result it had put +the leadership of our party in a negative position, which never appeals +to the popular imagination, and besides in the country many Republicans +favored a ratification of the treaty with adequate reservations. Many of +the Senators on our side cast their vote for that proposal, which would +have prevailed but for the opposition of the regular administration +Democrats. In this confusion no dominant popular figure emerged in the +Congress, but many ambitions became apparent. + +Following my decisive victory in November there very soon came to be +mention of me as a Presidential candidate. About Thanksgiving time +Senator Lodge came to me and voluntarily requested that he should +present my name to the national Republican convention. He wished to go +as a delegate with that understanding. Of course I told him I could not +make any decision in relation to being a candidate, but I would try to +arrange matters so that he could be a delegate at large. When he left +for Washington he gave out an interview saying that Massachusetts should +support me. + +Very soon a movement of considerable dimensions started both in my home +state and in other sections of the country to secure delegates who would +support me. An old friend and long time Secretary of the Republican +National Committee, James B. Reynolds, was placed in charge of the +movement, and I was gaining considerable strength. Senator Crane in his +own quiet but highly efficient way became very interested and let it be +known that I had his support, as did Speaker Gillett, who is now our +Senator, but then represented my home district in Congress. They both +went as delegates pledged to me. + +Already several candidates were making a very active campaign. The two +most conspicuous were Major General Leonard Wood and Governor Frank O. +Lowden. Senator Hiram Johnson had considerable support, and in a more +modest way Senator Warren G. Harding was in the field. In addition to +these, several of the states had favorite sons. It soon began to be +reported that very large sums of money were being used in the primaries. + +When I came to give the matter serious attention, and comprehended more +fully what would be involved in a contest of this kind, I realized that +I was not in a position to become engaged in it. I was Governor of +Massachusetts, and my first duty was to that office. It would not be +possible for me, with the legislature in session, to be going about the +country actively participating in an effort to secure delegates, and I +was totally unwilling to have a large sum of money raised and spent in +my behalf. + +I soon became convinced also that I was in danger of creating a +situation in which some people in Massachusetts could permit it to be +reported in the press that they were for me when they were not at heart +for me and would give me little support in the convention. It would, +however, prevent their having to make a public choice as between other +candidates and would help them in getting elected as delegates. There +was nothing unusual in this situation. It was simply a condition that +always has to be met in politics. Of course the strategy of the other +candidates was to prevent me from having a solid Massachusetts +delegation. Moreover, I did not wish to use the office of Governor in an +attempt to prosecute a campaign for nomination for some other office. I +therefore made a public statement announcing that I was unwilling to +appear as a candidate and would not enter my name in any contest at the +primaries. This left me in a position where I ran no risk of +embarrassing the great office of Governor of Massachusetts. That was my +answer to the situation. + +Nevertheless a considerable activity was kept up in my behalf, and some +money expended, mostly in circulating a book of my speeches. In the +Massachusetts primaries six or seven delegates were chosen who were for +General Wood, and while the rest were nominally for me several of them +were really more favorable to some other candidate, partly because they +supposed a Massachusetts man could never be nominated, and if the choice +was going outside the state, they had strong preferences as between the +other possibilities. + +At a state convention in South Dakota held very early to express a +preference for national candidates I had been declared their choice for +Vice-President. Some people in Oregon desired to accord me a like honor. +As I did not wish my name to appear in any contest and did not care to +be Vice-President I declined to be considered for that office. In my +native state of Vermont it was proposed to enter my name in the primary +as candidate for President, which I could not permit. Nevertheless it +was written on the ballot by many of the voters at the polls. + +When the Republican National Convention met at Chicago, Senator Lodge, +who was elected its chairman, had indicated that he did not wish to +present my name, so it was arranged that Speaker Gillett should make the +nominating speech. Massachusetts had thirty-five delegates. On the +first ballot I received twenty-eight of their votes and six others from +scattering states, making my total thirty-four. As the balloting +proceeded a considerable number of the Massachusetts delegates, feeling +I had no chance, voted for other candidates, but a majority remained +with me until the final ballot when all but one went elsewhere, and +Senator Warren G. Harding was nominated. My friends in the convention +did all they could for me, and several states were at times ready to +come to me if the entire Massachusetts delegation would lead the way, +but some of them refused to vote for me, so the support of other states +could not be secured. + +While I do not think it was so intended I have always been of the +opinion that this turned out to be much the best for me. I had no +national experience. What I have ever been able to do has been the +result of first learning how to do it. I am not gifted with intuition. I +need not only hard work but experience to be ready to solve problems. +The Presidents who have gone to Washington without first having held +some national office have been at great disadvantage. It takes them a +long time to become acquainted with the Federal officeholders and the +Federal Government. Meanwhile they have had difficulty in dealing with +the situation. + +The convention of 1920 was largely under the domination of a coterie of +United States Senators. They maneuvered it into adopting a platform and +nominating a President in ways that were not satisfactory to a majority +of the delegates. When the same forces undertook for a third time to +dictate the action of the convention in naming a Vice-President, the +delegates broke away from them and literally stampeded to me. + +Massachusetts did not present my name, because my friends knew I did not +wish to be Vice-President, but Judge Wallace McCamant of Oregon placed +me in nomination and was quickly seconded by North Dakota and some other +states. I received about three-quarters of all the votes cast. When this +honor came to me I was pleased to accept, and it was especially +agreeable to be associated with Senator Harding, whom I knew well and +liked. + +When our campaign opened, the situation was complex. Many Republicans +did not like the somewhat uncertain tone of the platform concerning the +League of Nations. Though it was generally conceded that the +bitter-enders had dictated the platform there were some who felt it was +not explicit enough in denouncing the League with all its works and +everything foreign, and a much larger body of Republicans were much +disappointed that it did not declare in favor of ratifying the treaty +with reservations. + +The Massachusetts Republican State Convention in the fall of 1919 had +adopted a plank favoring immediate ratification with suitable +reservations which would safeguard American interests. While later the +treaty had been rejected by the Senate it was still necessary to make a +formal agreement of peace with the Central Powers, and for that purpose +some treaty would be necessary. Many Republicans favored our entry into +the League as a method of closing up the war period and helping +stabilize world conditions. Senator Crane had taken that position in +Massachusetts and repeated it again at Chicago. + +Since that time the situation has changed. The war period has closed +and a separate treaty has been made and ratified. The more I have seen +of the conduct of our foreign relations the more I am convinced that we +are better off out of the League. Our government is not organized in a +way that would enable us adequately to deal with it. Nominally our +foreign affairs are in the hands of the President. Actually the Senate +is always attempting to interfere, too often in a partisan way and many +times in opposition to the President. Our country is not racially +homogeneous. While the several nationalities represented here are loyal +to the United States, yet when differences arise between European +countries, each group is naturally in sympathy with the nation of its +origin. Our actions in the League would constantly be embarrassed by +this situation at home. The votes of our delegates there would all the +time disturb our domestic tranquillity here. We have come to realize +this situation very completely now, but in 1920 it was not so clear. + +At that time we were close to the war. Our sympathies were very much +with our allies and a great body of sentiment in our country, which may +be called the missionary spirit, was strongly in favor of helping +Europe. To them the League meant an instrument for that end. That was a +praiseworthy spirit and had to be reckoned with in dealing with the +people in a political campaign. This sentiment was very marked in the +East where it had a strong hold on a very substantial element of the +Republican party. + +While I was taking a short vacation in Vermont several thousand people +came to my father’s home to greet me. I spent most of my time, however, +in preparing my speech of acceptance. The notification ceremonies were +held on a pleasant afternoon in midsummer at Northampton in Allen Field, +which was part of the college grounds, and its former President, the +venerable Dr. L. Clark Seelye, presided. The chairman of the +notification committee was Governor Morrow of Kentucky. A great throng +representing many different states was in attendance to hear my address. +I was careful to reassure those who feared we were not proposing to +continue our cooperation with Europe in attempting to solve the war +problems in a way that would provide for a permanent peace of the +world. + +Not being the head of the ticket, of course, it was not my place to +raise issues or create policies, but I had the privilege of discussing +those already declared in the platform or stated in the addresses of +Senator Harding. This I undertook to do in a speech I made at Portland, +Maine, where I again pointed out the wish of our party to have our +country associated with other countries in advancing human welfare. +Later in the campaign I reiterated this position at New York. + +This was not intended as a subterfuge to win votes, but as a candid +statement of party principles. It was later to be put into practical +effect by President Harding, in the important treaty dealing with our +international relations in the Pacific Ocean, in the agreement for the +limitation of naval armaments, in the proposal to enter the World Court, +and finally by me in the World Peace Treaty. All that I said and more in +justification of support of the Republican ticket by those interested in +promoting peace, without committing our country to interfere where we +had little interest, has been abundantly borne out by the events. + +Shortly before election I made a tour of eight days, going from +Philadelphia by special train west to Tennessee and Kentucky and south +as far as North Carolina. We had a most encouraging reception on this +trip, speaking out-of-doors, mostly from the rear platform during the +day, with an indoor meeting at night. During the campaign I spoke in +about a dozen states. + +The country was already feeling acutely the results of deflation. +Business was depressed. For months following the Armistice we had +persisted in a course of much extravagance and reckless buying. Wages +had been paid that were not earned. The whole country, from the national +government down, had been living on borrowed money. Pay day had come, +and it was found our capital had been much impaired. In an address at +Philadelphia I contended that the only sure method of relieving this +distress was for the country to follow the advice of Benjamin Franklin +and begin to work and save. Our productive capacity is sufficient to +maintain us all in a state of prosperity if we give sufficient attention +to thrift and industry. Within a year the country had adopted that +course, which has brought an era of great plenty. + +When the election came it appeared that we had held practically the +entire Republican vote and had gained enormously from all those groups +who have been in this country so short a time that they still retain a +marked race consciousness. Many of them had left Europe to escape from +the prevailing conditions there. While they were loyal to the United +States they did not wish to become involved in any old world disputes, +were greatly relieved that the war was finished, and generally opposed +to the League of Nations. Such a combination gave us an overwhelming +victory. + +After election it was necessary for me to attend a good many +celebrations. My home town of Northampton had a large mass meeting at +which several speeches were made. In Boston a series of dinners and +lunches were given in my honor. Shortly before Christmas Mrs. Coolidge +and I paid a brief visit to Mr. and Mrs. Harding at their home in +Marion, Ohio. They received us in the most gracious manner. It was no +secret to us why their friends had so much affection for them. + +We discussed at length the plans for his administration. The members of +his Cabinet were considered and he renewed the invitation to me, already +publicly expressed, to sit with them. The policies he wished to adopt +for restoring the prosperity of the country by reducing taxes and +revising the tariff were referred to more casually. He was sincerely +devoted to the public welfare and desirous of improving the condition of +the people. + +When at last another Governor was inaugurated to take my place and the +guns on Boston Common were giving him their first salute, Mrs. Coolidge +and I were leaving for home from the North Station on the afternoon +train which I had used so much before I was Governor. It had only day +coaches and no parlor car, but we were accustomed to travel that way and +only anxious to go home. For nine years I had been in public life in +Boston. + + * * * * * + +During the winter I made an address before the Vermont Historical +Society at Montpelier and spoke later at the Town Hall in New York for a +group of ladies who were restoring the birthplace of Theodore +Roosevelt. + +After a brief stay at Northampton, Mrs. Coolidge and I went to Atlanta +where I spoke before the Southern Tariff Association. A great deal of +hospitality was lavished upon us by the state officials and the people +in the city. In a few days we went to Asheville, North Carolina, where +we remained about two weeks. The Grove Park Inn entertained us with +everything that could be wished, and the region was delightful. + +When the Massachusetts electors met, Judge Henry P. Field of the firm +where I read law, who had moved my admission to the Bar, now had the +experience of nominating me for Vice-President. Twenty-four years had +intervened between these two services which he performed for me. + +The time soon came for us to go to Washington. A large crowd of our +friends was at the station to bid us goodbye although the hour was very +early. We went a few days before March 4 in order to have a little time +to get settled. The Vice-President and Mrs. Marshall met us and gave us +every attention and courtesy. When Mr. and Mrs. Harding arrived, we went +to the station to meet them and they took us back with them to the New +Willard--where we too were staying--in the White House car President +Wilson sent for them. + +About ten-thirty the next morning a committee of the Congress came to +escort us to the White House where the President and Mrs. Wilson joined +us and we went to the Capitol. Soon President Wilson sent for me and +said his health was such it would not be wise for him to remain for the +inauguration and bade me goodbye. I never saw him again except at a +distance, but he sent me a most sympathetic letter when I became +President. Such was the passing of a great world figure. + +As I had already taken a leading part in seven inaugurations and +witnessed four others in Massachusetts, the experience was not new to +me, but I was struck by the lack of order and formality that prevailed. +A part of the ceremony takes place in the Senate Chamber and a part on +the east portico, which destroys all semblance of unity and continuity. +I was sworn in before the Senate and made a very brief address dwelling +on the great value of a deliberative body as a safeguard of our +liberties. + +It was a clear but crisp spring day out-of-doors where the oath was +administered to the President by Chief Justice White. The inaugural +address was able and well received. President Harding had an impressive +delivery, which never failed to interest and hold his audience. I was to +hear him many times in the next two years, but whether on formal +occasions or in the freedom of Gridiron dinners, his charm and +effectiveness never failed. + +When the inauguration was over I realized that the same thing for which +I had worked in Massachusetts had been accomplished in the nation. The +radicalism which had tinged our whole political and economic life from +soon after 1900 to the World War period was passed. There were still +echoes of it, and some of its votaries remained, but its power was gone. +The country had little interest in mere destructive criticism. It wanted +the progress that alone comes from constructive policies. + +It had been our intention to take a house in Washington, but we found +none to our liking. They were too small or too large. It was necessary +for me to live within my income, which was little more than my salary +and was charged with the cost of sending my boys to school. We therefore +took two bedrooms with a dining room, and large reception room at the +New Willard where we had every convenience. + +It is difficult to conceive a person finding himself in a situation +which calls on him to maintain a position he cannot pay for. Any other +course for me would have been cut short by the barnyard philosophy of my +father, who would have contemptuously referred to such action as the +senseless imitation of a fowl which was attempting to light higher than +it could roost. There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no +independence quite so important, as living within your means. In our +country a small income is usually less embarrassing than the possession +of a large one. + +But my experience has convinced me that an official residence with +suitable maintenance should be provided for the Vice-President. Under +the present system he is not lacking in dignity but he has no fixed +position. The great office should have a settled and permanent +habitation and a place, irrespective of the financial ability of its +temporary occupant. While I was glad to be relieved of the +responsibility of a public establishment, nevertheless, it is a duty the +second officer of the nation should assume. It would be much more in +harmony with our theory of equality if each Vice-President held the same +position in the Capital City. + +Very much is said and written concerning the amount of dining out that +the Vice-President does. As the President is not available for social +dinners of course the next officer in rank is much sought after for such +occasions. But like everything else that is sent out of Washington for +public consumption the reports are exaggerated. Probably the average of +these dinners during the season does not exceed three a week, and as the +Senate is in session after twelve o’clock each week day, there is no +opportunity for lunches or teas. + +When we first went to Washington Mrs. Coolidge and I quite enjoyed the +social dinners. As we were always the ranking guests we had the +privilege of arriving last and leaving first, so that we were usually +home by ten o’clock. It will be seen that this was far from burdensome. +We found it a most enjoyable opportunity for getting acquainted and +could scarcely comprehend how anyone who had the privilege of sitting at +a table surrounded by representatives of the Cabinet, the Congress, the +Diplomatic Corps and the Army and Navy would not find it interesting. + +Presiding over the Senate was fascinating to me. That branch of the +Congress has its own methods and traditions which may strike the +outsider as peculiar, but more familiarity with them would disclose that +they are only what long experience has demonstrated to be the best +methods of conducting its business. It may seem that debate is endless, +but there is scarcely a time when it is not informing, and, after all, +the power to compel due consideration is the distinguishing mark of a +deliberative body. If the Senate is anything it is a great deliberative +body and if it is to remain a safeguard of liberty it must remain a +deliberative body. I was entertained and instructed by the debates. +However it may appear in the country, no one can become familiar with +the inside workings of the Senate without gaining a great respect for +it. The country is safe in its hands. + +At first I intended to become a student of the Senate rules and I did +learn much about them, but I soon found that the Senate had but one +fixed rule, subject to exceptions of course, which was to the effect +that the Senate would do anything it wanted to do whenever it wanted to +do it. When I had learned that, I did not waste much time on the other +rules, because they were so seldom applied. The assistant to the +Secretary of the Senate could be relied on to keep me informed on other +parliamentary questions. But the President of the Senate can and does +exercise a good deal of influence over its deliberations. The +Constitution gives him the power to preside, which is the power to +recognize whom he will. That often means that he decides what business +is to be taken up and who is to have the floor for debate at any +specific time. + +Nor is the impression that it is a dilatory body never arriving at +decisions correct. In addition to acting on the thousands of +nominations, and the numerous treaties, it passes much more legislation +than the House. But it is true that unanimous consent is often required +to close debate, and because of the great power each Senator is +therefore permitted to exercise--which is often a veto power, making one +Senator a majority of the ninety-six Senators--great care should be +exercised by the states in their choice of Senators. Nothing is more +dangerous to good government than great power in improper hands. If the +Senate has any weakness it is because the people have sent to that body +men lacking the necessary ability and character to perform the proper +functions. But this is not the fault of the Senate. It cannot choose its +own members but has to work with what is sent to it. The fault lies back +in the citizenship of the states. If the Senate does not function +properly the blame is chiefly on them. + +If the Vice-President is a man of discretion and character, so that he +can be relied upon to act as a subordinate in such position, he should +be invited to sit with the Cabinet, although some of the Senators, +wishing to be the only advisers of the President, do not look on that +proposal with favor. He may not help much in its deliberations, and only +on rare occasions would he be a useful contact with the Congress, +although his advice on the sentiment of the Senate is of much value, +but he should be in the Cabinet because he might become President and +ought to be informed on the policies of the administration. He will not +learn of all of them. Much went on in the departments under President +Harding, as it did under me, of which the Cabinet had no knowledge. But +he will hear much and learn how to find out more if it ever becomes +necessary. My experience in the Cabinet was of supreme value to me when +I became President. + +It was my intention when I became Vice-President to remain in +Washington, avoid speaking and attend to the work of my office. But the +pressure to speak is constant and intolerable. However, I resisted most +of it. I was honored by the President by his request to make the +dedicatory address at the unveiling of a bust of him in the McKinley +Memorial at Niles, Ohio. I also delivered the address at the dedication +of the Grant statue in Washington. + +During these two years I spoke some and lectured some. This took me +about the country in travels that reached from Maine to California, from +the Twin Cities to Charleston. I was getting acquainted. Aside from +speeches I did little writing, but I read a great deal and listened +much. While I little realized it at the time it was for me a period of +most important preparation. It enabled me to be ready in August, 1923. + +An extra session of the Congress began in April of 1921, which was +almost continuous until March 4, 1923. While an enormous amount of work +was done it soon became apparent that the country expected too much from +the change in administration. The government could and did stop the +waste of the people’s savings, but it could not restore them. That had +to be done by the hard work and thrift of the people themselves. This +would take time. + +While the country was improving it was still depressed. There was some +unemployment and a good deal of distress in agriculture because of the +very low prices of farm produce and the shrinkage in land values. When I +began to make political speeches in the campaign of 1922 I soon realized +that the country had large sections that were disappointed because a +return of prosperity had not been instantaneous. Moreover the people had +little knowledge of the great mass of legislation already accomplished, +which was to prove so beneficial to them within a few months in the +future. After I had related some of the record of the relief measures +adopted they would come to me to say they had never heard of it and +thought nothing had been done. While my party still held both the House +and Senate it lost many seats in the election, which made the closing +session of Congress full of complaints tinged with bitterness against an +administration under which many of them had been defeated. That being +the natural reaction it is useless to discuss its propriety. + +While these years in Washington had been full of interest they were not +without some difficulties. Its official circles never accept any one +gladly. There is always a certain unexpressed sentiment that a new +arrival is appropriating the power that should rightfully belong to +them. He is always regarded as in the nature of a usurper. But I think I +met less of this sentiment than is usual, for I was careful not to be +obtrusive. Nevertheless I could not escape being looked on as one who +might be given something that others wished to have. But as it soon +became apparent that I was wholly engaged in promoting the work of the +Senate and the success of the administration, rather than my own +interests, I was more cordially accepted. + +In these two years I witnessed the gigantic task of demobilizing a war +government and restoring it to a peace-time basis. I also came in +contact with many of the important people of the United States and +foreign countries. All talent eventually arrives at Washington. Most of +the world figures were there at the Conference on Limitation of +Armaments. Other meetings brought people only a little less +distinguished. While I had little official connection with these events +the delegates called on me and I often met them on social occasions. + +The efforts of President Harding to restore the country became familiar +to me. I saw the steady increase of the wise leadership of Mr. Hughes +and Mr. Mellon in the administration of the government and the passing +of some of the veteran figures of the Senate. Chief among these was +Senator Knox of Pennsylvania. He was a great power and had a control of +the conduct of the business of the Senate, which he exercised in behalf +of our party policies, that no one else approached during my service in +Washington. + +In the winter of 1923 President Harding was far from well. At his +request I took his place in delivering the address at the Budget +Meeting. While he was out again in a few days he never recovered. As +Mrs. Coolidge and I were leaving for the long recess on the fourth of +March I bade him goodbye. We went to Virginia Hot Springs for a few days +and then returned to Massachusetts, where we remained while I filled +some speaking engagements, and in July went to Vermont. We left the +President and Mrs. Harding in Washington. I do not know what had +impaired his health. I do know that the weight of the Presidency is very +heavy. Later it was disclosed that he had discovered that some whom he +had trusted had betrayed him and he had been forced to call them to +account. It is known that this discovery was a very heavy grief to him, +perhaps more than he could bear. I never saw him again. In June he +started for Alaska and--eternity. + + + + +ON ENTERING AND LEAVING THE PRESIDENCY + + + + +_CHAPTER FIVE_ + +ON ENTERING AND LEAVING THE PRESIDENCY + + +It is a very old saying that you never can tell what you can do until +you try. The more I see of life the more I am convinced of the wisdom of +that observation. + +Surprisingly few men are lacking in capacity, but they fail because they +are lacking in application. Either they never learn how to work, or, +having learned, they are too indolent to apply themselves with the +seriousness and the attention that is necessary to solve important +problems. + +Any reward that is worth having only comes to the industrious. The +success which is made in any walk of life is measured almost exactly by +the amount of hard work that is put into it. + +It has undoubtedly been the lot of every native boy of the United States +to be told that he will some day be President. Nearly every young man +who happens to be elected a member of his state legislature is pointed +to by his friends and his local newspaper as on the way to the White +House. + +My own experience in this respect did not differ from that of others. +But I never took such suggestions seriously, as I was convinced in my +own mind that I was not qualified to fill the exalted office of +President. + +I had not changed this opinion after the November elections of 1919, +when I was chosen Governor of Massachusetts for a second term by a +majority which had only been exceeded in 1896. + +When I began to be seriously mentioned by some of my friends at that +time as the Republican candidate for President, it became apparent that +there were many others who shared the same opinion as to my fitness +which I had so long entertained. + +But the coming national convention, acting in accordance with an +unchangeable determination, took my destiny into its own hands and +nominated me for Vice-President. + +Had I been chosen for the first place, I could have accepted it only +with a great deal of trepidation, but when the events of August, 1923, +bestowed upon me the Presidential office, I felt at once that power had +been given me to administer it. This was not any feeling of +exclusiveness. While I felt qualified to serve, I was also well aware +that there were many others who were better qualified. It would be my +province to get the benefit of their opinions and advice. It is a great +advantage to a President, and a major source of safety to the country, +for him to know that he is not a great man. When a man begins to feel +that he is the only one who can lead in this republic, he is guilty of +treason to the spirit of our institutions. + +After President Harding was seriously stricken, although I noticed that +some of the newspapers at once sent representatives to be near me at the +home of my father in Plymouth, Vermont, the official reports which I +received from his bedside soon became so reassuring that I believed all +danger past. + +On the night of August 2, 1923, I was awakened by my father coming up +the stairs calling my name. I noticed that his voice trembled. As the +only times I had ever observed that before were when death had visited +our family, I knew that something of the gravest nature had occurred. + +His emotion was partly due to the knowledge that a man whom he had met +and liked was gone, partly to the feeling that must possess all of our +citizens when the life of their President is taken from them. + +But he must have been moved also by the thought of the many sacrifices +he had made to place me where I was, the twenty-five-mile drives in +storms and in zero weather over our mountain roads to carry me to the +academy and all the tenderness and care he had lavished upon me in the +thirty-eight years since the death of my mother in the hope that I might +sometime rise to a position of importance, which he now saw realized. + +He had been the first to address me as President of the United States. +It was the culmination of the lifelong desire of a father for the +success of his son. + +He placed in my hands an official report and told me that President +Harding had just passed away. My wife and I at once dressed. + +Before leaving the room I knelt down and, with the same prayer with +which I have since approached the altar of the church, asked God to +bless the American people and give me power to serve them. + +My first thought was to express my sympathy for those who had been +bereaved and after that was done to attempt to reassure the country with +the knowledge that I proposed no sweeping displacement of the men then +in office and that there were to be no violent changes in the +administration of affairs. As soon as I had dispatched a telegram to +Mrs. Harding, I therefore issued a short public statement declaratory of +that purpose. + +Meantime, I had been examining the Constitution to determine what might +be necessary for qualifying by taking the oath of office. It is not +clear that any additional oath is required beyond what is taken by the +Vice-President when he is sworn into office. It is the same form as that +taken by the President. + +Having found this form in the Constitution I had it set up on the +typewriter and the oath was administered by my father in his capacity as +a notary public, an office he had held for a great many years. + +The oath was taken in what we always called the sitting room by the +light of the kerosene lamp, which was the most modern form of lighting +that had then reached the neighborhood. The Bible which had belonged to +my mother lay on the table at my hand. It was not officially used, as it +is not the practice in Vermont or Massachusetts to use a Bible in +connection with the administration of an oath. + +Besides my father and myself, there were present my wife, Senator Dale, +who happened to be stopping a few miles away, my stenographer, and my +chauffeur. + +The picture of this scene has been painted with historical accuracy by +an artist named Keller, who went to Plymouth for that purpose. Although +the likenesses are not good, everything in relation to the painting is +correct. + +Where succession to the highest office in the land is by inheritance or +appointment, no doubt there have been kings who have participated in the +induction of their sons into their office, but in republics where the +succession comes by an election I do not know of any other case in +history where a father has administered to his son the qualifying oath +of office which made him the chief magistrate of a nation. It seemed a +simple and natural thing to do at the time, but I can now realize +something of the dramatic force of the event. + +This room was one which was already filled with sacred memories for me. +In it my sister and my stepmother passed their last hours. It was +associated with my boyhood recollections of my own mother, who sat and +reclined there during her long invalid years, though she passed away in +an adjoining room where my father was to follow her within three years +from this eventful night. + +When I started for Washington that morning I turned aside from the main +road to make a short devotional visit to the grave of my mother. It had +been a comfort to me during my boyhood when I was troubled to be near +her last resting place, even in the dead of night. Some way, that +morning, she seemed very near to me. + +A telegram was sent to my pastor, Dr. Jason Noble Pierce, to meet me on +my arrival at Washington that evening, which he did. + +I found the Cabinet mostly scattered. Some members had been with the +late President and some were in Europe. The Secretary of State, Mr. +Hughes, and myself, at once began the preparation of plans for the +funeral. + +I issued the usual proclamation. + +The Washington services were held in the rotunda of the Capitol, +followed by a simple service and interment at Marion, Ohio, which I +attended with the Cabinet and a large number of officers of the +government. + +The nation was grief-stricken. Especially noticeable was the deep +sympathy every one felt for Mrs. Harding. Through all this distressing +period her bearing won universal commendation. Her attitude of sympathy +and affection towards Mrs. Coolidge and myself was an especial +consolation to us. + +The first Sunday after reaching Washington we attended services, as we +were accustomed to do, at the First Congregational Church. Although I +had been rather constant in my attendance, I had never joined the +church. + +While there had been religious services, there was no organized church +society near my boyhood home. Among other things, I had some fear as to +my ability to set that example which I always felt ought to denote the +life of a church member. I am inclined to think now that this was a +counsel of darkness. + +This first service happened to come on communion day. Our pastor, Dr. +Pierce, occupied the pulpit, and, as he can under the practice of the +Congregational Church, and always does, because of his own very tolerant +attitude, he invited all those who believed in the Christian faith, +whether church members or not, to join in partaking of the communion. + +For the first time I accepted this invitation, which I later learned he +had observed, and in a few days without any intimation to me that it was +to be done, considering this to be a sufficient public profession of my +faith, the church voted me into its membership. + +This declaration of their belief in me was a great satisfaction. + +Had I been approached in the usual way to join the church after I became +President, I should have feared that such action might appear to be a +pose, and should have hesitated to accept. From what might have been a +misguided conception I was thus saved by some influence which I had not +anticipated. + +But if I had not voluntarily gone to church and partaken of communion, +this blessing would not have come to me. + +Fate bestows its rewards on those who put themselves in the proper +attitude to receive them. + +During my service in Washington I had seen a large amount of government +business. Peace had been made with the Central Powers, the tariff +revised, the budget system adopted, taxation reduced, large payments +made on the national debt, the Veterans’ Bureau organized, important +farm legislation passed, public expenditures greatly decreased, the +differences with Colombia of twenty years’ standing composed, and the +Washington Conference had reached an epoch-making agreement for the +practical limitation of naval armaments. + +It would be difficult to find two years of peace-time history in all the +record of our republic that were marked with more important and +far-reaching accomplishments. From my position as President of the +Senate, and in my attendance upon the sessions of the Cabinet, I thus +came into possession of a very wide knowledge of the details of the +government. + +In spite of the remarkable record which had already been made, much +remained to be done. While anything that relates to the functions of the +government is of enormous interest to me, its economic relations have +always had a peculiar fascination for me. + +Though these are necessarily predicated on order and peace, yet our +people are so thoroughly law-abiding and our foreign relations are so +happy that the problem of government action which is to carry its +benefits into the homes of all the people becomes almost entirely +confined to the realm of economics. + +My personal experience with business had been such as comes to a country +lawyer. + +My official experience with government business had been of a wide +range. As Mayor, I had charge of the financial affairs of the City of +Northampton. As Lieutenant-Governor, I was Chairman of the Committee on +Finance of the Governor’s Council, which had to authorize every cent of +the expenditures of the Commonwealth before they could be made. As +Governor, I was chargeable with responsibility both for appropriations +and for expenditures. + +My fundamental idea of both private and public business came first from +my father. He had the strong New England trait of great repugnance at +seeing anything wasted. He was a generous and charitable man, but he +regarded waste as a moral wrong. + +Wealth comes from industry and from the hard experience of human toil. +To dissipate it in waste and extravagance is disloyalty to humanity. +This is by no means a doctrine of parsimony. Both men and nations should +live in accordance with their means and devote their substance not only +to productive industry, but to the creation of the various forms of +beauty and the pursuit of culture which give adornments to the art of +life. + +When I became President it was perfectly apparent that the key by which +the way could be opened to national progress was constructive economy. +Only by the use of that policy could the high rates of taxation, which +were retarding our development and prosperity, be diminished, and the +enormous burden of our public debt be reduced. + +Without impairing the efficient operation of all the functions of the +government, I have steadily and without ceasing pressed on in that +direction. This policy has encouraged enterprise, made possible the +highest rate of wages which has ever existed, returned large profits, +brought to the homes of the people the greatest economic benefits they +ever enjoyed, and given to the country as a whole an unexampled era of +prosperity. This well-being of my country has given me the chief +satisfaction of my administration. + +One of my most pleasant memories will be the friendly relations which I +have always had with the representatives of the press in Washington. I +shall always remember that at the conclusion of the first regular +conference I held with them at the White House office they broke into +hearty applause. + +I suppose that in answering their questions I had been fortunate enough +to tell them what they wanted to know in such a way that they could make +use of it. + +While there have been newspapers which supported me, of course there +have been others which opposed me, but they have usually been fair. I +shall always consider it the highest tribute to my administration that +the opposition have based so little of their criticism on what I have +really said and done. + +I have often said that there was no cause for feeling disturbed at being +misrepresented in the press. It would be only when they began to say +things detrimental to me which were true that I should feel alarm. + +Perhaps one of the reasons I have been a target for so little abuse is +because I have tried to refrain from abusing other people. + +The words of the President have an enormous weight and ought not to be +used indiscriminately. + +It would be exceedingly easy to set the country all by the ears and +foment hatreds and jealousies, which, by destroying faith and +confidence, would help nobody and harm everybody. The end would be the +destruction of all progress. + +While every one knows that evils exist, there is yet sufficient good in +the people to supply material for most of the comment that needs to be +made. + +The only way I know to drive out evil from the country is by the +constructive method of filling it with good. The country is better off +tranquilly considering its blessings and merits, and earnestly striving +to secure more of them, than it would be in nursing hostile bitterness +about its deficiencies and faults. + +Notwithstanding the broad general knowledge which I had of the +government, when I reached Washington I found it necessary to make an +extensive survey of the various Departments to acquaint myself with +details. This work had to be done intensively from the first of August +to the middle of November, in order to have the background and knowledge +which would enable me to discuss the state of the Union in my first +Message to the Congress. + +Although meantime I was pressed with invitations to make speeches, I did +not accept any of them. The country was in mourning and I felt it more +appropriate to make my first declaration in my Message to the Congress. +Of course, I opened the Red Cross Convention in October, which was an +official function for me as its President. + +I was especially fortunate in securing C. Bascom Slemp as my Secretary, +who had been a member of the House for many years and had a wide +acquaintance with public men and the workings of legislative machinery. +His advice was most helpful. I had already served with all the members +of the Cabinet, which perhaps was one reason I found them so +sympathetic. + +Among its membership were men of great ability who have served their +country with a capacity which I do not believe was ever exceeded by any +former Cabinet officers. + +A large amount was learned from George Harvey, Ambassador to England, +concerning the European situation. He not only had a special aptitude +for gathering and digesting information of that nature, but had been +located at London for two years, where most of it centered. + +I called in a great many people from all the different walks of life +over the country. Among the first to come voluntarily were the veteran +President and the Secretary of the American Federation of Labor, Mr. +Gompers and Mr. Morrison. They brought a formal resolution expressive of +personal regard for me and assurance of loyal support for the +government. + +Farm organizations and business men, publishers, educators, and many +others--all had to be consulted. + +It has been my policy to seek information and advice wherever I could +find it. I have never relied on any particular person to be my +unofficial adviser. I have let the merits of each case and the soundness +of all advice speak for themselves. My counselors have been those +provided by the Constitution and the law. + +Due largely to this careful preparation, my Message was well received. +No other public utterance of mine had been given greater approbation. + +Most of the praise was sincere. But there were some quarters in the +opposing party where it was thought it would be good strategy to +encourage my party to nominate me, thinking that it would be easy to +accomplish my defeat. I do not know whether their judgment was wrong or +whether they overdid the operation, so that when they stopped speaking +in my praise they found they could not change the opinion of the people +which they had helped to create. + +I have seen a great many attempts at political strategy in my day and +elaborate plans made to encompass the destruction of this or that public +man. I cannot now think of any that did not react with overwhelming +force upon the perpetrators, sometimes destroying them and sometimes +giving their proposed victim an opportunity to demonstrate his courage, +strength and soundness, which increased his standing with the people and +raised him to higher office. + +There is only one form of political strategy in which I have any +confidence, and that is to try to do the right thing and sometimes be +able to succeed. + +Many people at once began to speak about nominating me to lead my party +in the next campaign. I did not take any position in relation to their +efforts. Unless the nomination came to me in a natural way, rather than +as the result of an artificial campaign, I did not feel it would be of +any value. + +The people ought to make their choice on a great question of that kind +without the influence that could be exerted by a President in office. + +After the favorable reception which was given to my Message, I stated +at the Gridiron Dinner that I should be willing to be a candidate. The +convention nominated me the next June by a vote which was practically +unanimous. + +With the exception of the occasion of my notification, I did not attend +any partisan meetings or make any purely political speeches during the +campaign. I spoke several times at the dedication of a monument, the +observance of the anniversary of an historic event, at a meeting of some +commercial body, or before some religious gathering. The campaign was +magnificently managed by William M. Butler and as it progressed the +final result became more and more apparent. + +My own participation was delayed by the death of my son Calvin, which +occurred on the seventh of July. He was a boy of much promise, +proficient in his studies, with a scholarly mind, who had just turned +sixteen. + +He had a remarkable insight into things. + +The day I became President he had just started to work in a tobacco +field. When one of his fellow laborers said to him, “If my father was +President I would not work in a tobacco field,” Calvin replied, “If my +father were your father, you would.” + +After he was gone some one sent us a letter he had written about the +same time to a young man who had congratulated him on being the first +boy in the land. To this he had replied that he had done nothing, and so +did not merit the title, which should go to “some boy who had +distinguished himself through his own actions.” + +We do not know what might have happened to him under other +circumstances, but if I had not been President he would not have raised +a blister on his toe, which resulted in blood poisoning, playing lawn +tennis in the South Grounds. + +In his suffering he was asking me to make him well. I could not. + +When he went the power and the glory of the Presidency went with him. + +The ways of Providence are often beyond our understanding. It seemed to +me that the world had need of the work that it was probable he could do. + +I do not know why such a price was exacted for occupying the White +House. + +[Illustration: GRACE GOODHUE + +_Before her marriage to Calvin Coolidge_] + +Sustained by the great outpouring of sympathy from all over the nation, +my wife and I bowed to the Supreme Will and with such courage as we had +went on in the discharge of our duties. + +In less than two years my father followed him. + +At his advanced age he had overtaxed his strength receiving the +thousands of visitors who went to my old home at Plymouth. It was all a +great satisfaction to him and he would not have had it otherwise. + +When I was there and visitors were kept from the house for a short +period, he would be really distressed in the thought that they could not +see all they wished and he would go out where they were himself and +mingle among them. + +I knew for some weeks that he was passing his last days. I sent to bring +him to Washington, but he clung to his old home. + +It was a sore trial not to be able to be with him, but I had to leave +him where he most wished to be. When his doctors advised me that he +could survive only a short time I started to visit him, but he sank to +rest while I was on my way. + +For my personal contact with him during his last months I had to resort +to the poor substitute of the telephone. When I reached home he was +gone. + +It costs a great deal to be President. + + + + +SOME OF THE DUTIES OF +THE PRESIDENT + + + + +_CHAPTER SIX_ + +SOME OF THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT + + +As I recall the mounting events of the years I spent in Washington, I +appreciate how impossible it is to convey an adequate realization of the +office of President. A few short paragraphs in the Constitution of the +United States describe all his fundamental duties. Various laws passed +over a period of nearly a century and a half have supplemented his +authority. All of his actions can be analyzed. All of his goings and +comings can be recited. The details of his daily life can be made known. +The effect of his policies on his own country and on the world at large +can be estimated. His methods of work, his associates, his place of +abode, can all be described. But the relationship created by all these +and more, which constitutes the magnitude of the office, does not yield +to definition. Like the glory of a morning sunrise, it can only be +experienced--it can not be told. + +In the discharge of the duties of the office there is one rule of action +more important than all others. It consists in never doing anything that +some one else can do for you. Like many other good rules, it is proven +by its exceptions. But it indicates a course that should be very +strictly followed in order to prevent being so entirely devoted to +trifling details that there will be little opportunity to give the +necessary consideration to policies of larger importance. + +Like some other rules, this one has an important corollary which must be +carefully observed in order to secure success. It is not sufficient to +entrust details to some one else. They must be entrusted to some one who +is competent. The Presidency is primarily an executive office. It is +placed at the apex of our system of government. It is a place of last +resort to which all questions are brought that others have not been able +to answer. The ideal way for it to function is to assign to the various +positions men of sufficient ability so that they can solve all the +problems that arise under their jurisdiction. If there is a troublesome +situation in Nicaragua, a General McCoy can manage it. If we have +differences with Mexico, a Morrow can compose them. If there is unrest +in the Philippines, a Stimson can quiet them. About a dozen able, +courageous, reliable and experienced men in the House and the Senate can +reduce the problem of legislation almost to a vanishing point. + +While it is wise for the President to get all the competent advice +possible, final judgments are necessarily his own. No one can share with +him the responsibility for them. No one can make his decisions for him. +He stands at the center of things where no one else can stand. If others +make mistakes, they can be relieved, and oftentimes a remedy can be +provided. But he can not retire. His decisions are final and usually +irreparable. This constitutes the appalling burden of his office. Not +only the welfare of 120,000,000 of his countrymen, but oftentimes the +peaceful relations of the world are entrusted to his keeping. At the +turn of his hand the guns of an enormous fleet would go into action +anywhere in the world, carrying the iron might of death and destruction. +His appointment confers the power to administer justice, inflict +criminal penalties, declare acts of state legislatures and of the +Congress void, and sit in judgment over the very life of the nation. +Practically all the civil and military authorities of the government, +except the Congress and the courts, hold their office at his discretion. +He appoints, and he can remove. The billions of dollars of government +revenue are collected and expended under his direction. The Congress +makes the laws, but it is the President who causes them to be executed. +A power so vast in its implications has never been conferred upon any +ruling sovereign. + +Yet the President exercises his authority in accordance with the +Constitution and the law. He is truly the agent of the people, +performing such functions as they have entrusted to him. The +Constitution specifically vests him with the executive power. Some +Presidents have seemed to interpret that as an authorization to take any +action which the Constitution, or perhaps the law, does not specifically +prohibit. Others have considered that their powers extended only to such +acts as were specifically authorized by the Constitution and the +statutes. This has always seemed to me to be a hypothetical question, +which it would be idle to attempt to determine in advance. It would +appear to be the better practice to wait to decide each question on its +merits as it arises. Jefferson is said to have entertained the opinion +that there was no constitutional warrant for enlarging the territory of +the United States, but when the actual facts confronted him he did not +hesitate to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. For all ordinary occasions +the specific powers assigned to the President will be found sufficient +to provide for the welfare of the country. That is all he needs. + +All situations that arise are likely to be simplified, and many of them +completely solved, by an application of the Constitution and the law. If +what they require to be done, is done, there is no opportunity for +criticism, and it would be seldom that anything better could be devised. +A Commission once came to me with a proposal for adopting rules to +regulate the conduct of its members. As they were evenly divided, each +side wished me to decide against the other. They did this because, while +it is always the nature of a Commissioner to claim that he is entirely +independent of the President, he would usually welcome Presidential +interference with any other Commissioner who does not agree with him. +In this case it occurred to me that the Department of Justice should +ascertain what the statute setting up this Commission required under the +circumstances. A reference to the law disclosed that the Congress had +specified the qualifications of the members of the Commission and that +they could not by rule either enlarge or diminish the power of their +individual members. So their problem was solved like many others by +simply finding out what the law required. + +Every day of the Presidential life is crowded with activities. When +people not accustomed to Washington came to the office, or when I met +them on some special occasion, they often remarked that it seemed to be +my busy day, to which my stock reply came to be that all days were busy +and there was little difference among them. It was my custom to be out +of bed about six-thirty, except in the darkest mornings of winter. One +of the doormen at the White House was an excellent barber, but I always +preferred to shave myself with old-fashioned razors, which I knew how to +keep in good condition. It was my intention to take a short walk before +breakfast, which Mrs. Coolidge and I ate together in our rooms. For me +there was fruit and about one-half cup of coffee, with a home-made +cereal made from boiling together two parts of unground wheat with one +part of rye. To this was added a roll and a strip of bacon, which went +mostly to our dogs. + +Soon after eight found me dictating in the White House library in +preparation for some public utterance. This would go on for more than an +hour, after which I began to receive callers at the office. Most of +these came by appointment, but in addition to the average of six to +eight who were listed there would be as many more from my Cabinet and +the Congress, to whom I was always accessible. Each one came to me with +a different problem requiring my decision, which was usually made at +once. About twelve-fifteen those began to be brought in who were to be +somewhat formally presented. At twelve-thirty the doors were opened, and +a long line passed by who wished merely to shake hands with the +President. On one occasion I shook hands with nineteen hundred in +thirty-four minutes, which is probably my record. Instead of a burden, +it was a pleasure and a relief to meet people in that way and listen to +their greeting, which was often a benediction. It was at this same hour +that the numerous groups assembled in the South Grounds, where I joined +them for the photographs used for news purposes and permanent mementoes +of their White House visit. + +Lunch came at one o’clock, at which we usually had guests. It made an +opportunity for giving our friends a little more attention than could be +extended through a mere handshake. About an hour was devoted to rest +before returning to the office, where the afternoon was reserved for +attention to the immense number of documents which pass over the desk of +the President. These were all cleaned up each day. Before dinner another +walk was in order, followed by exercises on some of the vibrating +machines kept in my room. We gathered at the dinner table at seven +o’clock and within three-quarters of an hour work would be resumed with +my stenographer to continue until about ten o’clock. + +The White House offices are under the direction of the Secretary to the +President. They are the center of activities which are world-wide. +Reports come in daily from heads of departments, from distant +possessions, and from foreign diplomats and consular agents scattered +all over the earth. A mass of correspondence, from the Congress, the +officials of the states, and the general public, is constantly being +received. All of this often reaches two thousand pieces in a day. Very +much of it is sent at once to the Department to which it refers, from +which an answer is sent direct to the writer. Other parts are sent to +different members of the office staff; and some is laid before the +President. While I signed many letters, I did not dictate many. After +indicating the nature of the reply, it was usually put into form by some +of the secretaries. A great many photographs were sent in to be +inscribed, and a constant stream of autographs went to all who wrote for +them. + +At ten-thirty on Tuesdays and Fridays the Cabinet meetings were held. +These were always very informal. Each member was asked if he had any +problem he wished to lay before the President. When I first attended +with President Harding at the beginning of a new administration these +were rather numerous. Later, they decreased, as each member felt better +able to solve his own problems. After entire freedom of discussion, but +always without a vote of any kind, I was accustomed to announce what the +decision should be. There never ought to be and never were marked +differences of opinion in my Cabinet. As their duties were not to advise +each other, but to advise the President, they could not disagree among +themselves. I rarely failed to accept their recommendations. Sometimes +they wished for larger appropriations than the state of the Treasury +warranted, but they all cooperated most sincerely in the policy of +economy and were content with such funds as I could assign to them. + +The Secretary of State is the agency through which the President +exercises his constitutional authority to deal with foreign relations. +As this subject is a matter of constant interchange, he makes no annual +report upon it. Other Cabinet officers make annual reports to the +President on the whole conduct of their departments, which he transmits +to the Congress. All the intercourse with foreign governments is carried +on through the Secretary of State, and a national of a foreign country +can not be received by the President unless the accredited diplomatic +representative of his government has made an appointment for him through +the State Department. + +All foreign approaches to the President are through this Department. +When an Ambassador or Minister is to present his credentials, the +Undersecretary of State brings him to the White House and escorts him to +the Green Room. After the President has taken his position standing in +the Blue Room accompanied by his aides, the diplomat is then brought +before him. He presents his letters with a short formal statement, to +which the President responds in kind. When the mutual expressions of +friendly interest and good will have been exchanged, the accompanying +staff of the diplomat is brought in for presentation, after which he +retires. Except when foreign officials are presented for an audience in +this way, the etiquette of the White House requires that those who are +present should remain until the President and the Mistress of the White +House retire from the room. + +A competent man is assigned from the State Department to have the +management of the White House official social function. He has under +him a considerable staff located in one of the basement rooms, known as +the Social Bureau. They keep a careful list of all those who leave cards +and of the officials who should be invited to receptions, which is +constantly revised to meet changing conditions. While the President has +supervision over all these functions, the most effective way to deal +with them is to provide a capable Mistress of the White House. I have +often been complimented on the choice which I made nearly twenty-five +years ago. These functions were so much in the hands of Mrs. Coolidge +that oftentimes I did not know what guests were to be present until I +met them in the Blue Room just before going in to dinner. + +These social functions are almost as much a part of the life of official +Washington as a session of the Congress or a term of the Supreme Court. +The season opens with the Cabinet dinner. Following this come the +Diplomatic reception, the Diplomatic dinner, then the Judicial +reception, the Supreme Court dinner, then the Congressional reception +and the Speaker’s dinner, with the last reception of the year tendered +to the Army and Navy. About fifty guests assemble at the dinners, except +that given to the diplomats, when the presence of the Ambassadors or +Ministers, with their wives, of all countries represented in Washington +brings the number up to about ninety. The Marine Band is in attendance +on all these occasions. Following the dinners a short musical recital by +famous artists is given in the East Room, to which many additional +guests are invited. + +A reception is a particularly colorful event. About thirty-five hundred +invitations are issued. When the guests are assembled the President and +his wife, preceded by his aides and followed by the Cabinet and his +Secretary and their wives, go down the main staircase, pausing for a +moment to receive the military salute of the band, and then pass to the +Blue Room where the receptions are always held. When the foreign +diplomats are present in their official dress, the scene is very +brilliant. After all the presentations have been made, the President and +his retinue return to the second floor. Immediately after this there is +dancing in the East Room to furnish entertainment while the long line +of cars comes up to take the guests home. + +Whenever the prominent officials of foreign governments visit +Washington, it is customary to receive them at a luncheon or dinner at +the White House. When the Prince of Wales was here in 1924 we were in +mourning, due to the loss of our son, so that he lunched with us +informally without any other invited guests. When the Queen of Rumania +came to Washington she was entertained at dinner. There have also been +Princes of the reigning house of Japan and of Sweden, the Premier of +France, the Governor General of Canada, the Presidents of the Irish Free +State, of Cuba, and of Mexico, who have been received and entertained in +some manner. Whenever an official gathering of foreigners, like the +Panama Conference, convenes in Washington, the President and the +Mistress of the White House tender them a reception and a dinner. + +Besides these formal social gatherings, there were various afternoon +teas and musicales, which I sometimes neglected, and usually one or two +garden parties held in the South Grounds, one of which was for the +disabled veterans who were patients in Washington hospitals. These +parties were accompanied with band music and light refreshments, which +always seemed to be appreciated by the veterans. + +My personal social functions consisted of the White House breakfasts, +which were attended by fifteen to twenty-five members of the House and +Senate and others, who gathered around my table at eight-thirty o’clock +in the morning to partake of a meal which ended with wheat cakes and +Vermont maple syrup. During the last session of the Congress I invited +all the members of the Senate, all the chairmen and ranking Democratic +members of the committees of the House, and finally had breakfast with +the officers of both houses of the Congress. Although we did not +undertake to discuss matters of public business at these breakfasts, +they were productive of a spirit of good fellowship which was no doubt a +helpful influence to the transaction of public business. + +In addition to these White House events, the President and his wife go +out to twelve official dinners. They begin with the Vice-President, go +on among the ten members of the Cabinet, and close with the Speaker of +the House. Aside from these, it is not customary for the President to +accept the hospitality of any individuals. This is not from any desire +on his part to be exclusive, but rather arises from an application of +the principle of equality. The number of days in his term of office is +limited. If he gave up all the time when he is not otherwise necessarily +engaged, it is doubtful if he could find fifty evenings in a year when +he could accept invitations. At once he would be confronted with the +necessity of deciding which to accept and which to reject. If he served +eight years, he could only touch the fringe of official Washington, even +if he chose to disregard all the balance of the country. The only escape +from an otherwise impossible situation is to observe the rule of +refusing all social invitations. + +The President stands at the head of all official and social rank in the +nation. As he is Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, all their +officers are his subordinates. As he is the head of the government, he +outranks all other public officials. As the first citizen, he is placed +at the top of the social scale. Wherever he goes, whenever he appears, +he must be assigned the place of honor. It follows from this that he can +not consistently attend a dinner or any other function given by some one +else in honor of any other person. He can have ceremonies of his own at +the White House, or outside, in which he recognizes the merit of others +and bestows upon them appropriate honors. But his participation in any +other occasion of such a nature is confined to sending an appropriate +message. + +It would make great confusion in all White House relations unless the +rules of procedure were observed. If this were not done, the most +ambitious and intruding would seize the place of honor, or it would be +bestowed by favor. In both cases all official position would be ignored. +In its working out, therefore, the adoption of rules which take no +account of persons, but simply apply to places, is the only method which +is in harmony with our spirit of equality. In its application it gives +us more completely a government of laws and not of men. + +As he is head of the government, charged with making appointments, and +clothed with the executive power, the President has a certain +responsibility for the conduct of all departments, commissions and +independent bureaus. While I was willing to advise with any of these +officers and give them any assistance in my power, I always felt they +should make their own decisions and rarely volunteered any advice. Many +applications are made requesting the President to seek to influence +these bodies, and such applications were usually transmitted to them for +their information without comment. Wherever they exercise judicial +functions, I always felt that some impropriety might attach to any +suggestions from me. The parties before them are entitled to a fair +trial on the merits of their case and to have judgment rendered by those +to whom both sides have presented their evidence. If some one on the +outside undertook to interfere, even if grave injustice was not done, +the integrity of a commission which comes from a knowledge that it can +be relied on to exercise its own independent judgment would be very much +impaired. + +I never hesitated to ask commissions to speed up their work and get +their business done, but if they were not doing it correctly my remedy +would be to supplant them with those who I thought would do better. At +one time the Shipping Board adopted a resolution declaring their +independence of the President and claiming they were responsible solely +to the Congress. As I always considered they had a rather impossible +task, I doubted whether any one could be very successful in its +performance. If they wished to try to relieve me of its responsibility, +I had no personal objection and would probably be saved from +considerable criticism. But they found they could not carry on their +work without the support of the President, so that some of them resigned +and the remainder reestablished their contact with the White House, +which was always open to them. + +The practice which I followed in my relations with commissions and in +the recognition of rank has been long established. President Jefferson +seems to have entertained the opinion that even the Supreme Court should +be influenced by his wishes and that failing in this a recalcitrant +judge should be impeached by a complaisant Congress. This brought him +into a sharp conflict with John Marshall, who resisted any encroachment +upon the independence of the Court. In this controversy the position of +Marshall has been vindicated. It is also said that at some of his +official dinners President Jefferson left all his guests to the +confusion of taking whatever seat they could find at his table. But this +method did not survive the test of history. In spite of all his +greatness, any one who had as many ideas as Jefferson was bound to find +that some of them would not work. But this does not detract from the +wisdom of his faith in the people and his constant insistence that they +be left to manage their own affairs. His opposition to bureaucracy will +bear careful analysis, and the country could stand a great deal more of +its application. The trouble with us is that we talk about Jefferson but +do not follow him. In his theory that the people should manage their +government, and not be managed by it, he was everlastingly right. + +Tradition and custom, it will be seen, are oftentimes determining +factors in the Presidential office, as they are in all other walks of +life. This is not because they are arbitrary or artificial, but because +long experience has demonstrated that they are the best methods of +dealing with human affairs. Things are done in a certain way after many +repetitions show that way causes the least friction and is most likely +to bring the desired result. While there are times when the people might +enjoy the spectacular, in the end they will only be satisfied with +accomplishments. The President gets the best advice he can find, uses +the best judgment at his command, and leaves the event in the hands of +Providence. + +Everything that the President does potentially at least is of such great +importance that he must be constantly on guard. This applies not only to +himself, but to everybody about him. Not only in all his official +actions, but in all his social intercourse, and even in his recreation +and repose, he is constantly watched by a multitude of eyes to determine +if there is anything unusual, extraordinary, or irregular, which can be +set down in praise or in blame. Oftentimes trifling incidents, some +insignificant action, an unfortunate phrase in an address, an +injudicious letter, a lack of patience towards some one who presents an +impossible proposition, too much attention to one person, or too little +courtesy towards another, become magnified into the sensation of the +hour. While such events finally sink into their proper place in history +as too small for consideration, if they occur frequently they create an +atmosphere of distraction that might seriously interfere with the +conduct of public business which is really important. + +It was my desire to maintain about the White House as far as possible an +attitude of simplicity and not engage in anything that had an air of +pretentious display. That was my conception of the great office. It +carries sufficient power within itself, so that it does not require any +of the outward trappings of pomp and splendor for the purpose of +creating an impression. It has a dignity of its own which makes it +self-sufficient. Of course, there should be proper formality, and +personal relations should be conducted at all times with decorum and +dignity, and in accordance with the best traditions of polite society. +But there is no need of theatricals. + +But, however much he may deplore it, the President ceases to be an +ordinary citizen. In order to function at all he has to be surrounded +with many safeguards. If these were removed for only a short time, he +would be overwhelmed by the people who would surge in upon him. In +traveling it would be agreeable to me to use the regular trains which +are open to the public. I have done so once or twice. But I found it +made great difficulty for the railroads. They reported that it was +unsafe, because they could not take the necessary precautions. It +therefore seemed best to run a second section, following a regular +train, for the exclusive use of the President and his party. While the +facilities of a private car have always been offered, I think they have +only been used once, when one was needed for the better comfort of Mrs. +Coolidge during her illness. Although I have not been given to much +travel during my term of office, it has been sufficient, so that I am +convinced the government should own a private car for the use of the +President when he leaves Washington. The pressure on him is so great, +the responsibilities are so heavy, that it is wise public policy in +order to secure his best services to provide him with such ample +facilities that he will be relieved as far as possible from all physical +inconveniences. + +It is not generally understood how much detail is involved in any +journey of the President. One or two secret service men must go to the +destination several days in advance. His line of travel and every street +and location which he is to visit are carefully examined. The order of +ceremonies has to be submitted for approval. Oftentimes the local police +are inadequate, so that it is necessary to use some of the military or +naval forces to assist them. Not only his aides and his personal +physician, but also secret service men, some of his office force, and +house servants, have to be in attendance. Quarters must also be provided +for a large retinue of newspaper reporters and camera men who follow him +upon all occasions. Every switch that he goes over is spiked down. Every +freight train that he passes is stopped and every passenger train slowed +down to ten miles per hour. While all of this proceeds smoothly, it +requires careful attention to a great variety of details. + +It has never been my practice to speak from rear platforms. The +confusion is so great that few people could hear and it does not seem to +me very dignified. When the President speaks it ought to be an event. +The excuse for such appearances which formerly existed has been +eliminated by the coming of the radio. It is so often that the President +is on the air that almost any one who wishes has ample opportunity to +hear his voice. It has seemed more appropriate for Mrs. Coolidge and me +to appear at the rear of the train where the people could see us. About +the only time that I have spoken was at Bennington in September of 1928, +where I expressed my affection and respect for the people of the state +of Vermont, as I was passing through that town on my way back to +Washington. I found that the love I had for the hills where I was born +touched a responsive chord in the heart of the whole nation. + +One of the most appalling trials which confront a President is the +perpetual clamor for public utterances. Invitations are constant and +pressing. They come by wire, by mail, and by delegations. No event of +importance is celebrated anywhere in the United States without inviting +him to come to deliver an oration. When others are enjoying a holiday, +he is expected to make a public appearance in order to entertain and +instruct by a formal address. There are a few public statements that he +does not deliver in person, like proclamations, and messages, which go +to the Congress, either reporting his views on the state of the Union in +his Annual Message or giving his reasons for rejecting legislation in a +veto. These productions vary in length. My Annual Message would be about +twelve thousand words. My speeches would average a little over three +thousand words. In the course of a year the entire number reaches about +twenty, which probably represents an output of at least seventy-five +thousand words. + +This kind of work is very exacting. It requires the most laborious and +extended research and study, and the most careful and painstaking +thought. Each word has to be weighed in the realization that it is a +Presidential utterance which will be dissected at home and abroad to +discover its outward meaning and any possible hidden implications. +Before it is finished it is thoroughly examined by one or two of my +staff, and oftentimes by a member of the Cabinet. It is not difficult +for me to deliver an address. The difficulty lies in its preparation. +This is an important part of the work of a President which he can not +escape. It is inherent in the office. + +[Illustration: CALVIN COOLIDGE AND HIS FAMILY + +_The day he became Governor of Massachusetts_] + +A great many presents come to the White House, which are all cherished, +not so much for their intrinsic value as because they are tokens of +esteem and affection. Almost everything that can be eaten comes. We +always know what to do with that. But some of the pets that are offered +us are more of a problem. I have a beautiful black-haired bear that was +brought all the way from Mexico in a truck, and a pair of live lion cubs +now grown up, and a small species of hippopotamus which came from South +Africa. These and other animals and birds have been placed in the +zoological quarters in Rock Creek Park. We always had more dogs than we +could take care of. My favorites were the white collies, which became so +much associated with me that they are enshrined in my bookplate, where +they will live as long as our country endures. One of them, Prudence +Prim, was especially attached to Mrs. Coolidge. We lost her in the Black +Hills. She lies out there in the shadow of Bear Butte where the Indians +told me the Great Spirit came to commune with his children. One was my +companion, Rob Roy. He was a stately gentleman of great courage and +fidelity. He loved to bark from the second-story windows and around the +South Grounds. Nights he remained in my room and afternoons went with me +to the office. His especial delight was to ride with me in the boats +when I went fishing. So although I know he would bark for joy as the +grim boatman ferried him across the dark waters of the Styx, yet his +going left me lonely on the hither shore. + +As I left office I realized that the more I had seen of the workings of +the Federal government the more respect I came to have for it. It is +carried on by hundreds of thousands of people. Some prove incompetent. A +very few are tempted to become disloyal to their trust. But the great +rank and file of them are of good ability, conscientious, and faithful +public servants. While some are paid more than they would earn in +private life, there are great throngs who are serving at a distinct +personal sacrifice. Among the higher officials this is almost always +true. The service they perform entitles them to approbation and honor. + +The Congress has sometimes been a sore trial to Presidents. I did not +find it so in my case. Among them were men of wonderful ability and +veteran experience. I think they made their decisions with an honest +purpose to serve their country. The membership of the Senate changed +very much by reason of those who sacrificed themselves for public duty. +Of all public officials with whom I have ever been acquainted, the work +of a Senator of the United States is by far the most laborious. About +twenty of them died during the eight years I was in Washington. + +Sometimes it would seem for a day that either the House or the Senate +had taken some unwise action, but if it was not corrected on the floor +where it occurred it was usually remedied in the other chamber. I always +found the members of both parties willing to confer with me and disposed +to treat my recommendations fairly. Most of the differences could be +adjusted by personal discussion. Sometimes I made an appeal direct to +the country by stating my position at the newspaper conferences. I +adopted that course in relation to the Mississippi Flood Control Bill. +As it passed the Senate it appeared to be much too extravagant in its +rule of damages and its proposed remedy. The press began a vigorous +discussion of the subject, which caused the House greatly to modify the +bill, and in conference a measure that was entirely fair and moderate +was adopted. On other occasions I appealed to the country more +privately, enlisting the influence of labor and trade organizations upon +the Congress in behalf of some measures in which I was interested. That +was done in the case of the tax bill of 1928. As it passed the House, +the reductions were so large that the revenue necessary to meet the +public expenses would not have been furnished. By quietly making this +known to the Senate, and enlisting support for that position among their +constituents, it was possible to secure such modification of the measure +that it could be adopted without greatly endangering the revenue. + +But a President cannot, with success, constantly appeal to the country. +After a time he will get no response. The people have their own affairs +to look after and can not give much attention to what the Congress is +doing. If he takes a position, and stands by it, ultimately it will be +adopted. Most of the policies set out in my first Annual Message have +become law, but it took several years to get action on some of them. + +One of the most perplexing and at the same time most important functions +of the President is the making of appointments. In some few cases he +acts alone, but usually they are made with the advice and consent of the +Senate. It is the practice to consult Senators of his own party before +making an appointment from their state. In choosing persons for service +over the whole or any considerable portion of a single state, it is +customary to rely almost entirely on the party Senators from that state +for recommendations. It is not possible to find men who are perfect. +Selection always has to be limited to human beings, whatever choice is +made. It is therefore always possible to point out defects. The +supposition that no one should be appointed who has had experience in +the field which he is to supervise is extremely detrimental to the +public service. An Interstate Commerce Commissioner is much better +qualified, if he knows something about transportation. A Federal Trade +Commissioner can render much better service if he has had a legal +practice which extended into large business transactions. The assertion +of those who contend that persons accepting a government appointment +would betray their trust in favor of former associates can be understood +only on the supposition that those who make it feel that their own +tenure of public office is for the purpose of benefiting themselves and +their friends. + +Every one knows that where the treasure is, there will the heart be +also. When a man has invested his personal interest and reputation in +the conduct of a public office, if he goes wrong it will not be because +of former relations, but because he is a bad man. The same interests +that reached him would reach any bad man, irrespective of former life +history. What we need in appointive positions is men of knowledge and +experience who have sufficient character to resist temptations. If that +standard is maintained, we need not be concerned about their former +activities. If it is not maintained, all the restrictions on their past +employment that can be conceived will be of no avail. + +The more experience I have had in making appointments, the more I am +convinced that attempts to put limitations on the appointing power are +a mistake. It should be possible to choose a well qualified person +wherever he can be found. When restrictions are placed on residence, +occupation, or profession, it almost always happens that some one is +found who is universally admitted to be the best qualified, but who is +eliminated by the artificial specifications. So long as the Senate has +the power to reject nominations, there is little danger that a President +would abuse his authority if he were given the largest possible freedom +in his choices. The public service would be improved if all vacancies +were filled by simply appointing the best ability and character that can +be found. That is what is done in private business. The adoption of any +other course handicaps the government in all its operations. + +In determining upon all his actions, however, the President has to +remember that he is dealing with two different minds. One is the mind of +the country, largely intent upon its own personal affairs, and, while +not greatly interested in the government, yet desirous of seeing it +conducted in an orderly and dignified manner for the advancement of the +public welfare. Those who compose this mind wish to have the country +prosperous and are opposed to unjust taxation and public extravagance. +At the same time they have a patriotic pride which moves them with so +great a desire to see things well done that they are willing to pay for +it. They gladly contribute their money to place the United States in the +lead. In general, they represent the public opinion of the land. + +But they are unorganized, formless, and inarticulate. Against a compact +and well drilled minority they do not appear to be very effective. They +are nevertheless the great power in our government. I have constantly +appealed to them and have seldom failed in enlisting their support. They +are the court of last resort and their decisions are final. + +They are, however, the indirect rather than the direct power. The +immediate authority with which the President has to deal is vested in +the political mind. In order to get things done he has to work through +that agency. Some of our Presidents have appeared to lack comprehension +of the political mind. Although I have been associated with it for many +years, I always found difficulty in understanding it. It is a strange +mixture of vanity and timidity, of an obsequious attitude at one time +and a delusion of grandeur at another time, of the most selfish +preferment combined with the most sacrificing patriotism. The political +mind is the product of men in public life who have been twice spoiled. +They have been spoiled with praise and they have been spoiled with +abuse. With them nothing is natural, everything is artificial. A few +rare souls escape these influences and maintain a vision and a judgment +that are unimpaired. They are a great comfort to every President and a +great service to their country. But they are not sufficient in number so +that the public business can be transacted like a private business. + +It is because in their hours of timidity the Congress becomes +subservient to the importunities of organized minorities that the +President comes more and more to stand as the champion of the rights of +the whole country. Organizing such minorities has come to be a +well-recognized industry at Washington. They are oftentimes led by +persons of great ability, who display much skill in bringing their +influences to bear on the Congress. They have ways of securing +newspaper publicity, deluging Senators and Representatives with +petitions and overwhelming them with imprecations that are oftentimes +decisive in securing the passage of bills. While much of this +legislation is not entirely bad, almost all of it is excessively +expensive. If it were not for the rules of the House and the veto power +of the President, within two years these activities would double the +cost of the government. + +Under our system the President is not only the head of the government, +but is also the head of his party. The last twenty years have witnessed +a decline in party spirit and a distinct weakening in party loyalty. +While an independent attitude on the part of the citizen is not without +a certain public advantage, yet it is necessary under our form of +government to have political parties. Unless some one is a partisan, no +one can be an independent. The Congress is organized entirely in +accordance with party policy. The parties appeal to the voters in behalf +of their platforms. The people make their choice on those issues. Unless +those who are elected on the same party platform associate themselves +together to carry out its provisions, the election becomes a mockery. +The independent voter who has joined with others in placing a party +nominee in office finds his efforts were all in vain, if the person he +helps elect refuses or neglects to keep the platform pledges of his +party. + +Many occasions arise in the Congress when party lines are very properly +disregarded, but if there is to be a reasonable government proceeding in +accordance with the express mandate of the people, and not merely at the +whim of those who happen to be victorious at the polls, on all the +larger and important issues there must be party solidarity. It is the +business of the President as party leader to do the best he can to see +that the declared party platform purposes are translated into +legislative and administrative action. Oftentimes I secured support from +those without my party and had opposition from those within my party, in +attempting to keep my platform pledges. + +Such a condition is entirely anomalous. It leaves the President as the +sole repository of party responsibility. But it is one of the reasons +that the Presidential office has grown in popular estimation and favor, +while the Congress has declined. The country feels that the President is +willing to assume responsibility, while his party in the Congress is +not. I have never felt it was my duty to attempt to coerce Senators or +Representatives, or to take reprisals. The people sent them to +Washington. I felt I had discharged my duty when I had done the best I +could with them. In this way I avoided almost entirely a personal +opposition, which I think was of more value to the country than to +attempt to prevail through arousing personal fear. + +Under our system it ought to be remembered that the power to initiate +policies has to be centralized somewhere. Unless the party leaders +exercising it can depend on loyalty and organization support, the party +in which it is reposed will become entirely ineffective. A party which +is ineffective will soon be discarded. If a party is to endure as a +serviceable instrument of government for the country, it must possess +and display a healthy spirit of party loyalty. Such a manifestation in +the Congress would do more than anything else to rehabilitate it in the +esteem and confidence of the country. + +It is natural for man to seek power. It was because of this trait of +human nature that the founders of our institutions provided a system of +checks and balances. They placed all their public officers under +constitutional limitations. They had little fear of the courts and were +inclined to regard legislative bodies as the natural champions of their +liberties. They were very apprehensive that the executive might seek to +exercise arbitrary powers. Under our Constitution such fears seldom have +been well founded. The President has tended to become the champion of +the people because he is held solely responsible for his acts, while in +the Congress where responsibility is divided it has developed that there +is much greater danger of arbitrary action. + +It has therefore become increasingly imperative that the President +should resist any encroachment upon his constitutional powers. One of +the most important of these is the power of appointment. The +Constitution provides that he shall nominate, and by and with the advice +and consent of the Senate appoint. A constant pressure is exerted by the +Senators to make their own nominations and the Congress is constantly +proposing laws which undertake to deprive the President of the +appointive power. Different departments and bureaus are frequently +supporting measures that would make them self-perpetuating bodies to +which no appointments could be made that they did not originate. While I +have always sought cooperation and advice, I have likewise resisted +these efforts, sometimes by refusing to adopt recommendations and +sometimes by the exercise of the veto power. One of the farm relief +bills, and later a public health measure, had these clearly +unconstitutional limitations on the power of appointment. In the defense +of the rights and liberties of the people it is necessary for the +President to resist all encroachments upon his lawful authority. + +All of these trials and encouragements come to each President. It is +impossible to explain them. Even after passing through the Presidential +office, it still remains a great mystery. Why one person is selected for +it and many others are rejected can not be told. Why people respond as +they do to its influence seems to be beyond inquiry. Any man who has +been placed in the White House can not feel that it is the result of +his own exertions or his own merit. Some power outside and beyond him +becomes manifest through him. As he contemplates the workings of his +office, he comes to realize with an increasing sense of humility that he +is but an instrument in the hands of God. + + + + +WHY I DID NOT CHOOSE TO RUN + + + + +_CHAPTER SEVEN_ + +WHY I DID NOT CHOOSE TO RUN + + +Perhaps I have already indicated some of the reasons why I did not +desire to be a candidate to succeed myself. + +The Presidential office takes a heavy toll of those who occupy it and +those who are dear to them. While we should not refuse to spend and be +spent in the service of our country, it is hazardous to attempt what we +feel is beyond our strength to accomplish. + +I had never wished to run in 1928 and had determined to make a public +announcement at a sufficiently early date so that the party would have +ample time to choose some one else. An appropriate occasion for that +announcement seemed to be the fourth anniversary of my taking office. +The reasons I can give may not appear very convincing, but I am +confident my decision was correct. + +My personal and official relations have all been peculiarly pleasant. +The Congress has not always done all that I wished, but it has done very +little that I did not approve. So far as I can judge, I have been +especially fortunate in having the approbation of the country. + +But irrespective of the third-term policy, the Presidential office is of +such a nature that it is difficult to conceive how one man can +successfully serve the country for a term of more than eight years. + +While I am in favor of continuing the long-established custom of the +country in relation to a third term for a President, yet I do not think +that the practice applies to one who has succeeded to part of a term as +Vice-President. Others might argue that it does, but I doubt if the +country would so consider it. + +Although my own health has been practically perfect, yet the duties are +very great and ten years would be a very heavy strain. It would be +especially long for the Mistress of the White House. Mrs. Coolidge has +been in more than usual good health, but I doubt if she could have +stayed there for ten years without some danger of impairment of her +strength. + +A President should not only not be selfish, but he ought to avoid the +appearance of selfishness. The people would not have confidence in a man +that appeared to be grasping for office. + +It is difficult for men in high office to avoid the malady of +self-delusion. They are always surrounded by worshipers. They are +constantly, and for the most part sincerely, assured of their greatness. + +They live in an artificial atmosphere of adulation and exaltation which +sooner or later impairs their judgment. They are in grave danger of +becoming careless and arrogant. + +The chances of having wise and faithful public service are increased by +a change in the Presidential office after a moderate length of time. + +It is necessary for the head of the nation to differ with many people +who are honest in their opinions. As his term progresses, the number who +are disappointed accumulates. Finally, there is so large a body who have +lost confidence in him that he meets a rising opposition which makes his +efforts less effective. + +In the higher ranges of public service men appear to come forward to +perform a certain duty. When it is performed their work is done. They +usually find it impossible to readjust themselves in the thought of the +people so as to pass on successfully to the solution of new public +problems. + +An examination of the records of those Presidents who have served eight +years will disclose that in almost every instance the latter part of +their term has shown very little in the way of constructive +accomplishment. They have often been clouded with grave disappointments. + +While I had a desire to be relieved of the pretensions and delusions of +public life, it was not because of any attraction of pleasure or +idleness. + +We draw our Presidents from the people. It is a wholesome thing for them +to return to the people. I came from them. I wish to be one of them +again. + +Although all our Presidents have had back of them a good heritage of +blood, very few have been born to the purple. Fortunately, they are not +supported at public expense after leaving office, so they are not +expected to set an example encouraging to a leisure class. + +They have only the same title to nobility that belongs to all our +citizens, which is the one based on achievement and character, so they +need not assume superiority. It is becoming for them to engage in some +dignified employment where they can be of service as others are. + +Our country does not believe in idleness. It honors hard work. I wanted +to serve the country again as a private citizen. + +In making my public statement I was careful in the use of words. There +were some who reported that they were mystified as to my meaning when I +said, “I do not choose to run.” + +Although I did not know it at the time, months later I found that +Washington said practically the same thing. Certainly he said no more in +his Farewell Address, where he announced that “choice and prudence” +invited him to retire. + +There were others who constantly demanded that I should state that if +nominated I would refuse to accept. Such a statement would not be in +accordance with my conception of the requirements of the Presidential +office. I never stated or formulated in my own mind what I should do +under such circumstances, but I was determined not to have that +contingency arise. + +I therefore sent the Secretary to the President, Everett Sanders, a man +of great ability and discretion, to Kansas City with instructions to +notify several of the leaders of state delegations not to vote for me. +Had I not done so, I am told, I should have been nominated. + +The report that he had talked with me on the telephone after his +arrival, and I had told him I would not accept if nominated, was pure +fabrication. I had no communication with him of any kind after he left +Washington and did not give him any such instruction or message at any +time. + +I thought if I could prevent being nominated, which I was able to do, it +would never be necessary for me to decide the other question. But in +order to be perfectly free, I sent this notice, so that if I declined no +one could say I had misled him into supposing that I was willing to +receive his vote. + +I felt sure that the party and the country were in so strong a position +that they could easily nominate and elect some other candidate. The +events have confirmed my judgment. + +In the primary campaign I was careful to make it known that I was not +presenting any candidate. The friends of several of them no doubt +represented that their candidate was satisfactory to me, which was true +as far as it went. + +I can conceive a situation in which a President might be warranted in +exercising the influence of his office in selecting his successor. That +condition did not exist in the last primary. The party had plenty of +material, which was available, and the candidate really should be the +choice of the people themselves. This is especially so now that so many +of the states have laws for the direct expression of the choice of the +voters. + +A President in office can do very much about the nomination of his +successor, because of his influence with the convention, but the feeling +that he had forced a choice would place the nominee under a heavy +handicap. + +When the convention assembles it is almost certain that it will look +about to see what candidate has made the largest popular showing, and +unless some peculiar disqualification develops it will nominate him. + +That was what happened in the last convention, although no one had a +majority when the convention assembled. + +A strong group of the party in and outside of the Senate made the +mistake of undertaking to oppose Mr. Hoover with a large number of local +candidates, which finally resulted in their not developing enough +strength for any particular candidate to make a showing sufficient to +impress the convention. + +Although I did not intimate in any way that I would not accept the +nomination, when I sent word to the heads of certain unpledged state +delegations not to vote for me, they very naturally turned to Mr. +Hoover, which brought about his nomination on the first ballot. + +The Presidential office differs from everything else. Much of it cannot +be described, it can only be felt. After I had considered the reasons +for my being a candidate on the one side and on the other, I could not +say that any of them moved me with compelling force. + +My election seemed assured. Nevertheless, I felt it was not best for the +country that I should succeed myself. A new impulse is more likely to be +beneficial. + +It was therefore my privilege, after seeing my administration so +strongly indorsed by the country, to retire voluntarily from the +greatest experience that can come to mortal man. In that way, I believed +I could best serve the people who have honored me and the country which +I love. + + +THE END + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76649 *** diff --git a/76649-h/76649-h.htm b/76649-h/76649-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..da66462 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/76649-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4701 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> + <head> +<link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + +<meta charset="utf-8"> +<title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Autobiography of +Calvin Coolidge. +</title> +<style> + +a:link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + + link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + +a:visited {background-color:#ffffff;color:purple;text-decoration:none;} + +a:hover {background-color:#ffffff;color:#FF0000;text-decoration:underline;} + +body{margin-left:4%;margin-right:6%;background:#ffffff;color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman", serif;font-size:medium;} + +.bbox3 {border:solid 1px black;padding:.3em; +margin:3% 15%;} + +.bbox2 {border:solid 1px black;padding:.75em;} + +.bbox1 {border:solid 1px black;} + +.c {text-align:center;text-indent:0%;} + +h2.chead {font-size:150%;letter-spacing:.15em;} + +.caption {font-weight:normal;} +.caption p{font-size:75%;text-align:center;text-indent:0%;} + +.fint {text-align:center;text-indent:0%; +margin-top:2em;} + +.figcenter {margin:3% auto 3% auto;clear:both; +text-align:center;text-indent:0%;} + + h1 {margin-top:5%;text-align:center;clear:both; +font-weight:normal;} + + h2 {margin-top:4%;margin-bottom:2%;text-align:center;clear:both; + font-size:100%;font-weight:normal;} + + hr {width:90%;margin:2em auto 2em auto;clear:both;color:black;} + + hr.full {width: 60%;margin:2% auto 2% auto;border-top:1px solid black; +padding:.1em;border-bottom:1px solid black;border-left:none;border-right:none;} + + img {border:none;} + +.letra {font-size:250%;float:left;margin-top:-1%;} + +.nind {text-indent:0%;} + + p {margin-top:.2em;text-align:justify;margin-bottom:.2em;text-indent:4%;} + +.pagenum {font-style:normal;position:absolute; +left:95%;font-size:55%;text-align:right;color:gray; +background-color:#ffffff;font-variant:normal; +font-style:normal;font-weight:normal; +text-decoration:none;text-indent:0em;} + +.pdd {padding-left:1em;} + +.rt {text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom;} + +.trsm {font-size:85%;} + +small {font-size: 70%;} + +table {margin-top:2%;margin-bottom:2%;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;border:none;} + +.toc {margin:1em auto;max-width:10em; +border:2px solid black;text-indent:0%;text-align:center;} +</style> + </head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76649 ***</div> +<hr class="full"> + +<p class="toc"> +<a href="#CONTENTS">CONTENTS</a><br> +<a href="#ILLUSTRATIONS">ILLUSTRATIONS</a> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a href="images/cover.jpg"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="342" height="550" alt=""></a> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a href="images/inside_cover.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_inside_cover_left.jpg" width="356" height="550" alt=""> +<img src="images/i_inside_cover_right.jpg" width="356" height="550" alt=""></a> +</div> + +<p class="c"><i>The Autobiography</i> +OF<br> +C A L V I N   C O O L I D G E +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="frontispiece"> +<a href="images/i_frontis_004.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_frontis_004.jpg" width="381" height="550" alt="Calvin Coolidge"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Calvin Coolidge</span> +</div> + +<div class="bbox3"> +<div class="bbox2"> +<div class="bbox1"> +<h1><i>The Autobiography</i><br> +OF<br> +CALVIN COOLIDGE</h1> + +<p class="c"><img src="images/colophon.png" +width="120" +height="69" +alt=""> +</p> + +<p class="c"> +<i>New York</i><br> +COSMOPOLITAN BOOK CORPORATION<br> +1929<br> +</p> +</div></div></div> + +<p class="c"><small> +COPYRIGHT 1929 CALVIN COOLIDGE<br> +<br> +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED<br> +<br> +SECOND TRADE EDITION<br> +<br> +<br> +PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. BY<br> +J. J. LITTLE & IVES CO., NEW YORK<br></small> +</p> + +<h2><a id="CONTENTS"></a><i>CONTENTS</i></h2> + +<table> +<tr class="trsm"><td class="rt"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I.</a></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_I"> SCENES OF MY CHILDHOOD</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3">  </td></tr> +<tr class="trsm"><td class="rt"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II.</a></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_II"> SEEKING AN EDUCATION</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_35">35</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3">  </td></tr> +<tr class="trsm"><td class="rt"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III.</a></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_III"> THE LAW AND POLITICS</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_81">81</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3">  </td></tr> +<tr class="trsm"><td class="rt"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV.</a></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"> IN NATIONAL POLITICS</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_139">139</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3">  </td></tr> +<tr class="trsm"><td class="rt"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V.</a></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_V"> ON ENTERING AND LEAVING THE PRESIDENCY</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_169">169</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3">  </td></tr> +<tr class="trsm"><td class="rt"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI.</a></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VI"> SOME OF THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_193">193</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="3">  </td></tr> +<tr class="trsm"><td class="rt"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII.</a></td><td><a href="#CHAPTER_VII"> WHY I DID NOT CHOOSE TO RUN</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_237">237</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<h2><a id="ILLUSTRATIONS"></a><i>ILLUSTRATIONS</i></h2> + +<table> +<tr><td><a href="#frontispiece">CALVIN COOLIDGE</a></td><td class="rt"> <i><a href="#frontispiece">Frontispiece</a></i></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td class="rt">FACING PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ill_001">VICTORIA JOSEPHINE (MOOR) COOLIDGE</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_30">30</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="pdd"><i>Mother of Calvin Coolidge</i></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ill_002">COLONEL JOHN C. COOLIDGE</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_48">48</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="pdd"><i>Vermont Senate</i></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ill_003">CALVIN COOLIDGE</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_66">66</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="pdd"><i>At the Age of Three</i></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ill_004">CALVIN COOLIDGE</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_90">90</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="pdd"><i>Aged Seven</i></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ill_005">CALVIN COOLIDGE</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_136">136</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="pdd"><i>At Amherst College</i></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ill_006">GRACE GOODHUE</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_190">190</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="pdd"><i>Before Her Marriage to Calvin Coolidge</i></td><td></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ill_007">CALVIN COOLIDGE AND HIS FAMILY</a></td><td class="rt"><a href="#page_220">220</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="pdd"><i>The Day He Became Governor of Massachusetts</i></td><td></td></tr> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_1">{1}</a></span>  </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_2">{2}</a></span>  </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_3">{3}</a></span>  </p> + +<h2 class="chead"><a id="CHAPTER_I"></a>SCENES OF MY CHILDHOOD</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/barrs.png" width="405" height="11" alt=""></div> + +<h2><i>CHAPTER ONE</i><br><br> +SCENES OF MY CHILDHOOD</h2> + +<p class="nind"><span class="letra">T</span>HE town of Plymouth lies on the easterly slope of the Green Mountains, +about twenty miles west of the Connecticut River and somewhat south of +the central part of Vermont. This part of the state is made up of a +series of narrow valleys and high hills, some of which rank as mountains +that must reach an elevation of at least twenty-five hundred feet.</p> + +<p>Its westerly boundary is along the summit of the main range to where it +falls off into the watershed of Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence +River. At one point a little rill comes down a mountain until it strikes +a rock, where it divides, part running north into the Ottauquechee and +part south into the Black River, both of which later turn easterly to +reach the Connecticut.</p> + +<p>In its natural state this territory was all covered<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_4">{4}</a></span> with evergreen and +hardwood trees. It had large deposits of limestone, occasionally mixed +with marble, and some granite. There were sporadic outcroppings of iron +ore, and the sands of some of the streams showed considerable traces of +gold. The soil was hard and rocky, but when cultivated supported a good +growth of vegetation.</p> + +<p>During colonial times this region lay in an unbroken wilderness, until +the coming of the French and Indian War, when a military road was cut +through under the direction of General Amherst, running from +Charlestown, New Hampshire, to Fort Ticonderoga, New York. This line of +march lay through the south part of the town, crossing the Black River +at the head of the two beautiful lakes and running over the hill towards +the valley of the Otter Creek.</p> + +<p>When settlers began to come in around the time of the Revolution, the +grandfather of my grandfather, Captain John Coolidge, located a farm +near the height of land westward from the river along this military +road, where he settled in about 1780.</p> + +<p>He had served in the Revolutionary army and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_5">{5}</a></span> may have learned of this +region from some of his comrades who had known it in the old French +wars, or who had passed over it in the campaign against Burgoyne, which +culminated at Saratoga.</p> + +<p>He had five children and acquired five farms, so that each of his +descendants was provided with a homestead. His oldest son Calvin came +into possession of the one which I now own, where it is said that +Captain John spent his declining years. He lies buried beside his wife +in the little neighborhood cemetery not far distant.</p> + +<p>The early settlers of Plymouth appear to have come mostly from +Massachusetts, though some of them had stopped on the way in New +Hampshire. They were English Puritan stock, and their choice of a +habitation stamps them with a courageous pioneering spirit.</p> + +<p>Their first buildings were log houses, the remains of which were visible +in some places in my early boyhood, though they had long since been +given over to the sheltering of domestic animals. The town must have +settled up with considerable rapidity, for as early as 1840 it had about +fourteen hundred in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_6">{6}</a></span>habitants scattered about the valleys and on the +sides of the hills, which the mountains divided into a considerable +number of different neighborhoods, each with a well-developed local +community spirit.</p> + +<p>As time went on, much land was cleared of forest, very substantial +buildings of wood construction were erected, saw mills and grist mills +were located along the streams, and the sale of lumber and lime, farm +products and domestic animals, brought considerable money into the town, +which was laid out for improvements or found its way into the country +store. It was a hard but wholesome life, under which the people suffered +many privations and enjoyed many advantages, without any clear +realization of the existence of either one of them.</p> + +<p>They were a hardy self-contained people. Most of them are gone now and +their old homesteads are reverting to the wilderness. They went forth to +conquer where the trees were thicker, the fields larger, and the +problems more difficult. I have seen their descendants scattered all +over the country, especially in the middle west, and as far south as the +Gulf of Mexico and westward to the Pacific slope.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_7">{7}</a></span></p> + +<p>It was into this community that I was born on the 4th day of July, 1872. +My parents then lived in a five room, story and a half cottage attached +to the post office and general store, of which my father was the +proprietor. While they intended to name me for my father, they always +called me Calvin, so the John became discarded.</p> + +<p>Our house was well shaded with maple trees and had a yard in front +enclosed with a picket fence, in which grew a mountain ash, a plum tree, +and the customary purple lilac bushes. In the summertime my mother +planted her flower bed there.</p> + +<p>Her parents, who were prosperous farmers, lived in the large house +across the road, which had been built for a hotel and still has the old +hall in it where public dances were held in former days and a spacious +corner on the front side known as the bar room, indicating what had been +sold there before my grandfather Moor bought the premises. On an +adjoining farm, about sixty-five rods distant, lived my grandfather and +grandmother Coolidge. Within view were two more collections of farm +buildings, three dwelling houses with their barns, a church, a<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_8">{8}</a></span> school +house and a blacksmith shop. A little out of sight dwelt the local +butter tub maker and beyond him the shoemaker.</p> + +<p>This locality was known as The Notch, being situated at the head of a +valley in an irregular bowl of hills. The scene was one of much natural +beauty, of which I think the inhabitants had little realization, though +they all loved it because it was their home and were always ready to +contend that it surpassed all the surrounding communities and compared +favorably with any other place on earth.</p> + +<p>My sister Abbie was born in the same house in April, 1875. We lived +there until 1876, when the place was bought across the road, which had +about two acres of land with a house and a number of barns and a +blacksmith shop. About it were a considerable number of good apple +trees. I think the price paid was $375. Almost at once the principal +barn was sold for $100, to be moved away. My father was a good trader.</p> + +<p>Some repairs were made on the inside, and black walnut furniture was +brought from Boston to furnish the parlor and sitting room. It was a +plain<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_9">{9}</a></span> square-sided house with a long ell, to which the horse barn was +soon added. The outside has since been remodeled and the piazza built. A +young woman was always employed to do the house work. Whatever was +needed never failed to be provided.</p> + +<p>While in theory I was always urged to work and to save, in practice I +was permitted to do my share of playing and wasting. My playthings often +lay in the road to be run over, and my ball game often interfered with +my filling the wood box. I have been taken out of bed to do penance for +such derelictions.</p> + +<p>My father, John Calvin Coolidge, ran the country store. He was +successful. The annual rent of the whole place was $40. I have heard him +say that his merchandise bills were about $10,000 yearly. He had no +other expenses. His profits were about $100 per month on the average, so +he must have sold on a very close margin.</p> + +<p>He trusted nearly everybody, but lost a surprisingly small amount. +Sometimes people he had not seen for years would return and pay him the +whole bill.</p> + +<p>He went to Boston in the spring and fall to buy<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_10">{10}</a></span> goods. He took the +midnight train from Ludlow when they did not have sleeping cars, +arriving in the city early in the morning, which saved him his hotel +bill.</p> + +<p>He was a good business man, a very hard worker, and did not like to see +things wasted. He kept the store about thirteen years and sold it to my +mother’s brother, who became a prosperous merchant.</p> + +<p>In addition to his business ability my father was very skillful with his +hands. He worked with a carriage maker for a short time when he was +young, and the best buggy he had for twenty years was one he made +himself. He had a complete set of tools, ample to do all kinds of +building and carpenter work. He knew how to lay bricks and was an +excellent stone mason.</p> + +<p>Following his sale of the store about the time my grandfather died, +besides running the farm, he opened the old blacksmith shop which stood +upon the place across the road to which we had moved. He hired a +blacksmith at $1 per day, who was a large-framed powerful man with a +black beard, said to be sometimes quarrelsome.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_11">{11}</a></span></p> + +<p>I have seen him unaided throw a refractory horse to the ground when it +objected to being shod. But he was always kind to me, letting me fuss +around the shop, leaving his own row to do three or four hills for me so +that I could more easily keep up with the rest of the men in hoeing +time, or favoring me in some way in the hay field as he helped on the +farm in busy times.</p> + +<p>He always pitched the hay on to the ox cart and I raked after. If I was +getting behind he slowed up a little. He was a big-hearted man. I wish I +could see that blacksmith again. The iron work for farm wagons and sleds +was fashioned and put on in the shop, oxen and horses brought there for +shoeing, and metal parts of farm implements often repaired. My father +seemed to like to work in the shop, but did not go there much except +when a difficult piece of work was required, like welding a broken steel +section rod of a mowing machine, which had to be done with great +precision or it would break again.</p> + +<p>He kept tools for mending shoes and harnesses and repairing water pipes +and tinware. He knew how to perform all kinds of delicate operations on<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_12">{12}</a></span> +domestic animals. The lines he laid out were true and straight, and the +curves regular. The work he did endured.</p> + +<p>If there was any physical requirement of country life which he could not +perform, I do not know what it was. From watching him and assisting him, +I gained an intimate knowledge of all this kind of work.</p> + +<p>It seems impossible that any man could adequately describe his mother. I +can not describe mine.</p> + +<p>On the side of her father, Hiram Dunlap Moor, she was Scotch with a +mixture of Welsh and English. Her mother, Abigail (Franklin) Moor, was +chiefly of the old New England stock. She bore the name of two +Empresses, Victoria Josephine. She was of a very light and fair +complexion with a rich growth of brown hair that had a glint of gold in +it. Her hands and features were regular and finely modeled. The older +people always told me how beautiful she was in her youth.</p> + +<p>She was practically an invalid ever after I could remember her, but used +what strength she had in lavish care upon me and my sister, who was +three<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_13">{13}</a></span> years younger. There was a touch of mysticism and poetry in her +nature which made her love to gaze at the purple sunsets and watch the +evening stars.</p> + +<p>Whatever was grand and beautiful in form and color attracted her. It +seemed as though the rich green tints of the foliage and the blossoms of +the flowers came for her in the springtime, and in the autumn it was for +her that the mountain sides were struck with crimson and with gold.</p> + +<p>When she knew that her end was near she called us children to her +bedside, where we knelt down to receive her final parting blessing.</p> + +<p>In an hour she was gone. It was her thirty-ninth birthday. I was twelve +years old. We laid her away in the blustering snows of March. The +greatest grief that can come to a boy came to me. Life was never to seem +the same again.</p> + +<p>Five years and forty-one years later almost to a day my sister and my +father followed her. It always seemed to me that the boy I lost was her +image. They all rest together on the sheltered hillside among five +generations of the Coolidge family.</p> + +<p>My grandfather, Calvin Galusha Coolidge, died<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_14">{14}</a></span> when I was six years old. +He was a spare man over six feet tall, of a nature which caused people +to confide in him, and of a character which made him a constant choice +for public office. His mother and her family showed a marked trace of +Indian blood. I never saw her, but he took me one time to see her +sister, his very aged aunt, whom we found sitting in the chimney corner +smoking a clay pipe.</p> + +<p>This was so uncommon that I always remembered it. I thought tobacco was +only for men, though I had seen old ladies outside our neighborhood buy +snuff at the store.</p> + +<p>He was an expert horseman and loved to raise colts and puppies. He kept +peacocks and other gay-colored fowl and had a yard and garden filled +with scarlet flowers. But he never cared to hunt or fish. He found great +amusement in practical jokes and could entice a man into a nest of bees +and make him think he went there of his own accord.</p> + +<p>He and my grandmother brought up as their own children the boy and girl +of his only sister, whose parents died when they were less than two +years old. He made them no charge, but managed their in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_15">{15}</a></span>heritance and +turned it all over to them with the income, besides giving the boy $800 +of his own money when he was eighteen years old, the same as he did my +father. He was fond of riding horseback and taught me to ride standing +up behind him. Some of the horses he bred and sold became famous. In his +mind, the only real, respectable way to get a living was from tilling +the soil. He therefore did not exactly approve having his son go into +trade.</p> + +<p>In order to tie me to the land, in his last sickness he executed a deed +to me for life of forty acres, called the Lime Kiln lot, on the west +part of his farm, with the remainder to my lineal descendants, thinking +that as I could not sell it, and my creditors could not get it, it would +be necessary for me to cultivate it. He also gave me a mare colt and a +heifer calf, which came of stock that had belonged to his grandfather.</p> + +<p>Two days after I was two months old, my father was elected to the state +legislature. By a curious coincidence, when my son was the same age I +was elected to the same office in Massachusetts. He was reelected twice, +the term being two years, and, while<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_16">{16}</a></span> he was serving, my grandfather +took my mother and me to visit him at Montpelier.</p> + +<p>I think I was three years and four months old, but I always remembered +the experience. Grandfather carried me to the State House and sat me in +the Governor’s chair, which did not impress me so much as a stuffed +catamount that was in the capital museum. That was the first of the +great many journeys which I have since made to legislative halls.</p> + +<p>During his last illness he would have me read to him the first chapter +of the Gospel of John, which he had read to his grandfather. I could do +very well until I came to the word “comprehended,” with which I always +had difficulty. On taking the oath as President in 1925, I placed my +hand on that Book of the Bible in memory of my first reading it.</p> + +<p>So far as I know, neither he nor any other members of my family ever +entertained any ambitions in my behalf. He evidently wished me to stay +on the land. My own wish was to keep store, as my father had done.</p> + +<p>They all taught me to be faithful over a few things. If they had any +idea that such a training<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_17">{17}</a></span> might some day make me a ruler over many +things, it was not disclosed to me. It was my father in later years who +wished me to enter the law, but when I finally left home for that +purpose the parting was very hard for him to bear.</p> + +<p>The neighborhood around The Notch was made up of people of exemplary +habits. Their speech was clean and their lives were above reproach. They +had no mortgages on their farms. If any debts were contracted they were +promptly paid. Credit was good and there was money in the savings bank.</p> + +<p>The break of day saw them stirring. Their industry continued until +twilight. They kept up no church organization, and as there was little +regular preaching the outward manifestation of religion through public +profession had little opportunity, but they were without exception a +people of faith and charity and of good works. They cherished the +teachings of the Bible and sought to live in accordance with its +precepts.</p> + +<p>The conduct of the young people was modest and respectful. For most of +the time during my boyhood regular Sunday school classes were held in +the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_18">{18}</a></span> church which my grandmother Coolidge superintended until in her +advanced years she was superseded by my father. She was a constant +reader of the Bible and a devoted member of the church, who daily sought +for divine guidance in prayer.</p> + +<p>I stayed with her at the farm much of the time and she had much to do +with shaping the thought of my early years. She had a benign influence +over all who came in contact with her. The Puritan severity of her +convictions was tempered by the sweetness of a womanly charity. There +were none whom she ever knew that had not in some way benefited by her +kindness.</p> + +<p>Her maiden name was Sarah Almeda Brewer. When she married my grandfather +she was twenty and he was twenty-eight years old. She was accustomed to +tell me that from his experience and observations he had come to have +great faith in good blood, and that he chose her for his wife not only +because he loved her, but because her family, which he had seen for +three generations, were people of ability and character.</p> + +<p>While he would have looked upon rank as only<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_19">{19}</a></span> pretense, he looked upon +merit with great respect. His judgment was vindicated by the fact that +more of her kin folks than he could have realized had been and were to +become people of merited distinction.</p> + +<p>The prevailing dress in our neighborhood was that of the countryside. +While my father wore a business suit with a white shirt, collar and +cuffs, which he always kept clean, the men generally had colored shirts +and outer garments of brown or blue drilling. But they all had good +clothes for any important occasions.</p> + +<p>I was clad in a gingham shirt with overalls in the summer, when I liked +to go barefooted. In the winter these were changed for heavy wool +garments and thick cowhide boots, which lasted a year.</p> + +<p>My grandmother Coolidge spun woolen yarn, from which she knitted us +stockings and mittens. I have seen her weave cloth, and when I was ten +years old I had a frock which came from her loom. We had linen sheets +and table cloths and woolen bed blankets, which she had spun and woven +in earlier days. I have some of them now. My grandfather<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_20">{20}</a></span> Coolidge wore +a blue woolen frock much of the time, which is a most convenient garment +for that region. It is cut like a shirt, going on over the head, with +flaps that reach to the knees.</p> + +<p>When I went to visit the old home in later years I liked to wear the one +he left, with some fine calfskin boots about two sizes too large for me, +which were made for him when he went to the Vermont legislature about +1858. When news pictures began to be taken of me there, I found that +among the public this was generally supposed to be a makeup costume, +which it was not, so I have since been obliged to forego the comfort of +wearing it. In public life it is sometimes necessary in order to appear +really natural to be actually artificial.</p> + +<p>Perhaps some glimpse of these pictures may have caused an English writer +to refer to me as a Vermont backwoodsman. I wonder if he describes his +King as a Scotchman when he sees him in kilts.</p> + +<p>To those of his country who remember that Burgoyne sent home a dispatch +saying that the Green Mountains were the abode of the most warlike race +on the continent, who hung like a thunder cloud on<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_21">{21}</a></span> his left—which was +fully borne out by what they helped to do to him at Bennington and +Saratoga—I presume the term of Vermont backwoodsman still carries the +implication of reproach. But in this country it is an appellation which +from General Ethan Allen to Admiral George Dewey has not been without +some distinction.</p> + +<p>While the form of government under which the Plymouth people lived was +that of a republic, it had a strong democratic trend. The smallest unit +was then the school district. Early in my boyhood the women were given a +vote on school questions in both the district and town meetings.</p> + +<p>The district meeting was held in the evening at the school house each +year. The officers were chosen and the rate of the school tax was fixed +by popular vote. The board and room of the teacher for two-week periods +was then assigned to the lowest bidders. The rates ran from about fifty +cents each week in the summer to as high as $1.25 in the winter.</p> + +<p>The town officers were chosen annually at the March meeting. Here again +the rate of taxes was fixed by popular vote. The bonded debt was rather<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_22">{22}</a></span> +large, coming down, as I was told, from expenses during the war and the +costs of reconstructing roads and bridges after the disastrous freshet +of 1869.</p> + +<p>The more substantial farmers wanted to raise a large tax to reduce the +debt. I noticed my father did not vote on this subject and I inquired +his reason. He said that while he could afford to pay a high rate, he +did not wish to place so large a burden on those who were less able, and +so was leaving them to make their own decision.</p> + +<p>In those days there were about two hundred and fifty qualified voters, +not over twenty-five of which were Democrats, and the rest Republicans. +They had their spirited contests in their elections, but not along party +lines.</p> + +<p>One of the patriarchs of the town, who was a Democrat, served many years +as Moderator by unanimous choice. He was a man of sound common sense and +an excellent presiding officer, but without much book learning.</p> + +<p>When he read that part of the call for the meeting which recited that it +was to act “on the following questions, <i>viz.</i>,” he always read it “to +act upon<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_23">{23}</a></span> the following questions, <i>vizley</i>.” This caused him to be +referred to at times by the irreverent as Old Vizley.</p> + +<p>I was accustomed to carry apples and popcorn balls to the town meetings +to sell, mainly because my grandmother said my father had done so when +he was a boy, and I was exceedingly anxious to grow up to be like him.</p> + +<p>On the even years in September came the Freemen’s meeting. This was a +state election, at which the town representative to the legislature was +chosen. They also voted for county and state officers and for a +Representative to the Congress, and on each fourth year for Presidential +electors. I attended all of these meetings until I left home and +followed them with interest for many of the succeeding years.</p> + +<p>Careful provision was made for the administration of justice through +local authorities. Those charged with petty crimes and misdemeanors were +brought before one of the five Justices of the Peace, who had power to +try and sentence with or without calling a jury. He also had a like +jurisdiction in civil matters of a small amount.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_24">{24}</a></span></p> + +<p>The more important cases, criminal and civil, went to the County Court +which sat in the neighboring town of Woodstock in May and December. My +father was nearly all his life a Constable or a Deputy Sheriff, and +sometimes both, with power to serve civil and criminal process, so that +he arrested those charged with crime and brought them before the Justice +for trial.</p> + +<p>Unless it would keep me out of school, he would take me with him when +attending before the local justices or when he went to the opening +session of the County Court. Before him my grandfather had held the same +positions, so that together they were the peace officers most of the +time in our town for nearly seventy-five years.</p> + +<p>In addition to this they often settled the estates of deceased persons +and acted as guardian of minors. This business was transacted in the +Probate Court, where I often went.</p> + +<p>My father was at times a Justice of the Peace and always had a +commission as notary public. This enabled him to take the acknowledgment +of deeds, which he knew how to draw, and administer oaths<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_25">{25}</a></span> necessary to +pension papers which he filled out for old soldiers usually without +charge, or to take affidavits required on any other instruments.</p> + +<p>In my youth he was also always engaged in the transaction of all kinds +of town business, being constantly elected for that purpose. He was +painstaking, precise and very accurate, and had such wide experience +that the lawyers of the region knew they could rely on him to serve +papers in difficult cases and make returns that would be upheld by the +courts.</p> + +<p>This work gave him such a broad knowledge of the practical side of the +law that people of the neighborhood were constantly seeking his advice, +to which I always listened with great interest. He always counseled them +to resist injustice and avoid unfair dealing, but to keep their +agreements, meet their obligations and observe strict obedience to the +law.</p> + +<p>By reason of what I saw and heard in my early life, I came to have a +good working knowledge of the practical side of government. I understood +that it consisted of restraints which the people had imposed upon +themselves in order to promote the common welfare.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_26">{26}</a></span></p> + +<p>As I went about with my father when he collected taxes, I knew that when +taxes were laid some one had to work to earn the money to pay them. I +saw that a public debt was a burden on all the people in a community, +and while it was necessary to meet the needs of a disaster it cost much +in interest and ought to be retired as soon as possible.</p> + +<p>After the winter work of laying in a supply of wood had been done, the +farm year began about the first of April with the opening of the +maple-sugar season. This was the most interesting of all the farm +operations to me.</p> + +<p>With the coming of the first warm days we broke a road through the deep +snow into the sugar lot, tapped the trees, set the buckets, and brought +the sap to the sugar house, where in a heater and pans it was boiled +down into syrup to be taken to the house for sugaring off. We made eight +hundred to two thousand pounds, according to the season.</p> + +<p>After that the fences had to be repaired where they had been broken down +by the snow, the cattle turned out to pasture, and the spring planting +done. Then came sheep-shearing time, which was followed<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_27">{27}</a></span> by getting in +the hay, harvesting and threshing of the grain, cutting and husking the +corn, digging the potatoes and picking the apples. Just before +Thanksgiving the poultry had to be dressed for market, and a little +later the fattened hogs were butchered and the meat salted down. Early +in the winter a beef creature was slaughtered.</p> + +<p>The work of the farm was done by the oxen, except running the mowing +machine and horse rake. I early learned to drive oxen and used to plow +with them alone when I was twelve years old. Of course, there was the +constant care of the domestic animals, the milking of the cows, and +taking them to and from pasture, which was especially my responsibility.</p> + +<p>We had husking bees, apple-paring bees and singing schools in the +winter. There were parties for the young folks and an occasional +dramatic exhibition by local talent. Not far away there were some public +dances, which I was never permitted to attend.</p> + +<p>Some time during the summer we usually went to the circus, often rising +by three o’clock so as to get there early. In the autumn we visited the +county fair. The holidays were all celebrated in some fashion.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_28">{28}</a></span></p> + +<p>Of course, the Fourth of July meant a great deal to me, because it was +my birthday. The first one I can remember was when I was four years old. +My father took me fishing in the meadow brook in the morning. I recall +that I fell in the water, after which we had a heavy thundershower, so +that we both came home very wet. Usually there was a picnic celebration +on that day.</p> + +<p>Thanksgiving was a feast day for family reunions at the home of the +grandparents. Christmas was a sacrament observed with the exchange of +gifts, when the stockings were hung, and the spruce tree was lighted in +the symbol of Christian faith and love. While there was plenty of hard +work, there was no lack of pleasurable diversion.</p> + +<p>When the work was done for the day, it was customary to drop into the +store to get the evening mail and exchange views on topics of interest. +A few times I saw there Attorney General John G. Sargent with his +father, who was a much respected man.</p> + +<p>A number of those who came had followed Sheridan, been with Meade at +Gettysburg, and served<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_29">{29}</a></span> under Grant, but they seldom volunteered any +information about it. They were not talkative and took their military +service in a matter of fact way, not as anything to brag about but +merely as something they did because it ought to be done.</p> + +<p>They drew no class distinctions except towards those who assumed +superior airs. Those they held in contempt. They held strongly to the +doctrine of equality. Whenever the hired man or the hired girl wanted to +go anywhere they were always understood to be entitled to my place in +the wagon, in which case I remained at home. This gave me a very early +training in democratic ideas and impressed upon me very forcibly the +dignity and power, if not the superiority of labor.</p> + +<p>It was all a fine atmosphere in which to raise a boy. As I look back on +it I constantly think how clean it was. There was little about it that +was artificial. It was all close to nature and in accordance with the +ways of nature. The streams ran clear. The roads, the woods, the fields, +the people—all were clean. Even when I try to divest it of the halo +which I know always surrounds the past, I am unable to<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_30">{30}</a></span> create any other +impression than that it was fresh and clean.</p> + +<p>We had some books, but not many. Mother liked poetry and read some +novels. Father had no taste for books, but always took and read a daily +paper. My grandfather Moor read books and papers, so that he was a +well-informed man.</p> + +<p>My grandmother Coolidge liked books and besides a daily Chapter in the +Bible read aloud to me “The Rangers or the Tory’s Daughter” and “The +Green Mountain Boys,” which were both stories of the early settlers of +Vermont during the Revolutionary period. She also had two volumes +entitled “Washington and His Generals,” and other biographies which I +read myself at an early age with a great deal of interest.</p> + +<p>At home there were numerous law books. In this way I grew up with a +working knowledge of the foundations of my state and nation and a taste +for history.</p> + +<p>My education began with a set of blocks which had on them the Roman +numerals and the letters of the alphabet. It is not yet finished. As I +played with</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="ill_001"> +<a href="images/i_p30_041.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_p30_041.jpg" width="386" height="550" alt="Allison Spence + +Victoria Josephine (Moor) Coolidge + +Mother of Calvin Coolidge, about the time of her marriage"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Allison Spence + +Victoria Josephine (Moor) Coolidge + +Mother of Calvin Coolidge, about the time of her marriage</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_31">{31}</a></span></p> + +<p class="nind">them and asked my mother what they were, I came to know them all when I +was three years old. I started to school when I was five.</p> + +<p>The little stone school house which had unpainted benches and desks wide +enough to seat two was attended by about twenty-five scholars. Few, if +any, of my teachers reached the standard now required by all public +schools. They qualified by examination before the town superintendent. I +first took this examination and passed it at the age of thirteen and my +sister Abbie passed it and taught a term of school in a neighboring town +when she was twelve years old.</p> + +<p>My teachers were young women from neighboring communities, except +sometimes when a man was employed for the winter term. They were all +intelligent, of good character, and interested in their work. I do not +feel that the quality of their instruction was in any way inferior. The +common school subjects were taught, with grammar and United States +history, so that when I was thirteen I had mastered them all and went to +Black River Academy, at Ludlow.</p> + +<p>That was one of the greatest events of my life.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_32">{32}</a></span> The packing and +preparation for it required more time and attention than collecting my +belongings in preparation for leaving the White House. I counted the +hours until it was time to go.</p> + +<p>My whole outfit went easily into two small handbags, which lay on the +straw in the back of the traverse sleigh beside the fatted calf that was +starting to market. The winter snow lay on the ground. The weather was +well below freezing. But in my eagerness these counted for nothing.</p> + +<p>I was going where I would be mostly my own master. I was casting off +what I thought was the drudgery of farm life, symbolized by the cowhide +boots and every-day clothing which I was leaving behind, not realizing +what a relief it would be to return to them in future years. I had on my +best clothes and wore shoes with rubbers, because the village had +sidewalks.</p> + +<p>I did not know that there were mental and moral atmospheres more +monotonous and more contaminating than anything in the physical +atmosphere of country life. No one could have made me believe that I +should never be so innocent or so happy again.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_33">{33}</a></span></p> + +<p>As we rounded the brow of the hill the first rays of the morning sun +streamed over our backs and lighted up the glistening snow ahead. I was +perfectly certain that I was traveling out of the darkness into the +light.</p> + +<p>We have much speculation over whether the city or the country is the +better place to bring up boys. I am prejudiced in behalf of the country, +but I should have to admit that much depends on the parents and the +surrounding neighborhood. We felt the cold in winter and had many +inconveniences, but we did not mind them because we supposed they were +the inevitable burdens of existence.</p> + +<p>It would be hard to imagine better surroundings for the development of a +boy than those which I had. While a wider breadth of training and +knowledge could have been presented to me, there was a daily contact +with many new ideas, and the mind was given sufficient opportunity +thoroughly to digest all that came to it.</p> + +<p>Country life does not always have breadth, but it has depth. It is +neither artificial nor superficial, but is kept close to the realities.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_34">{34}</a></span></p> + +<p>While I can think of many pleasures we did not have, and many niceties +of culture with which we were unfamiliar, yet if I had the power to +order my life anew I would not dare to change that period of it. If it +did not afford me the best that there was, it abundantly provided the +best that there was for me.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_35">{35}</a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_36">{36}</a></span>  </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_37">{37}</a></span>  </p> + +<h2 class="chead"><a id="CHAPTER_II"></a><a id="SEEKING_AN_EDUCATION"></a>SEEKING AN EDUCATION</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/barrs.png" width="405" height="11" alt=""></div> + +<h2>CHAPTER TWO<br><br> +SEEKING AN EDUCATION</h2> + +<p class="nind"><span class="letra">O</span>NE of the sages of New England is reported to have declared that the +education of a child should begin several generations before it is born. +No doubt it does begin at a much earlier period and we enter life with a +heritage that reaches back through the ages. But we do not choose our +ancestors. When we come into the world the gate of gifts is closed +behind us. We can do nothing about it. So far as each individual is +concerned all he can do is to take the abilities he has and make the +most of them. His power over the past is gone. His power over the future +depends on what he does with himself in the present. If he wishes to +live and progress he must work.</p> + +<p>During early childhood the inspiration for anything like mental +discipline comes almost entirely from the outside. It is supplied by the +parents and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_38">{38}</a></span> teachers. It was not until I left home in February of 1886 +that I could say I had much thought of my own about getting an +education. Thereafter I began to be more dependent on myself and assume +more and more self-direction. What I studied was the result of my own +choice. Instead of seeking to direct me, my father left me to decide. +But when I had selected a course he was always solicitous to see that I +diligently applied myself to it.</p> + +<p>Going away to school was my first great adventure in life. I shall never +forget the impression it made on me. It was so deep and remains so vivid +that whenever I have started out on a new enterprise a like feeling +always returns to me. It was the same when I went to college, when I +left home to enter the law, when I began a public career in Boston, when +I started for Washington to become Vice-President and finally when I was +called to the White House. Going to the Academy meant a complete break +with the past and entering a new and untried field, larger and more +alluring than the past, among unknown scenes and unknown people.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1886 Black River Academy had<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_39">{39}</a></span> just celebrated its +fiftieth anniversary. While it had some distinguished alumni, the great +body of its former students were the hard-working, every-day people, +that made the strength of rural New England. My father and mother and +grandmother Coolidge had been there a few terms. While it had a charter +of its own, and was independent of the public authorities, it was +nevertheless part village high school. At its head was a principal, who +had under him two women assistants. A red brick structure, built like a +church, with an assembly room and a few recitation rooms made up its +entire equipment, so that those who did not live at home boarded in +private families about the town of Ludlow. The spring term began in +midwinter in order that the girls could be out by the first Monday in +May to teach a summer district school and the boys could get home for +the season’s work on the farm.</p> + +<p>For the very few who were preparing for college a classical course was +offered in Latin, Greek, history and mathematics, but most of the pupils +kept to the Latin Scientific, and the English courses. The student body +was about one hundred and twenty-five in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_40">{40}</a></span> number. During my first term I +began algebra and finished grammar. For some reason I was attracted to +civil government and took that. This was my first introduction to the +Constitution of the United States. Although I was but thirteen years old +the subject interested me exceedingly. The study of it which I then +began has never ceased, and the more I study it the more I have come to +admire it, realizing that no other document devised by the hand of man +ever brought so much progress and happiness to humanity. The good it has +wrought can never be measured.</p> + +<p>It was not alone the school with its teachers, its students and courses +of study that interested me, but also the village and its people. It all +lay in a beautiful valley along the Black River supported on either side +by high hills. The tradespeople all knew my father well and he had an +intimate acquaintance with the lawyers. Very soon I too knew them all. +The chief industry of the town was a woolen mill that always remained a +mystery to me. But the lesser activity of the village was a cab shop. I +worked there some on Saturdays, so I came to know how toys and baby +wagons were made. It was my first acquaint<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_41">{41}</a></span>ance with the factory system, +and my approach to it was that of a wage earner. As I was employed at +piece work my wages depended on my own ability, skill and industry. It +was a good training. I was beginning to find out what existence meant.</p> + +<p>My real academy course began the next fall term when I started to study +Latin. In a few weeks I broke my right arm but it did not keep me out of +school more than two days. Latin was not difficult for me to translate, +but I never became proficient in its composition. Although I continued +it until my sophomore year at college the only part of all the course +that I found of much interest was the orations of Cicero. These held my +attention to such a degree that I translated some of them in later life.</p> + +<p>When Greek was begun the next year I found it difficult. It is a +language that requires real attention and close application. Among its +rewards are the moving poetry of Homer, the marvelous orations of +Demosthenes, and in after life an increased power of observation.</p> + +<p>Besides the classics we had a course in rhetoric, some ancient history, +and a little American litera<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_42">{42}</a></span>ture. Plane geometry completed our +mathematics. In the modern languages there was only French.</p> + +<p>In some subjects I began with the class when it started to review and so +did the work of a term in two weeks. I joined the French class in mid +year and made up the work by starting my study at about three o’clock in +the morning.</p> + +<p>During the long vacations from May until September I went home and +worked on the farm. We had a number of horses so that I was able to +indulge my pleasure in riding. As no one else in the neighborhood cared +for this diversion I had to ride alone. But a horse is much company, and +riding over the fields and along the country roads by himself, where +nothing interrupts his seeing and thinking, is a good occupation for a +boy. The silences of Nature have a discipline all their own.</p> + +<p>Of course our school life was not free from pranks. The property of the +townspeople was moved to strange places in the night. One morning as the +janitor was starting the furnace he heard a loud bray from one of the +class rooms. His investigation disclosed the presence there of a +domestic animal noted<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_43">{43}</a></span> for his long ears and discordant voice. In some +way during the night he had been stabled on the second floor. About as +far as I deem it prudent to discuss my own connection with these +escapades is to record that I was never convicted of any of them and so +must be presumed innocent.</p> + +<p>The expenses at the Academy were very moderate. The tuition was about +seven dollars for each term, and board and room for each week not over +three dollars. Oftentimes students hired a room for about fifty cents +per week and boarded themselves. In my own case the cost for a school +year averaged about one hundred and fifty dollars, which was all paid by +my father. Any money I earned he had me put in the savings bank, because +he wished me to be informed of the value of money at interest. He +thought money invested in that way led to a self-respecting independence +that was one of the foundations of good character.</p> + +<p>It was about twelve miles from Ludlow to Plymouth. Sometimes I walked +home Friday afternoon, but usually my father came for me and brought me +back Sunday evening or Monday morning. When<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_44">{44}</a></span> this was not done I often +staid with the elder sister of my mother, Mrs. Don C. Pollard, who lived +about three miles down the river at Proctorsville. This was my Aunt +Sarah who is still living. She was wonderfully kind to me and did all +she could to take the place of my own mother in affection for me and +good influence over me while I was at the Academy and ever after. The +sweetness of her nature was a benediction to all who came in contact +with her. What men owe to the love and help of good women can never be +told.</p> + +<p>The Academy had no athletics in those days, as the boys from the farms +did not feel the need of such activity. A few games of baseball were +played, but no football or track athletics were possible. Games did not +interest me much though I had some skill with a bat. I was rather +slender and not so tall as many boys of my age.</p> + +<p>Those who attended the school from out of town were all there with a +real purpose of improving themselves, so that while there was no lack of +fun and play they all worked as best they could, for their coming had +meant too much sacrifice at home not to<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_45">{45}</a></span> be taken seriously. They had +come seeking to better their condition in life through what they might +learn and the self-discipline they might secure.</p> + +<p>The school had much to be desired in organization and equipment, but it +possessed a sturdy spirit and a wholesome regard for truth. Of course +the student body came from the country and had country ways, but the +boys were inspired with a purpose, and the girls with a sweet sincerity +which becomes superior to all the affectations of the drawing-room. In +them the native capacity for making real men and women remained all +unspoiled.</p> + +<p>The Presidential election of 1888 created considerable interest among +the students. Most of them favored the Republican candidate Benjamin +Harrison against the then President Grover Cleveland. When Harrison was +elected, two nights were spent parading the streets with drums and +trumpets, celebrating the victory.</p> + +<p>During most of my course George Sherman was the principal and Miss M. +Belle Chellis was the first assistant. I owe much to the inspiration and +scholarly direction which they gave to my undergraduate<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_46">{46}</a></span> days. They both +lived to see me President and sent me letters at the time, though they +left the school long ago. It was under their teaching that I first +learned of the glory and grandeur of the ancient civilization that grew +up around the Mediterranean and in Mesopotamia. Under their guidance I +beheld the marvels of old Babylon, I marched with the Ten Thousand of +Xenophon, I witnessed the conflict around beleaguered Troy which doomed +that proud city to pillage and to flames, I heard the tramp of the +invincible legions of Rome, I saw the victorious galleys of the Eternal +City carrying destruction to the Carthaginian shore, and I listened to +the lofty eloquence of Cicero and the matchless imagery of Homer. They +gave me a vision of the world when it was young and showed me how it +grew. It seems to me that it is almost impossible for those who have not +traveled that road to reach a very clear conception of what the world +now means.</p> + +<p>It was in this period that I learned something of the thread of events +that ran from the Euphrates and the Nile through Athens to the Tiber and +thence stretched on to the Seine and the Thames to be car<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_47">{47}</a></span>ried overseas +to the James, the Charles and the Hudson. I found that the English +language was generously compounded with Greek and Latin, which it was +necessary to know if I was to understand my native tongue. I discovered +that our ideas of democracy came from the agora of Greece, and our ideas +of liberty came from the forum of Rome. Something of the sequence of +history was revealed to me, so that I began to understand the +significance of our own times and our own country.</p> + +<p>In March of my senior year my sister Abbie died. She was three years my +junior but so proficient in her studies that she was but two classes +below me in school. She was ill scarcely a week. Several doctors were in +attendance but could not save her. Thirty years later one of them told +me he was convinced she had appendicitis, which was a disease not well +understood in 1890. I went home when her condition became critical and +staid beside her until she passed to join our mother. The memory of the +charm of her presence and her dignified devotion to the right will +always abide with me.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1890 came my graduation. The<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_48">{48}</a></span> class had five boys and +four girls. With so small a number it was possible for all of us to take +part in the final exercises with orations and essays. The subject that I +undertook to discuss was “Oratory in History,” in which I dealt briefly +with the effect of the spoken word in determining human action.</p> + +<p>It had been my thought, as I was but seventeen, to spend a year in some +of the larger preparatory schools and then enter a university. But it +was suddenly decided that a smaller college would be preferable, so I +went to Amherst. On my way there I contracted a heavy cold, which grew +worse, interfering with my examinations, and finally sent me home where +I was ill for a considerable time.</p> + +<p>But by early winter I was recovered, so that I did a good deal of work +helping repair and paint the inside of the store building which my +father still owned and rented. There was time for much reading and I +gave great attention to the poems of Sir Walter Scott. After a few weeks +in the late winter at my old school I went to St. Johnsbury Academy for +the spring term. Its principal was Dr. Putney, who was a fine +drill-master, a very exact scholar, and</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="ill_002"> +<a href="images/i_p48_061.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_p48_061.jpg" width="451" height="550" alt="Allison Spence + +Colonel John C. Coolidge + +While in the Vermont Senate"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Allison Spence + +Colonel John C. Coolidge + +While in the Vermont Senate</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_49">{49}</a></span></p> + +<p class="nind">an excellent disciplinarian. He readily gave me a certificate entitling +me to enter Amherst without further examination, which he would never +have done if he had not been convinced I was a proficient student. His +indorsement of the work I had already done, after having me in his own +classes for a term, showed that Black River Academy was not without some +merit.</p> + +<p>During the summer vacation my father and I went to the dedication of the +Bennington Battle Monument. It was a most elaborate ceremony with much +oratory followed by a dinner and more speaking, with many bands of music +and a long military parade. The public officials of Vermont and many +from New York were there. I heard President Harrison, who was the first +President I had ever seen, make an address. As I looked on him and +realized that he personally represented the glory and dignity of the +United States I wondered how it felt to bear so much responsibility and +little thought I should ever know.</p> + +<p>The fall of 1891 found me back at Amherst taking up my college course in +earnest. Much of its<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_50">{50}</a></span> social life centered around the fraternities, and +although they did not leave me without an invitation to join them it was +not until senior year that an opportunity came to belong to one that I +wished to accept. It has been my observation in life that, if one will +only exercise the patience to wait, his wants are likely to be filled.</p> + +<p>My class was rather small, not numbering more than eighty-five in a +student body of about four hundred. President Julius H. Seelye, who had +led the college for about twenty years with great success as an educator +and inspirer of young men, had just retired. He had been succeeded by +President Merrill E. Gates, a man of brilliant intellect and fascinating +personality though not the equal of his predecessor in directing college +policy. But the faculty as a whole was excellent, having many strong +men, and some who were preeminent in the educational field.</p> + +<p>The college of that day had a very laudable desire to get students, and +having admitted them, it was equally alert in striving to keep them and +help them get an education, with the result that very few left<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_51">{51}</a></span> of their +own volition and almost none were dropped for failure in their work. +There was no marked exodus at the first examination period, which was +due not only to the attitude of the college but to the attitude of the +students, who did not go there because they wished to experiment for a +few months with college life and be able to say thereafter they had been +in college, but went because they felt they had need of an education, +and expected to work hard for that purpose until the course was +finished. There were few triflers.</p> + +<p>A small number became what we called sports, but they were not looked on +with favor, and they have not survived. While the class has lost many +excellent men besides, yet it seems to be true that unless men live +right they die. Things are so ordered in this world that those who +violate its law cannot escape the penalty. Nature is inexorable. If men +do not follow the truth they cannot live.</p> + +<p>My absence from home during my freshman year was more easy for me to +bear because I was no longer leaving my father alone. Just before the +opening of college he had married Miss Carrie A. Brown, who<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_52">{52}</a></span> was one of +the finest women of our neighborhood. I had known her all my life. After +being without a mother nearly seven years I was greatly pleased to find +in her all the motherly devotion that she could have given me if I had +been her own son. She was a graduate of Kimball Union Academy and had +taught school for some years. Loving books and music she was not only a +mother to me but a teacher. For thirty years she watched over me and +loved me, welcoming me when I went home, writing me often when I was +away, and encouraging me in all my efforts. When at last she sank to +rest she had seen me made Governor of Massachusetts and knew I was being +considered for the Presidency.</p> + +<p>It seems as though good influences had always been coming into my life. +Perhaps I have been more fortunate in that respect than others. But +while I am not disposed to minimize the amount of evil in the world I am +convinced that the good predominates and that it is constantly all about +us, ready for our service if only we will accept it.</p> + +<p>In the Amherst College of my day a freshman was not regarded as +different from the other classes.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_53">{53}</a></span> He wore no distinctive garb, or +emblem, and suffered no special indignities. It would not have been +judicious for him to appear on the campus with a silk hat and cane, but +as none of the other students resorted to that practice this single +restriction was not a severe hardship. A cane rush always took place +between the two lower classes very early in the fall term, but it was +confined within the limits of good-natured sport, where little damage +was done beyond a few torn clothes. If we had undertaken to have a class +banquet where the sophomores could reach us, it undoubtedly would have +brought on a collision, but when the time came for one we tactfully and +silently departed for Westfield, under cover of a winter evening, where +we were not found or molested.</p> + +<p>It had long been the practice at Amherst to give careful attention to +physical culture. It had, I believe, the first college gymnasium in this +country. Each student on entering was given a thorough examination, +furnished with a chart showing any bodily deficiencies and given +personal direction for their removal. The attendance of the whole class +was<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_54">{54}</a></span> required at the gymnasium drill for four periods each week, and +voluntary work on the floor was always encouraged. We heard a great deal +about a sound mind in a sound body.</p> + +<p>At the time of my entrance the two college dormitories were so badly out +of repair that they were little used. Later they were completely +remodeled and became fully occupied. About ten fraternity houses +furnished lodgings for most of the upper class men, but the lower class +men roomed at private houses. All the students took their meals in +private houses, so that there was a general comingling of all classes +and all fraternities around the table, which broke up exclusive circles +and increased college democracy.</p> + +<p>The places of general assembly were for religious worship, which +consisted of the chapel exercises at the first morning period each week +day, and church service in the morning, with vespers in the late +afternoon, on Sundays. Regular attendance at all of these was required. +Of course we did not like to go and talked learnedly about the right of +freedom of worship, and the bad mental and moral reactions from<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_55">{55}</a></span> which +we were likely to suffer as a result of being forced to hear scriptural +readings, psalm singings, prayers and sermons. We were told that our +choice of a college was optional, but that Amherst had been founded by +pious men with the chief object of training students to overcome the +unbelief which was then thought to be prevalent, that religious +instruction was a part of the prescribed course, and that those who +chose to remain would have to take it. If attendance on these religious +services ever harmed any of the men of my time I have never been +informed of it. The good it did I believe was infinite. Not the least of +it was the discipline that resulted from having constantly to give some +thought to things that young men would often prefer not to consider. If +we did not have the privilege of doing what we wanted to do, we had the +much greater benefit of doing what we ought to do. It broke down our +selfishness, it conquered our resistance, it supplanted impulse, and +finally it enthroned reason.</p> + +<p>In intercollegiate athletics Amherst stood well. It won its share of +trophies on the diamond, the gridiron and the track, but it did not +engage in any of<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_56">{56}</a></span> the water sports. The games with Williams and +Dartmouth aroused the keenest interest, and honors were then about even. +But these outside activities were kept well within bounds and were not +permitted to interfere with the real work of the college. Pratt Field +had just been completed and was well equipped for outdoor sports, while +Pratt Gymnasium had every facility for indoor training. These places +were well named, for the Pratt boys were very active in athletics. One +of them was usually captain of the football team. I remember that in +1892 George D. Pratt, afterwards Conservation Commissioner of the State +of New York, led his team to victory against Dartmouth, thirty to two, +and a week later kicked ten straight goals in a gale of wind at the +championship game with Williams, leaving the score sixty to nothing in +favor of Amherst. But both these colleges have since retaliated with a +great deal of success.</p> + +<p>In these field events I was only an observer, contenting myself with +getting exercise by faithful attendance at the class drills in the +gymnasium. In these the entire class worked together with dumb<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_57">{57}</a></span>bells for +most of the time, but they involved sufficient marching about the floor +to give a military flavor which I found very useful in later life when I +came in contact with military affairs during my public career.</p> + +<p>The Presidential election of 1892 came in my sophomore year. I favored +the renomination of Harrison and joined the Republican Club of the +college, which participated in a torch-light parade, but the +unsatisfactory business condition of the country carried the victory to +Cleveland.</p> + +<p>For nearly two years I continued my studies of Latin and Greek. Ours was +the last class that read Demosthenes on the Crown with Professor William +S. Tyler, the head of the Greek department, who had been with the +college about sixty years. He was a patriarch in appearance with a long +beard and flowing white hair.</p> + +<p>His reverence for the ancient Greeks approached a religion. It was +illustrated by a story, perhaps apocryphal, that one of his sons was +sent to a theological school, and not wishing to engage in the ministry, +wrote his father that the faculty of the school<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_58">{58}</a></span> held that Socrates was +in hell. Such a reflection on the Greek philosopher so outraged the old +man’s loyalty that he wrote his son that the school was no place for him +and directed him to come home at once.</p> + +<p>In spite of his eighty-odd years he put the fire of youth into the +translation of those glowing periods of the master orator, which were +such eloquent appeals to the patriotism of the Greeks and such +tremendous efforts to rouse them to the defense of their country. Those +passages of the marvelous oration he said he had loved to read during +the Civil War.</p> + +<p>My studies of the ancient languages I supplemented with short courses in +French, German and Italian.</p> + +<p>But I never became very proficient in the languages. I was more +successful at mathematics, which I pursued far enough to take calculus. +This course was mostly under George D. Olds, who came to teach when we +entered to study, which later caused us to adopt him as an honorary +member of our class. In time he became President of the College. He had +a peculiar power to make figures interesting and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_59">{59}</a></span> knew how to hold the +attention and affection of his students. It was under him that we +learned of the universal application of the laws of mathematics. We saw +the discoveries of Kepler, Descartes, Newton and their associates +bringing the entire universe under one law, so that the most distant +point of light revealed by the largest reflector marches in harmony with +our own planet. We discovered, too, that the same force that rounds a +tear-drop holds all the myriad worlds of the universe in a balanced +position. We found that we dwelt in the midst of a Unity which was all +subject to the same rules of action. My education was making some +headway.</p> + +<p>In the development of every boy who is going to amount to anything there +comes a time when he emerges from his immature ways and by the greater +precision of his thought and action realizes that he has begun to find +himself. Such a transition finally came to me. It was not accidental but +the result of hard work. If I had permitted my failures, or what seemed +to me at the time a lack of success, to discourage me I cannot see any +way in which I would ever have made progress. If we keep our faith in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_60">{60}</a></span> +ourselves, and what is even more important, keep our faith in regular +and persistent application to hard work, we need not worry about the +outcome.</p> + +<p>During my first two years at Amherst I studied hard but my marks were +only fair. It needed some encouragement from my father for me to +continue. In junior year, however, my powers began to increase and my +work began to improve. My studies became more interesting. I found the +course in history under Professor Anson D. Morse was very absorbing. His +lectures on medieval and modern Europe were inspiring, seeking to give +his students not only the facts of past human experience but also their +meaning. He was very strong on the political side of history, bringing +before us the great figures from Charlemagne to Napoleon with remarkable +distinctness, and showing us the influence of the Great Gregory and +Innocent III. The work of Abélard and Erasmus was considered, and the +important era of Luther and Calvin thoroughly explored.</p> + +<p>In due time we crossed the Channel with William the Conqueror and +learned how he subdued and solidified the Kingdom of England. The +signifi<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_61">{61}</a></span>cance of the long struggle with the Crown before the Parliament +finally reached a position of independence was disclosed, and the slow +growth of a system of liberty under the law, until at last it was firmly +established, was carefully explained. We saw the British Empire rise +until it ruled the seas. The brilliance of the statesmanship of the +different periods, the rugged character of the patriotic leaders, of +Anselm and Simon de Montfort, of Cromwell and the Puritans, who dared to +oppose the tyranny of the kings, the growth of learning, the development +of commerce, the administration of justice—all these and more were +presented for our consideration. Whatever was essential to a general +comprehension of European history we had.</p> + +<p>But it was when he turned to the United States that Professor Morse +became most impressive. He placed particular emphasis on the era when +our institutions had their beginning. Washington was treated with the +greatest reverence, and a high estimate was placed on the statesmanlike +qualities and financial capacity of Hamilton, but Jefferson was not +neglected. In spite of his many vagaries it was<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_62">{62}</a></span> shown that in saving +the nation from the danger of falling under the domination of an +oligarchy, and in establishing a firm rule of the people which was +forever to remain, he vindicated the soundness of our political +institutions. The whole course was a thesis on good citizenship and good +government. Those who took it came to a clearer comprehension not only +of their rights and liberties but of their duties and responsibilities.</p> + +<p>The department of public speaking was under Professor Henry A. Frink. He +had a strong hold on his students. His work went along with the other +work, practically through the four years, beginning with composition and +recitation and passing to the preparation and delivery of orations and +participation in public debates. The allied subject of rhetoric I took +under Professor John F. Genung, a scholarly man who was held in high +respect. The courses in biology, chemistry, economics and geology I was +not able to pursue, though they all interested me and were taught by +excellent men.</p> + +<p>Not the least in the educational values of Amherst was its beautiful +physical surroundings. While the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_63">{63}</a></span> college buildings of the early +nineties were not impressive, the town with its spacious common and fine +elm trees was very attractive. It was located on the arch of a slight +ridge flanked on the north by Mount Warner and on the south by the +Holyoke Range. The east rose over wooded slopes to the horizon, and the +west looked out across the meadows of the Connecticut to the spires of +Northampton and the Hampshire Hills beyond. Henry Ward Beecher has dwelt +with great admiration and affection on the beauties of this region, +where he was a student. Each autumn, when the foliage had put on its +richest tints, the College set aside Mountain Day to be devoted to the +contemplation of the scenery so wonderfully displayed in forest, hill, +and dale, before the frosts of winter laid them bare.</p> + +<p>It always seemed to me that all our other studies were in the nature of +a preparation for the course in philosophy. The head of this department +was Charles E. Garman, who was one of the most remarkable men with whom +I ever came in contact. He used numerous text books, which he furnished, +and many pamphlets that he not only had written<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_64">{64}</a></span> but had printed himself +on a hand press in his home. These he pledged us to show to no one +outside the class, because, being fragmentary, and disclosing but one +line of argument which might be entirely demolished in succeeding +lessons, they might involve him in some needless controversy. It is +difficult to imagine his superior as an educator. Truly he drew men out.</p> + +<p>Beginning in the spring of junior year his course extended through four +terms. The first part was devoted to psychology, in order to find out +the capacity and the limits of the human mind. It was here that we +learned the nature of habits and the great advantage of making them our +allies instead of our enemies.</p> + +<p>Much stress was placed on a thorough mastery and careful analysis of all +the arguments presented by the writers on any subject under +consideration. Then when it was certain that they were fully understood +they were criticized, so that what was unsound was rejected and what was +true accepted. We were thoroughly drilled in the necessity of +distinguishing between the accidental and the essential. The proper<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_65">{65}</a></span> +method of presenting a subject and an argument was discussed. We were +not only learning about the human mind but learning how to use it, +learning how to think. A problem would often be stated and the class +left to attempt to find the solution unaided by the teacher. Above all +we were taught to follow the truth whithersoever it might lead. We were +warned that this would oftentimes be very difficult and result in much +opposition, for there would be many who were not going that way, but if +we pressed on steadfastly it was sure to yield the peaceable fruits of +the mind. It does.</p> + +<p>Our investigation revealed that man is endowed with reason, that the +human mind has the power to weigh evidence, to distinguish between right +and wrong and to know the truth. I should call this the central theme of +his philosophy. While the quantity of the truth we know may be small it +is the quality that is important. If we really know one truth the +quality of our knowledge could not be surpassed by the Infinite.</p> + +<p>We looked upon Garman as a man who walked with God. His course was a +demonstration of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_66">{66}</a></span> existence of a personal God, of our power to know +Him, of the Divine immanence, and of the complete dependence of all the +universe on Him as the Creator and Father “in whom we live and move and +have our being.” Every reaction in the universe is a manifestation of +His presence. Man was revealed as His son, and nature as the hem of His +garment, while through a common Fatherhood we are all embraced in a +common brotherhood. The spiritual appeal of music, sculpture, painting +and all other art lies in the revelation it affords of the Divine +beauty.</p> + +<p>The conclusions which followed from this position were logical and +inescapable. It sets man off in a separate kingdom from all the other +creatures in the universe, and makes him a true son of God and a +partaker of the Divine nature. This is the warrant for his freedom and +the demonstration of his equality. It does not assume all are equal in +degree but all are equal in kind. On that precept rests a foundation for +democracy that cannot be shaken. It justifies faith in the people.</p> + +<p>No doubt there are those who think they can demonstrate that this +teaching was not correct. With</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="ill_003"> +<a href="images/i_p66_081.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_p66_081.jpg" width="469" height="550" alt="Underwood & Underwood + +Calvin Coolidge + +At the age of three"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Underwood & Underwood + +Calvin Coolidge + +At the age of three</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_67">{67}</a></span></p> + +<p class="nind">them I have no argument. I know that in experience it has worked. In +time of crisis my belief that people can know the truth, that when it is +presented to them they must accept it, has saved me from many of the +counsels of expediency. The spiritual nature of men has a power of its +own that is manifest in every great emergency from Runnymede to Marston +Moor, from the Declaration of Independence to the abolition of slavery.</p> + +<p>In ethics he taught us that there is a standard of righteousness, that +might does not make right, that the end does not justify the means and +that expediency as a working principle is bound to fail. The only hope +of perfecting human relationship is in accordance with the law of +service under which men are not so solicitous about what they shall get +as they are about what they shall give. Yet people are entitled to the +rewards of their industry. What they earn is theirs, no matter how small +or how great. But the possession of property carries the obligation to +use it in a larger service. For a man not to recognize the truth, not to +be obedient to law, not to render allegiance to the State, is for him to +be at war with<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_68">{68}</a></span> his own nature, to commit suicide. That is why “the +wages of sin is death.” Unless we live rationally we perish, physically, +mentally, spiritually.</p> + +<p>A great deal of emphasis was placed on the necessity and dignity of +work. Our talents are given us in order that we may serve ourselves and +our fellow men. Work is the expression of intelligent action for a +specified end. It is not industry, but idleness, that is degrading. All +kinds of work from the most menial service to the most exalted station +are alike honorable. One of the earliest mandates laid on the human race +was to subdue the earth. That meant work.</p> + +<p>If he was not in accord with some of the current teachings about +religion, he gave to his class a foundation for the firmest religious +convictions. He presented no mysteries or dogmas and never asked us to +take a theory on faith, but supported every position by facts and logic. +He believed in the Bible and constantly quoted it to illustrate his +position. He divested religion and science of any conflict with each +other, and showed that each rested on the common basis of our ability to +know the truth.</p> + +<p>To Garman was given a power which took his<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_69">{69}</a></span> class up into a high +mountain of spiritual life and left them alone with God.</p> + +<p>In him was no pride of opinion, no atom of selfishness. He was a +follower of the truth, a disciple of the Cross, who bore the infirmities +of us all. Those who finished his course in the last term of senior year +found in their graduating exercises a real commencement, when they would +begin their efforts to serve their fellow men in the practical affairs +of life. Of course it was not possible for us to accept immediately the +results of his teachings or live altogether in accordance with them. I +do not think he expected it. He was constantly reminding us that the +spirit was willing but the flesh was <i>strong</i>, but that nevertheless, if +we would continue steadfastly to think on these things we would be +changed from glory to glory through increasing intellectual and moral +power. He was right.</p> + +<p>To many my report of his course will seem incomplete and crude. I am not +writing a treatise but trying to tell what I secured from his teaching, +and relating what has seemed important in it to me, from the memory I +have retained of it, since I began<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_70">{70}</a></span> it thirty-five years ago. He +expected it to be supplemented. He was fond of referring to it as a +mansion not made with hands, incomplete, but sufficient for our +spiritual habitation. What he revealed to us of the nature of God and +man will stand. Against it “the gates of hell shall not prevail.”</p> + +<p>As I look back upon the college I am more and more impressed with the +strength of its faculty, with their power for good. Perhaps it has men +now with a broader preliminary training, though they then were profound +scholars, perhaps it has men of keener intellects though they then were +very exact in their reasoning, but the great distinguishing mark of all +of them was that they were men of character. Their words carried +conviction because we were compelled to believe in the men who uttered +them. They had the power not merely to advise but literally to instruct +their students.</p> + +<p>In accordance with custom our class chose three of its members by +popular vote to speak at the commencement. To me was assigned the grove +oration, which according to immemorial practice deals with the record of +the class in a witty and humorous way.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_71">{71}</a></span> While my effort was not without +some success I very soon learned that making fun of people in a public +way was not a good method to secure friends, or likely to lead to much +advancement, and I have scrupulously avoided it.</p> + +<p>In the latter part of my course my scholarship had improved, so that I +was graduated <i>cum laude</i>.</p> + +<p>After my course was done I went home to do a summer’s work on the farm, +which was to be my last. I had decided to enter the law and expected to +attend a law school, but one of my classmates wrote me late in the +summer that there was an opportunity to go into the office of Hammond +and Field at Northampton, so I applied to them and was accepted. After I +had been there a few days a most courteous letter came from the +Honorable William P. Dillingham requesting me to call on him at +Montpelier and indicating he would take me into his office. He recalled +the circumstance when I found him in the Senate after I became Vice +President. But I had already reverted to Massachusetts, where my family +had lived for one hundred and fifty years before their advent into +Vermont. Had<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_72">{72}</a></span> his letter reached me sooner probably it would have +changed the whole course of my life.</p> + +<p>Northampton was the county seat and a quiet but substantial town, with +pleasant surroundings and fine old traditions reaching back beyond +Jonathan Edwards. It was just recovering from the depression of 1893, +preparing to eliminate its grade crossings and starting some new +industries that would add to the business it secured from Smith College, +which was a growing institution with many hundreds of students.</p> + +<p>The senior member of the law firm was John C. Hammond, who was +considered the leader of the Hampshire Bar. He was a lawyer of great +learning and wide business experience, with a remarkable ability in the +preparation of pleadings and an insight that soon brought him to the +crucial point of a case. He was massive and strong rather than elegant, +and placed great stress on accuracy. He presented a cause in court with +ability and skill. The junior member was Henry P. Field, an able lawyer +and a man of engaging personality and polish, who I found was an +Alderman. That appeared to me at the time to be<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_73">{73}</a></span> close to the Almighty +in importance. I shall always remember with a great deal of gratitude +the kindness of these two men to me.</p> + +<p>That I was now engaged in the serious enterprise of life I so fully +realized that I went to the barber shop and divested myself of the +college fashion of long hair. Office hours were from eight to about six +o’clock, during which I spent my time in reading Kent’s Commentaries and +in helping prepare writs, deeds, wills, and other documents. My evenings +I gave to some of the masters of English composition. I read the +speeches of Lord Erskine, of Webster, and Choate. The essays of Macaulay +interested me much, and the writings of Carlyle and John Fiske I found +very stimulating. Some of the orations of Cicero I translated, being +especially attached to the defense of his friend the poet Archias, +because in it he dwelt on the value and consolation of good literature. +I read much in Milton and Shakespeare and found delight in the shorter +poems of Kipling, Field and Riley.</p> + +<p>My first Christmas was made more merry by getting notice that the Sons +of the American Revolu<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_74">{74}</a></span>tion had awarded me the prize of a gold medal +worth about one hundred and fifty dollars for writing the best essay on +“The Principles Fought for in the American Revolution,” in a competition +open to the seniors of all the colleges of the nation. The notice came +one day, and it was announced in the next morning papers, where Judge +Field saw it before I had a chance to tell him. So when he came to the +office he asked me about it. I had not had time to send the news home. +And then I had a little vanity in wishing my father to learn of it first +from the press, which he did. He had questioned some whether I was +really making anything of my education, in pretense I now think, not +because he doubted it but because he wished to impress me with the +desirability of demonstrating it.</p> + +<p>But my main effort in those days was to learn the law. The Superior +Court had three civil and two criminal terms each year in Northampton. +Whenever it was sitting I spent all my time in the court room. In this +way I became familiar with the practical side of trial work. I soon came +to see that the counsel who knew the law were the ones who held<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_75">{75}</a></span> the +attention of the Judge, took the jury with them, and won their cases. +They were prepared. The office where I was had a very large general +practice which covered every field and took them into all the Courts of +the Commonwealth but little into the Federal Courts. I assisted in the +preparation of cases and went to court with the members of the firm to +watch all their trial work and help keep a record of testimony for use +in the arguments. It was all a work of absorbing interest to me.</p> + +<p>The books in the office soon appeared too ponderous for my study, so I +bought a supply of students’ text books and law cases on the principal +subjects necessary for my preparation for the bar. These enabled me to +gain a more rapid acquaintance with the main legal principles, because I +did not have to read through so much unimportant detail as was contained +in the usual treatise prepared for a lawyer’s library, which was usually +a collection of all the authorities, while what I wanted was the main +elements of the law. I was soon conversant with contracts, torts, +evidence, and real property, with some knowledge of Massachusetts +pleading, and had a<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_76">{76}</a></span> considerable acquaintance with the practical side +of statute law.</p> + +<p>I do not feel that any one ever really masters the law, but it is not +difficult to master the approaches to the law, so that given a certain +state of facts it is possible to know how to marshal practically all the +legal decisions which apply to them. I think counsel are mistaken in the +facts of their case about as often as they are mistaken in the law.</p> + +<p>All my waking hours were so fully employed that I found little time for +play. My college was but eight miles distant, yet I did not have any +desire to go back to the intercollegiate games, though I was accustomed +to attend the alumni dinner at commencement. There was a canoe club +which I joined, on the Connecticut, about a mile over the meadow from +the town where I often went on Sunday afternoons. I was full of the joy +of doing something in the world. Another reason why I discarded all +outside enterprises and kept strictly to my work and my books was +because I was keeping my monthly expenditures within thirty dollars +which was furnished me by my father. He would gladly have provided me<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_77">{77}</a></span> +more had I needed it, but I thought that was enough and was determined +to live within it, which I did. Not much was left for any unnecessary +pleasantries of life.</p> + +<p>Soon after I entered the office Mr. Hammond was elected District +Attorney and Mr. Field became Mayor of the city, so that I saw something +of the working of the city government and the administration of the +criminal law.</p> + +<p>The first summer I was in Northampton came the famous free silver +campaign of 1896. When Mr. Bryan was nominated he had the support of +most of the local Democrats of the city, but he lost much of it before +November. One of them sent a long communication to a county paper +indorsing him. This I answered in one of the city papers. When I was +home that summer I took part in a small neighborhood debate in which I +supported the gold standard. The study I put on this subject well repaid +me. Of course Northampton went handsomely for McKinley.</p> + +<p>With the exception of a week or two at home in the summer of 1896 I kept +on in this way with my work from September, 1895, to June, 1897. I then<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_78">{78}</a></span> +felt sufficiently versed in the law to warrant my taking the examination +for admission to the Bar. It was conducted by a County Committee of +which Mr. Hammond was a member, but as I was his student he left the +other two, Judge William G. Bassett and Judge William P. Strickland, to +act on my petition. I was pronounced qualified by them and just before +July 4, 1897, I was duly admitted to practice before the Courts of +Massachusetts. My preparation had taken about twenty months. Only after +I was finally in possession of my certificate did I notify my father. He +had expected that my studies would take another year, and I wanted to +surprise him if I succeeded and not disappoint him if I failed. I did +not fail. I was just twenty-five years old and very happy.</p> + +<p>It was a little over eleven years from the time I left home for the +Academy in the late winter of 1886 until I was admitted to the Bar in +the early summer of 1897. They had been years full of experience for me, +in which I had advanced from a child to a man. Wherever I went I found +good people, men and women, and young folks of my own age, who had won +my respect and affection. From the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_79">{79}</a></span> hearthstone of my father’s fireside +to the court room at Northampton they had all been kind and helpful to +me. Their memory will always be one of my most cherished possessions.</p> + +<p>My formal period of education was passed, though my studies are still +pursued. I was devoted to the law, its reasonableness appealed to my +mind as the best method of securing justice between man and man. I fully +expected to become the kind of country lawyer I saw all about me, +spending my life in the profession, with perhaps a final place on the +Bench. But it was decreed to be otherwise. Some Power that I little +suspected in my student days took me in charge and carried me on from +the obscure neighborhood at Plymouth Notch to the occupancy of the White +House.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_81">{81}</a></span><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_80">{80}</a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_82">{82}</a></span>  </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_83">{83}</a></span>  </p> + +<h2 class="chead"><a id="CHAPTER_III"></a><a id="THE_LAW_AND_POLITICS"></a>THE LAW AND POLITICS</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/barrs.png" width="405" height="11" alt=""></div> + +<h2>CHAPTER THREE<br><br> +THE LAW AND POLITICS</h2> + +<p class="nind"><span class="letra">I</span>T is one thing to know how to get admitted to the Bar but quite another +thing to know how to practice law. Those who attend a law school know +how to pass the examinations, while those who study in an office know +how to apply their knowledge to actual practice. It seems to me that the +best course is to go to a school and then go into an office where the +practice is general. In that way the best preparation is secured for a +thorough comprehension of the great basic principles of the profession +and for their application to existing facts. Still, one who has had a +good college training can do very well by starting in an office. But in +any case he should not go into the law because it appears to be merely a +means of making a living, but because he has a real and sincere love for +the profession, which will enable him to make the sacrifices it +requires.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_84">{84}</a></span></p> + +<p>When I decided to enter the law it was only natural, therefore, that I +should consider it the highest of the professions. If I had not held +that opinion it would have been a measure of intellectual dishonesty for +me to take it for a life work. Others may be hampered by circumstances +in making their choice, but I was free, and I went where I felt the +duties would be congenial and the opportunities for service large. Those +who follow other vocations ought to feel the same about them, and I hope +they do.</p> + +<p>My opinion had been formed by the high estimation in which the Bench and +Bar were held by the people in my boyhood home in Vermont. It was +confirmed by my more intimate intercourse with the members of the +profession with whom I soon came in contact in Massachusetts after I +went there to study law in the autumn of 1895. When I was admitted to +practice two years later the law still occupied the high position of a +profession. It had not then assumed any of its later aspects of a trade.</p> + +<p>The ethics of the Northampton Bar were high. It was made up of men who +had, and were entitled<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_85">{85}</a></span> to have, the confidence and respect of their +neighbors who knew them best. They put the interests of their clients +above their own, and the public interests above them both. They were +courteous and tolerant toward each other and respectful to the Court. +This attitude was fostered by the appreciation of the uprightness and +learning of the Judges.</p> + +<p>Because of the short time I had spent in preparation I remained in the +office of Hammond and Field about seven months after I was admitted to +the Bar. I was looking about for a place to locate but found none that +seemed better than Northampton. A new block called the Masonic Building +was under construction on lower Main Street, and when it was ready for +occupancy I opened an office there February 1, 1898. I had two rooms, +where I was to continue to practice law for twenty-one years, until I +became Governor of Massachusetts in 1919. For my office furniture and a +good working library I paid about $800 from some money I had saved and +inherited from my grandfather Moor. My rent was $200 per year. I began +to be self-sustaining except as to the cost of my table board, which was +paid by<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_86">{86}</a></span> my father until September, but thereafter all my expenses I +paid from the fees I received.</p> + +<p>I was alone. While I had many acquaintances that I might call friends I +had no influential supporters who were desirous to see me advanced and +were sending business to me. I was dependent on the general public; what +I had, came from them. My earnings for the first year were a little over +$500.</p> + +<p>My interest in public affairs had already caused me to become a member +of the Republican City Committee, and in December, 1898, I was elected +one of the three members of the Common Council from Ward Two. The office +was without salary and not important, but the contacts were helpful. +When the local military company returned that summer from the Cuban +Campaign I did my best to get an armory built for them. I was not +successful at that time but my proposal was adopted a little later. This +was the beginning of an interest in military preparation which I have +never relinquished.</p> + +<p>During 1899 I began to get more business. The Nonotuck Savings Bank was +started early that year, and I became its counsel. Its growth was slow +but<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_87">{87}</a></span> steady. In later years I was its President, a purely honorary place +without salary but no small honor. There was legal work about the county +which came to my office, so that my fees rose to $1,400 for the second +year.</p> + +<p>I did not seek reelection to the City Council, as I knew the City +Solicitor was to retire and I wanted that place. The salary was $600, +which was not unimportant to me. But my whole thought was on my +profession. I wanted to be City Solicitor because I believed it would +make me a better lawyer. I was elected and held the office until March, +1902. It gave me a start in the law which I was ever after able to hold.</p> + +<p>The office was not burdensome and went along with my private practice. +It took me into Court some. In a jury trial I lost two trifling cases in +an action of damages against the city for taking a small strip of land +to widen a highway. I felt I should have won these cases on the claim +that the land in question already belonged to the highway. But I +prevailed in an unimportant case in the Supreme Court against my old +preceptor Mr. Hammond. It<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_88">{88}</a></span> is unnecessary to say that usually my cases +with him were decided in his favor. The training in this office gave me +a good grasp of municipal law, that later brought some important cases +to me.</p> + +<p>In addition to the mortgage and title work of the Savings Bank, I +managed some real estate, and had considerable practice in the +settlement of estates. Through a collection business I also had some +insolvency practice. I recall an estate in Amherst and one in +Belchertown, both much involved in litigation, which I settled. In each +case Stephen S. Taft of Springfield was the opposing counsel. Perhaps +there is no such thing as a best lawyer, any more than there is a best +book, or a best picture, but to me Mr. Taft was the best lawyer I ever +saw. If he was trying a case before a jury he was always the thirteenth +juryman, and if the trial was before the court he was always advising +the Judge. But he did not win these cases. He became one of my best +friends, and we were on the same side in several cases in later years. +One time he said to me: “Young man, when you can settle a case within +reason you settle it. You will not make so large a fee out of some one +case in that<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_89">{89}</a></span> way, but at the end of the year you will have more money +and your clients will be much better satisfied.” This was sound advice +and I heeded it. People began to feel that they could consult me with +some safety and without the danger of being involved needlessly in long +and costly litigation in court. Very few of my clients ever had to pay a +bill of costs. I suppose they were more reasonable than other clients, +for they usually settled their differences out of court. This course did +not give me much experience in the trial of cases, so I never became +very proficient in that art, but it brought me a very satisfactory +practice and a fair income.</p> + +<p>I worked hard during this early period. The matters on which I was +engaged were numerous but did not involve large amounts of money and the +fees were small. For three years I did not take the time to visit my old +home in Vermont, but when I did go I was City Solicitor. My father began +to see his hopes realized and felt that his efforts to give me an +education were beginning to be rewarded.</p> + +<p>What I always felt was the greatest compliment ever paid to my +professional ability came in 1903.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_90">{90}</a></span> In the late spring of that year +William H. Clapp, who had been for many years the Clerk of the Courts +for Hampshire County died. His ability, learning and painstaking +industry made him rank very high as a lawyer. The position he held was +of the first importance, for it involved keeping all the civil and +criminal records of the Superior Court and the Supreme Judicial Court +for the County. The Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court appointed me +to fill the vacancy. I always felt this was a judgment by the highest +Court in the Commonwealth on my professional qualifications. Had I been +willing to accept the place permanently I should have been elected to it +in the following November. The salary was then $2,300, and the position +was one of great dignity, but I preferred to remain at the Bar, which +might be more precarious, but also had more possibilities. Later events +now known enable any one to pass judgment on my decision. Had I decided +otherwise I could have had much more peace of mind in the last +twenty-five years.</p> + +<p>As the Clerk of the Courts I learned much relating to Massachusetts +practice, so that ever after I</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="ill_004"> +<a href="images/i_p90_107.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_p90_107.jpg" width="468" height="550" alt="Underwood & Underwood + +Calvin Coolidge + +At the age of seven"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Underwood & Underwood + +Calvin Coolidge + +At the age of seven</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_91">{91}</a></span></p> + +<p class="nind">knew what to do with all the documents in a trial, which would have been +of much value to me if I had not been called on to give so much time to +political affairs. These took up a large amount of my attention in 1904 +after I went back to my office, so that my income diminished during that +year. I had been chosen Chairman of the Republican City Committee. It +was a time of perpetual motion in Massachusetts politics. The state +elections came yearly in November, and the city elections followed in +December. This was presidential year. While I elected the +Representatives to the General Court by a comfortable margin at the +state election I was not so successful in the city campaign. Our Mayor +had served three terms, which had always been the extreme limit in +Northampton, but he was nominated for a fourth time. He was defeated by +about eighty votes. We made the mistake of talking too much about the +deficiencies of our opponents and not enough about the merits of our own +candidates. I have never again fallen into that error. Feeling one year +was all I could give to the chairmanship I did not accept a reelection +but still remained on the committee.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_92">{92}</a></span></p> + +<p>My earnings had been such that I was able to make some small savings. My +prospects appeared to be good. I had many friends and few enemies. There +was a little more time for me to give to the amenities of life. I took +my meals at Rahar’s Inn where there was much agreeable company +consisting of professional and business men of the town and some of the +professors of Smith College. I had my rooms on Round Hill with the +steward of the Clarke School for the Deaf. While these relations were +most agreeable and entertaining I suppose I began to want a home of my +own.</p> + +<p> </p> + +<p>After she had finished her course at the University of Vermont Miss +Grace Goodhue went to the Clarke School to take the training to enable +her to teach the deaf. When she had been there a year or so I met her +and often took her to places of entertainment.</p> + +<p>In 1904 Northampton celebrated its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary. +One evening was devoted to a reception for the Governor and his Council, +given by the Daughters of the American Revolu<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_93">{93}</a></span>tion. Miss Goodhue +accompanied me to the City Hall where the reception was held, and after +strolling around for a time we sat down in two comfortable vacant +chairs. Soon a charming lady approached us and said that those chairs +were reserved for the Governor and Mrs. Bates and that we should have to +relinquish them, which we did. Fourteen years later when we had received +sufficient of the election returns to show that I had been chosen +Governor of Massachusetts I turned to her and said, “The Daughters of +the American Revolution cannot put us out of the Governor’s chair now.”</p> + +<p>From our being together we seemed naturally to come to care for each +other. We became engaged in the early summer of 1905 and were married at +her home in Burlington, Vermont, on October fourth of that year. I have +seen so much fiction written on this subject that I may be pardoned for +relating the plain facts. We thought we were made for each other. For +almost a quarter of a century she has borne with my infirmities, and I +have rejoiced in her graces.</p> + +<p>After our return from a trip to Montreal we<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_94">{94}</a></span> staid a short time at the +Norwood Hotel but soon started housekeeping. We rented a very +comfortable house that needed but one maid to help Mrs. Coolidge do her +work. Of course my expenses increased, and I had to plan very carefully +for a time to live within my income. I know very well what it means to +awake in the night and realize that the rent is coming due, wondering +where the money is coming from with which to pay it. The only way I know +of escape from that constant tragedy is to keep running expenses low +enough so that something may be saved to meet the day when earnings may +be small.</p> + +<p>When the city election was approaching in December I was asked to be a +candidate for School Committee. It was a purely honorary office, which +had no attraction for me, but I consented and was nominated. To my +surprise another Republican took out nomination papers, which split the +party and elected a Democrat. The open compliment was that I had no +children in the schools, but the real reason was that I was a +politician. That reputation I had acquired by long service on the party +committee helping elect our candidates. The man they elected<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_95">{95}</a></span> gave a +useful service for several years and left me free to turn to avenues +which were to be much more useful to me in ways for public service. I +was also better off attending to my law practice and my new home.</p> + +<p>The days passed quietly with us until the next autumn, when we moved +into the house in Massasoit Street that was to be our home for so long. +I attended to the furnishing of it myself, and when it was ready Mrs. +Coolidge and I walked over to it. In about two weeks our first boy came +on the evening of September seventh. The fragrance of the clematis which +covered the bay window filled the room like a benediction, where the +mother lay with her baby. We called him John in honor of my father. It +was all very wonderful to us.</p> + +<p>We liked the house where our children came to us and the neighbors who +were so kind. When we could have had a more pretentious home we still +clung to it. So long as I lived there, I could be independent and serve +the public without ever thinking that I could not maintain my position +if I lost my office. I always made my living practicing law up<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_96">{96}</a></span> to the +time I became Governor, without being dependent on any official salary. +This left me free to make my own decisions in accordance with what I +thought was the public good. We lived where we did that I might better +serve the people.</p> + +<p>My main thought in those days was to improve myself in my profession. I +was still studying law and literature. Because I thought the experience +would contribute to this end I became a candidate for the Massachusetts +House of Representatives. In a campaign in which I secured a large +number of Democratic votes, many of which never thereafter deserted me, +I was elected by a margin of about two hundred and sixty.</p> + +<p>The Speaker assigned me to the Committees on Constitutional Amendments +and Mercantile Affairs. During the session I helped draft, and the +Committee reported, a bill to prevent large concerns from selling at a +lower price in one locality than they did in others, for the purpose of +injuring their competitor. This seemed to me an unfair trade practice +that should be abolished. We secured the passage of the bill in the +House, but the Senate rewrote it in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_97">{97}</a></span> such a way that it finally failed. +I also supported a resolution favoring the direct election of United +States Senators and another providing for woman suffrage. These measures +did not have the approbation of the conservative element of my party, +but I had all the assurance of youth and ignorance in supporting them, +and later I saw them all become the law.</p> + +<p>The next year I was reelected, but in running against a man who had a +strong hold on some of the Republican Wards, my vote was cut down. +Serving on the Judiciary Committee, which I wanted because I felt it +would assist me in my profession, I became much interested in modifying +the law so that an injunction could not be issued in a labor dispute to +prevent one person seeking by argument to induce another to leave his +employer. This bill failed. While I think it had merit, in later years I +came to see that what was of real importance to the wage earners was not +how they might conduct a quarrel with their employers, but how the +business of the country might be so organized as to insure steady +employment at a fair rate of pay. If that were done there<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_98">{98}</a></span> would be no +occasion for a quarrel, and if it were not done a quarrel would do no +one any good.</p> + +<p>The work in the General Court was fascinating, both from its nature and +from the companionship with able and interesting men, but it took five +days each week for nearly six months, so that I thought I had secured +about all the benefit I could by serving two terms and declined again to +be a candidate. Another boy had been given into our keeping April 13 who +was named Calvin, so I had all the more reason for staying at home.</p> + +<p>My law office took all my attention. I never had a retainer from any +one, so my income always seemed precarious, but a practice which was +general in its nature kept coming to me. In June of 1909 I went to +Phoenix, Arizona, to hold a corporation meeting. It was the first I had +seen of the West. The great possibilities of the region were apparent, +and the enthusiasm of the people was inspiring. It told me that our +country was sure to be a success.</p> + +<p>For two years Northampton had elected a Democrat to be Mayor. He was a +very substantial business man, who has since been my landlord for a +long<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_99">{99}</a></span> period. He was to retire, and the Republicans were anxious to +elect his successor. At a party conference it was determined to ask me +to run and I accepted the opportunity, thinking the honor would be one +that would please my father, advance me in my profession, and enable me +to be of some public service. It was a local office, not requiring +enough time to interfere seriously with my own work.</p> + +<p>Without in any way being conscious of what I was doing I then became +committed to a course that was to make me the President of the Senate of +Massachusetts and of the Senate of the United States, the second officer +of the Commonwealth and the country, and the chief executive of a city, +a state and a nation. I did not plan for it but it came. I tried to +treat people as they treated me, which was much better than my deserts, +in accordance with the precept of the master poet. By my studies and my +course of life I meant to be ready to take advantage of opportunities. I +was ready, from the time the Justices named me the Clerk of the Courts +until my party nominated me for President.</p> + +<p>Ever since I was in Amherst College I have re<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_100">{100}</a></span>membered how Garman told +his class in philosophy that if they would go along with events and have +the courage and industry to hold to the main stream, without being +washed ashore by the immaterial cross currents, they would some day be +men of power. He meant that we should try to guide ourselves by general +principles and not get lost in particulars. That may sound like +mysticism, but it is only the mysticism that envelopes every great +truth. One of the greatest mysteries in the world is the success that +lies in conscientious work.</p> + +<p>My first campaign for Mayor was very intense. My opponent was a popular +merchant, a personal friend of mine who years later was to be Mayor, so +that at the outset he was the favorite. The only issue was our general +qualifications to conduct the business of the city. I called on many of +the voters personally, sent out many letters, spoke at many ward rallies +and kept my poise. In the end most of my old Democratic friends voted +for me, and I won by about one hundred and sixty-five votes.</p> + +<p>On the first Monday of January, 1910, I began a public career that was +to continue until the first<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_101">{101}</a></span> Monday of March, 1929, when it was to end +by my own volition.</p> + +<p>Our city had always been fairly well governed and had no great problems. +Taxes had been increasing. I was able to reduce them some and pay part +of the debt, so that I left the net obligations chargeable to taxes at +about $100,000. The salaries of teachers were increased. My work +commended itself to the people, so that running against the same +opponent for reelection my majority was much increased. I celebrated +this event by taking my family to Montpelier where my father was serving +in the Vermont Senate. Of all the honors that have come to me I still +cherish in a very high place the confidence of my friends and neighbors +in making me their Mayor.</p> + +<p>Remaining in one office long did not appeal to me, for I was not seeking +a public career. My heart was in the law. I thought a couple of terms in +the Massachusetts Senate would be helpful to me, so when our Senator +retired I sought his place in the fall of 1911 and was elected.</p> + +<p>The winter in Boston I did not find very satisfactory. I was lonesome. +My old friends in the House<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_102">{102}</a></span> were gone. The Western Massachusetts Club +that had its headquarters at the Adams House, where most of us lived +that came from beyond the Connecticut, was inactive. The Committees I +had, except the Chairmanship of Agriculture, did not interest me +greatly, and to crown my discontent a Democratic Governor sent in a +veto, which the Senate sustained, to a bill authorizing the New Haven +Railroad to construct a trolley system in Western Massachusetts.</p> + +<p>But as chairman of a special committee I had helped settle the Lawrence +strike, secured the appointment of a commission that resulted in the +passage of a mothers’ aid or maternity bill at the next session, and I +was made chairman of a recess committee to secure better transportation +for rural communities in the western part of the Commonwealth.</p> + +<p>During the summer we did a large amount of work on that committee and +made a very full and constructive report at the opening of the General +Court in 1913. This was the period that the Republican party was divided +between Taft and Roosevelt, so that Massachusetts easily went for +Wilson. But<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_103">{103}</a></span> in the three-cornered contest I was reelected to the +Senate.</p> + +<p>It was in my second term in the Senate that I began to be a force in the +Massachusetts Legislature. President Greenwood made me chairman of the +Committee on Railroads, which I very much wanted, because of my desire +better to understand business affairs, and also put me on the important +Committee on Rules. I made progress because I studied subjects +sufficiently to know a little more about them than any one else on the +floor. I did not often speak but talked much with the Senators +personally and came in contact with many of the business men of the +state. The Boston Democrats came to be my friends and were a great help +to me in later times.</p> + +<p>My committee reported a bill transforming the Railroad Commission into a +Public Service Commission, with a provision intending to define and +limit the borrowing powers of railroads which we passed after a long +struggle and debate. The Democratic Governor vetoed the bill, but it was +passed over his veto almost unanimously. The bill came out for our +trolley roads in Western Massachusetts and was<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_104">{104}</a></span> adopted. He vetoed this, +and his veto was overridden by a large majority. It was altogether the +most enjoyable session I ever spent with any legislative body.</p> + +<p>It had been my intention to retire at the end of my second term, but the +President of the Senate was reported as being a candidate for +Lieutenant-Governor, and as it seemed that I could succeed him I +announced that I wished for another election. When it was too late for +me to withdraw gracefully President Greenwood decided to remain in the +Senate. I wanted to be President of the Senate, because it was a chance +to emerge from being a purely local figure to a place of state-wide +distinction and authority. I knew where the votes in the Senate lay from +the hard legislative contests I had conducted, and I had them fairly +well organized when I found the President was not to retire.</p> + +<p>In this year of 1913 the division in the Republican party in +Massachusetts was most pronounced. Our candidate for Governor fell to +third place at the election, and another Democrat was made chief +executive, carrying with him for the first time in a<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_105">{105}</a></span> generation the +whole state ticket. But my district returned me. When I reached my +office the next morning I found President Greenwood had been defeated. +Again I was ready. By three o’clock that Wednesday afternoon I was in +Boston, and by Monday I had enough written pledges from the Republican +Senators to insure my nomination for President of the Senate at the +party caucus. It had been a real contest, but all opposition subsided +and I was unanimously nominated.</p> + +<p>The Senate showed the effects of the division in our party. It had +twenty-one Republicans, seventeen Democrats and two Progressives. When +the vote was cast for President on the opening day of the General Court, +Senator Cox the Progressive had two votes, Senator Horgan the Democrat +had seven votes, and I had thirty-one votes. I had not only become an +officer of the whole Commonwealth, but I had come into possession of an +influence reaching beyond the confines of my own party which I was to +retain so long as I remained in public life.</p> + +<p>Although I had arrived at the important position of President of the +Massachusetts Senate in January<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_106">{106}</a></span> of 1914, I had not been transported on +a bed of roses. It was the result of many hard struggles in which I had +made many mistakes, was to keep on making them up to the present hour, +and expect to continue to make them as long as I live. We are all +fallible, but experience ought to teach us not to repeat our errors.</p> + +<p>My progress had been slow and toilsome, with little about it that was +brilliant, or spectacular, the result of persistent and painstaking +work, which gave it a foundation that was solid. I trust that in making +this record of my own thoughts and feeling in relation to it, which +necessarily bristles with the first personal pronoun, I shall not seem +to be overestimating myself, but simply relating experiences which I +hope may prove to be an encouragement to others in their struggles to +improve their place in the world.</p> + +<p>It appeared to me in January, 1914, that a spirit of radicalism +prevailed which unless checked was likely to prove very destructive. It +had been encouraged by the opposition and by a large faction of my own +party.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_107">{107}</a></span></p> + +<p>It consisted of the claim in general that in some way the government was +to be blamed because everybody was not prosperous, because it was +necessary to work for a living, and because our written constitutions, +the legislatures, and the courts protected the rights of private owners +especially in relation to large aggregations of property.</p> + +<p>The previous session had been overwhelmed with a record number of bills +introduced, many of them in an attempt to help the employee by impairing +the property of the employer. Though anxious to improve the condition of +our wage earners, I believed this doctrine would soon destroy business +and deprive them of a livelihood. What was needed was a restoration of +confidence in our institutions and in each other, on which economic +progress might rest.</p> + +<p>In taking the chair as President of the Senate I therefore made a short +address, which I had carefully prepared, appealing to the conservative +spirit of the people. I argued that the government could not relieve us +from toil, that large concerns are necessary for the progress in which +capital and labor all have a common interest, and I defended +represen<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_108">{108}</a></span>tative government and the integrity of the courts. The address +has since been known as “Have Faith in Massachusetts.” Many people in +the Commonwealth had been waiting for such a word, and the effect was +beyond my expectation. Confusion of thought began to disappear, and +unsound legislative proposals to diminish.</p> + +<p>The office of President of the Senate is one of great dignity and power. +All the committees of the Senate are appointed by him. He has the chief +place in directing legislation when the Governor is of the opposite +party, as was the case in 1914. At the inauguration he presides over the +joint convention of the General Court and administers the oaths of +office to the Governor and Council in accordance with a formal ritual +that has come from colonial days, and is much more ceremonious than the +swearing-in of a President at Washington.</p> + +<p>It did not seem to me desirable to pursue a course of partisan +opposition to the Governor, and I did not do so, but rather cooperated +with him in securing legislation which appeared to be for the public +interest. The general lack of confidence in the country<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_109">{109}</a></span> and the +depression of business caused by the reduction of the tariff rates in +the fall of 1913 made it necessary to grant large appropriations for the +relief of unemployment during the winter. But I could see the steady +decrease of the radical sentiment among the people.</p> + +<p>In the midst of the following summer the World War enveloped Europe. It +had a distinctly sobering effect upon the whole people of our country. +It was very apparent in Massachusetts, where they at once began to +abandon their wanderings and seek their old landmarks for guidance. The +division in our party was giving way to reunion. Confidence was +returning.</p> + +<p>The Republican State Committee chose me to be chairman of the committee +on resolutions at the state convention which met at Worcester, largely +because of the impression made by my speech at the opening of the +Senate. I drew a conservative platform, pitched in the same key, +pointing out the great mass of legislation our party had placed on the +statute books for the benefit of the wage earners and the welfare of the +people, but declaring for the strict and unim<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_110">{110}</a></span>paired maintenance of our +present social, economic and political institutions. While I did not +deliver it well, in print it made an effective campaign document. After +starting in the contest with little confidence, our strength increased, +so that our candidate, Samuel W. McCall, received 198,627 votes and was +defeated by only 11,815 plurality. All the rest of our state ticket was +victorious. The political complexion of the Senate was completely +changed. From a bare majority of twenty-one the Republican strength rose +to thirty-three, and the opposition was reduced to seven Democrats.</p> + +<p>My district returned me for the fourth time and I was again made +President of the Senate by a unanimous vote. My opening address +consisted of forty-two words, thanking the Senators for the honor and +urging them in their conduct of business to be brief.</p> + +<p>As a presiding officer it has constantly been my policy to dispatch +business. It always took a long time to get all the Committees of the +General Court to make their reports, but I was able to keep the daily +sessions of the Senate short. I also wanted to cut down the volume of +legislation. In this some<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_111">{111}</a></span> progress was made. The Blue Book of Acts and +Resolves for 1913 had 1,763 pages, for 1914 it had 1,423, and for 1915 +only 1,230, which was a very wholesome reduction of more than thirty per +cent. People were coming to see that they must depend on themselves +rather than on legislation for success.</p> + +<p>Massachusetts was beginning to suffer from a great complication of laws +and restrictive regulations, from a multiplicity of Boards and +Commissions, which had reached about one hundred, and from a large +increase in the number of people on the public pay rolls, all of which +was necessarily accompanied with a much larger cost of state government +that had to be met by collecting more revenue from the taxpayers. The +people began to realize that something was wrong and began to wonder +whether more laws, more regulations, and more taxes, were really any +benefit to them. They were becoming tired of agitation, criticism and +destructive policies and wished to return to constructive methods.</p> + +<p>When I went home at the end of the 1915 session it was with the +intention of remaining in private life and giving all my attention to +the law. During the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_112">{112}</a></span> winter the Lieutenant-Governor had announced that +he would seek the nomination for Governor which caused some mention of +me as his successor, but I was President of the Senate and did not +propose to impair my usefulness in that position by involving it in an +effort to secure some other office, so I gave the matter no attention. A +very estimable man who had done much party service and was a brilliant +platform speaker had already become a candidate, but although my record +in the General Court was that of a liberal, the business interests +turned to me. In this they were not alone as the event disclosed. To the +people I seemed, in some way that I cannot explain, to represent +confidence. When the situation became apparent to me I went to Boston +and made the simple statement in the press that I was a candidate for +Lieutenant-Governor, without any reasons or any elaboration.</p> + +<p>It was at this time that my intimate acquaintance began with Mr. Frank +W. Stearns. I had met him in a casual way for a year or two but only +occasionally. In the spring he had suggested that he would like to +support me for Lieutenant-Governor. He was a<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_113">{113}</a></span> merchant of high character +and very much respected by all who knew him, but entirely without +experience in politics. He came as an entirely fresh force in public +affairs, unhampered by any of the animosities that usually attach to a +veteran politician. It was a great compliment to me to attract the +interest of such a man, and his influence later became of large value to +the party in the Commonwealth and nation. I always felt considerable +pride of accomplishment in getting the active support of men like him. +While Mr. Stearns always overestimated me, he nevertheless was a great +help to me. He never obtruded or sought any favor for himself or any +other person, but his whole effort was always disinterested and entirely +devoted to assisting me when I indicated I wished him to do so. It is +doubtful if any other public man ever had so valuable and unselfish a +friend.</p> + +<p>My activities were such that I began to see more of the Honorable W. +Murray Crane. When he came to Boston he was accustomed to have me at +breakfast in his rooms at the hotel. Although he had large interests +about which there was constant legislation<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_114">{114}</a></span> he never mentioned the +subject to me or made any suggestion about any of my official actions. +Had I sought his advice he would have told me to consult my own judgment +and vote for what the public interest required, without any thought of +him. He confirmed my opinion as to the value of a silence which avoids +creating a situation where one would otherwise not exist, and the bad +taste and the danger of arousing animosities and advertising an opponent +by making any attack on him. In all political affairs he had a wonderful +wisdom, and in everything he was preeminently a man of judgment, who was +the most disinterested public servant I ever saw and the greatest +influence for good government with which I ever came in contact. What +would I not have given to have had him by my side when I was President! +His end came just before the election of 1920.</p> + +<p>These men were additional examples of good influences coming into my +life, to which I referred in relating the experience of some of my +younger days. I cannot see that I sought them but they came. Perhaps it +was because I was ready to receive them.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_115">{115}</a></span></p> + +<p>In the summer of 1915 politics became very active in Massachusetts. +There was a sharp campaign for the nomination for Governor, my own +effort to secure the Lieutenant-Governorship, and many minor contests. I +shall always remember that Augustus P. Gardner, then in Congress, +honored me by becoming one of the committee of five who conducted my +campaign. Many local meetings were held, calling for much speaking. In +the end Samuel W. McCall was renominated for Governor. I was named as +candidate for Lieutenant-Governor by a vote of about 75,000 to 50,000. +The news reached my father on the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth +of his father. My campaign was carried on in careful compliance with the +law, and the expense was within the allowed limit of $1,500, which was +contributed by numerous people. I was thus under no especial obligation +to any one for raising money for me.</p> + +<p>In the campaign for election I toured the state with Mr. McCall, making +open-air speeches from automobiles during the day, and finishing with an +indoor rally in the evening. It was the hardest kind<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_116">{116}</a></span> of work but most +fascinating. I remember that Warren G. Harding and Nicholas Longworth +came into the state to promote our election and spoke with us at a large +meeting one night at Lowell.</p> + +<p>I did not refer to my own candidacy, but spent all my time advocating +the election of Mr. McCall. He was a character that fitted into the +situation most admirably. He was liberal without being visionary and +conservative without being reactionary. The twenty-five years he had +spent in public life gave him a remarkable equipment for discussing the +issues of a campaign. Whatever information was needed concerning the +state government I was in a position to supply. Much emphasis was placed +by me on the urgent necessity of preventing further increases in state +and national expense and of a drastic reduction wherever possible. The +state was ready for that kind of a message.</p> + +<p>When the election of 1915 came, Mr. McCall won by 6,313 votes and my +plurality was 52,204. After having been held five years by Democrats, +the Governorship of Massachusetts was restored to the Republican party, +where it was to remain for the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_117">{117}</a></span> next fifteen years and probably much +longer. The extended struggle in which the Republicans had been engaged +to restore the people of Massachusetts to their allegiance to sound +government under a reunited party had at last been successful. With that +prolonged effort I had been intimately associated.</p> + +<p>The office of Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts differs from that of +most states. As already disclosed he does not preside over the Senate. +The constitution of our Commonwealth is older than the Federal +Constitution and so followed the old colonial system, while most of the +states have followed the Federal system. I was <i>ex officio</i> a member of +the Governor’s Council and chairman of the Finance and Pardon +committees. As the Council met but one day each week I was pleased with +the renewed opportunity I expected to have to practice law. But it soon +developed that I must be away so much that I asked Ralph W. Hemenway to +become associated with me, and he has since carried on my law office so +successfully that it has become his law office rather than mine.</p> + +<p>It has become the custom in our country to ex<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_118">{118}</a></span>pect all Chief Executives, +from the President down, to conduct activities analogous to an +entertainment bureau. No occasion is too trivial for its promoters to +invite them to attend and deliver an address. It appeared to be the +practice of Governor McCall to accept all these invitations and when the +time came, to attend what he could of them, and parcel the rest out +among his subordinates. In this way I became very much engaged. It was +an honor to represent the Governor, and a part of my duties according to +our practice. Some days I went to several meetings for that purpose, +ranging well into the night, so I was obliged to stay in Boston most of +the time.</p> + +<p>It was during this period that I wrote nearly all of the speeches +afterwards published in “Have Faith in Massachusetts.” They were short +and mostly committed to memory for delivery. This forced me to be a +constant student of public questions.</p> + +<p>It did not seem best for me to take a very active part in the +Presidential primaries of 1916, but I quietly supported the regular +ticket for delegates, which was elected. We had at least three +candidates for President in Massachusetts, with all of whom I<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_119">{119}</a></span> was on +friendly terms, as I had never allied myself with any faction of the +party, but I felt the convention did the wise thing in turning to the +great statesman Charles Evans Hughes, and I supported him actively in +the campaign for election. He carried Massachusetts by a small vote. My +renomination came without opposition, as did that of the Governor, who +had a plurality of 46,240 at the election. My own was 84,930.</p> + +<p>During the summer I had been chairman of a special commission to +consider the financial condition of the Boston Elevated Street Railway, +and helped make a report recommending that the Governor be authorized to +appoint a Board of Trustees who should have the control of this property +and be vested with authority to fix a rate of fare sufficient to pay the +costs of operation and a fair return to the stockholders. This was +adopted by the General Court and solved the pressing problem of street +railway transportation, which became so acute on account of the +increasing costs of operation. Later the plan was applied to the other +large company in the eastern part of the state. It was not perfect, but +saved the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_120">{120}</a></span> properties from destruction and gave a fair means of travel +at cost, which was to be ascertained by public authority.</p> + +<p>It was in the ensuing year that the United States entered the World War. +While this took most of our thoughts off local affairs it did not +prevent opposition to the renomination of Governor McCall. Had it been +successful it would have deferred any chance for me to run for Governor +for two or three years and probably indefinitely. Under the +circumstances most of my friends supported the Governor, and he was +renominated by a wide margin. I had no opposition. But interest in the +election was not great, so that the vote was light. Nevertheless the +Governor ran 90,479 votes ahead of his nearest competitor. In my own +contest my opponent secured the Democratic, the Progressive and the +Prohibition nomination. I did not think the combination would prove +helpful to him, and it did not. He fell off 77,000 from the vote of his +predecessor, and I won by 101,731.</p> + +<p>While the United States had been engaged in the World War every public +man, and I among them,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_121">{121}</a></span> had been constantly employed in its many +activities. It increased every function of government from the +administration in Washington down to the smallest town office. The whole +nation seemed to be endowed with a new spirit, unified and solidified +and willing to make any sacrifice for the cause of liberty. I was +constantly before public gatherings explaining the needs of the time for +men, money and supplies. Sometimes I was urging subscriptions for war +loans, sometimes contributions to the great charities, or again speaking +to the workmen engaged in construction or the manufacture of munitions. +The response which the people made and the organizing power of the +country were all manifestations that it was wonderful to contemplate. +The entire nation awoke to a new life.</p> + +<p>It was no secret that I desired to be Governor. Under the custom of +promotion in Massachusetts a man who did not expect to be advanced would +scarcely be willing to be Lieutenant-Governor. But I did nothing in the +way of organizing my friends to secure the nomination. It is much better +not to press a candidacy too much, but to let it develop on<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_122">{122}</a></span> its own +merits without artificial stimulation. If the people want a man they +will nominate him, if they do not want him he had best let the +nomination go to another.</p> + +<p>The Governor very much desired to be United States Senator, but made no +statement indicating he would seek that honor which would cause him to +retire from his present office. Neither I nor my friends approached him +or sought to influence him. Finally he called me aside and told me to +announce that I would run for Governor, which I did. As no one knew what +he had told me, some supposed I would run against him, which I would not +have done.</p> + +<p>I had a strong liking for this veteran public servant, and so I felt +sure he liked me. He was away on many occasions, which under the +constitution left me as Acting Governor, but at such times I was always +careful not to encroach upon his domain. While I may have differed with +my subordinates I have always supported loyally my superiors. They have +never found me organizing a camp in opposition to them. Finally the +Governor sought the Senatorship,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_123">{123}</a></span> but before his campaign was under way +he very manfully announced that as the country was at war he was +entirely unwilling to divert public attention from the national defense +to promote his political fortune and therefore withdrew. My nomination +was again unanimous.</p> + +<p>The campaign was difficult. The really great qualities of my principal +colleague, Senator John W. Weeks, had been displayed mostly in +Washington and were not appreciated by his home people. A violent +epidemic of influenza prevented us from having a State Convention, or +holding the usual meetings, and the party organization was not very +effective. In spite of my protest and the fact that we were engaged in a +tremendous war, criticism was too often made of President Wilson and his +administration. My own efforts were spent in urging that the people and +government of Massachusetts should all join in their support of the +national government in prosecuting the war. While I was elected by only +16,773, Senator Weeks to my lasting regret was defeated, so the state +and nation lost for a time the benefit of his valuable public service. +Later he was<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_124">{124}</a></span> in the Cabinet where he remained until, during my term, he +retired due to ill health, and did not long survive.</p> + +<p>Again I supposed I had reached the summit of any possible political +preferment and was quite content to finish my public career as Governor +of Massachusetts—an office that has always been held in the highest +honor by the people of the Commonwealth.</p> + +<p>To get a few days’ rest I went to Maine the next Friday after the +election. It was there that I was awakened in the middle of Sunday night +to be told that the Armistice had been signed. I returned to Boston the +following day to take part in the celebration. What the end of the four +years of carnage meant those who remember it will never forget and those +who do not can never be told. The universal joy, the enormous relief, +found expression from all the people in a spontaneous outburst of +thanksgiving.</p> + +<p>While the war was done, its problems were to confront the state and +nation for many years. I was to meet them as Governor and President. +They will<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_125">{125}</a></span> remain with us for two generations. Such is the curse of war.</p> + +<p>In my inaugural address I dwelt on the need of promoting the public +health, education, and the opportunity, for employment at fair wages in +accordance with the right of the people to be well born, well reared, +well educated, well employed and well paid. I also stressed the +necessity of keeping government expenses as low as possible, assisting +in every possible way the reestablishing of the returning veterans, and +reorganizing the numerous departments in accordance with a recent change +of the constitution which limited their number to twenty.</p> + +<p>There being no Executive Mansion the Governor has no especial social +duties, so I kept my quarters at the Adams House, as I had always lived +there when in Boston, where Mrs. Coolidge came sometimes; but as our +boys needed her she staid for the most part in Northampton. She never +had taken any part in my political life, but had given her attention to +our home. It was not until we went to Washington that she came into +public prominence and favor.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_126">{126}</a></span></p> + +<p>In February, President Wilson landed at Boston on his return from France +and spoke at a large meeting, where I made a short address of welcome, +pledging him my support in helping settle the remaining war problems. I +then began a friendly personal relation with him and Mrs. Wilson which +has always continued. Our service men were constantly returning and had +to be aided in getting back into private employment. About $20,000,000 +was paid them out of the state treasury.</p> + +<p>In the confusion attending the end of the war the work of legislation +dragged on well into the summer. While I did not veto many of the bills +which were passed, I did reject a measure to increase the salaries of +members of the General Court from $1,000 to $1,500, but my objection was +not sustained.</p> + +<p>In the great upward movement of wages that had taken place those paid by +street railways had not been proportionately increased. It is very +difficult to raise fares, so sufficient money for this purpose had not +been available, though some advances had been made. Because of this +situation a strike oc<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_127">{127}</a></span>curred in midsummer on the Boston Elevated that +tied up nearly all the street transportation in the city district for +three or four days. Finally I helped negotiate an agreement to send the +matter to arbitration, so that work was resumed. The men secured a very +material raise in wages, which I feel later conditions fully justified.</p> + +<p>In August I went to Vermont. On my return I found that difficulties in +the Police Department of Boston were growing serious and made a +statement to the reporters at the State House that I should support +Commissioner Edwin U. Curtis in his decisions concerning their +adjustment. I felt he was entitled to every confidence.</p> + +<p>The trouble arose over the proposal of the policemen, who had long been +permitted to maintain a local organization of their own, to form a union +and affiliate with the American Federation of Labor. That was contrary +to a long-established rule of the Department, which was agreed to by +each member when he went on the force and had the effect of law.</p> + +<p>When the policemen’s union persisted in its course I was urged by a +committee appointed by the Mayor<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_128">{128}</a></span> to interfere and attempt to make +Commissioner Curtis settle the dispute by arbitration. The Governor +appoints the Commissioner and probably could remove him, but he has no +more jurisdiction over his acts than he has over the Judges of the +Courts; besides, I did not see how it was possible to arbitrate the +question of the authority of the law, or of the necessity of obedience +to the rules of the Department and the orders of the Commissioner. These +principles were the heart of the whole controversy and the only +important questions at issue. It can readily be seen how important they +were and what the effect might have been if they had not been +maintained. I decided to support them whatever the consequences might +be. I fully expected it would result in my defeat in the coming campaign +for reelection as Governor.</p> + +<p>While I had no direct responsibility for the conduct of police matters +in Boston, yet as the Chief Executive it was my general duty to require +the laws to be enforced, so I remained in Boston and kept carefully +informed of conditions. I knew I might be called on to act at any time.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_129">{129}</a></span></p> + +<p>On Sunday, September seventh, I went to Northampton by motor and +remained overnight as I had an engagement to speak before a state +convention of the American Federation of Labor at Greenfield Monday +morning, which I fulfilled. I left that town at once for Boston, +stopping at Fitchburg to call my office to learn if there were any new +developments. I reached Boston after four o’clock that afternoon, and +had a conference with some of the representatives of the city. I did not +leave Boston again for a long time.</p> + +<p>When it became perfectly apparent that the policemen’s union was acting +in violation of the rules of the Department the leaders were brought +before the Commissioner on charges, tried and removed from office, +whereat about three-quarters of the force left the Department in a body +at about five o’clock on the afternoon of Tuesday, September ninth. This +number was much larger than had been expected.</p> + +<p>The Metropolitan Police of more than one hundred, and the State Police +of thirty or forty men, had been kept in readiness and were at once put +on<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_130">{130}</a></span> duty, the Motor Corps of the State Guard was held at the armory, and +that night I kept the Attorney General, the Adjutant General and my +Secretary at my hotel to be ready to respond to any call for help. As +everything was quiet the Motor Corps went home. Around midnight bands of +men appeared on the street, who broke many shop windows and carried away +quantities of the goods which were on display. Many arrests were made, +but the remaining police and their reinforcements were not sufficient to +prevent the disorder. I knew nothing of this until morning.</p> + +<p>The disorder of Tuesday night was most reprehensible, but it was only an +incident. It had little relation to the real issues. I have always felt +that I should have called out the State Guard as soon as the police left +their posts. The Commissioner did not feel this was necessary. The +Mayor, who was a man of high character, and a personal friend, but of +the opposite party, had conferred with me. He had the same authority as +the Governor to call out all the Guard in the City of Boston. It would +be very unusual for a Governor to act except on the request of<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_131">{131}</a></span> the +local authorities. No disorder existed, and it would have been rather a +violent assumption that it was threatened, but it could have been made. +Such action probably would have saved some property, but would have +decided no issue. In fact it would have made it more difficult to +maintain the position Mr. Curtis had taken, and which I was supporting, +because the issue was not understood, and the disorder focused public +attention on it, and showed just what it meant to have a police force +that did not obey orders.</p> + +<p>On reaching my office in the morning it was reported to me that the +Mayor was calling out the State Guard of Boston to report about five +o’clock that afternoon. He also requested me to furnish more troops. I +supplemented his action by calling substantially the entire State Guard +to report at once. They gathered at their armories and were patrolling +the streets in a few hours. When they came with their muskets in their +hands with bayonets fixed there was little more trouble from disorder.</p> + +<p>It was soon reported to me that the Mayor, acting under a special law, +had taken charge of the police<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_132">{132}</a></span> force of the city, and by putting a +Guard officer in command had virtually displaced the Commissioner, who +came to me in great distress. If he was to be superseded I thought the +men that he had discharged might be taken back and the cause lost. +Certainly they and the rest of the policemen’s union must have rejoiced +at his discomfort. Thinking I knew what to do, I consulted the law as is +my custom. I found a general statute that gives the Governor authority +to call on any police officer in the state to assist him. I showed this +to the Attorney General and to Ex-Attorney General Herbert Parker, who +was advising Mr. Curtis. They thought I was right and consulted a +profound judge of law, Ex-Attorney General Albert E. Pillsbury, who +confirmed their opinions. The strike occurred Tuesday night, the Guard +were called Wednesday, and Thursday I issued a General Order restoring +Mr. Curtis to his place as Commissioner in control of the police, and +made a proclamation calling on all citizens to assist me in preserving +order, and especially directing all police officers in Boston to obey +the orders of Mr. Curtis.</p> + +<p>This was the important contribution I made to<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_133">{133}</a></span> the tactics of the +situation, which has never been fully realized. To Mr. Curtis should go +the credit for raising the issue and enforcing the principle that police +should not affiliate with any outside body, whether of wage earners or +of wage payers, but should remain unattached, impartial officers of the +law, with sole allegiance to the public. In this I supported him.</p> + +<p>When rumors started of a strike at the power house which furnished +electricity for all Boston, a naval vessel was run up to the station +with plenty of electricians on board ready to go over the side and keep +the plant in operation. A wagon train of supplies, arms, and ammunition +was brought in from Camp Devens and all the State Guard mobilized. A +statement was made by President Wilson strongly condemning the defection +of the police. Volunteer police began to come in, and over half a +million dollars was raised by popular subscription to meet necessary +expenses in caring for dependents of the Guard and even for helping the +families of some of the police who left their posts. Later I helped +these men in securing other employment, but refused to allow<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_134">{134}</a></span> them again +to be policemen. Public feeling became very much aroused. While offers +of support came from every quarter the opposition was very active.</p> + +<p>Soon, Samuel Gompers began to telegraph me asking the removal of Mr. +Curtis and the reinstatement of the union policemen. This required me to +make a reply in which I stated among other things that “There is no +right to strike against the public safety by any body, any time, any +where.” This phrase caught the attention of the nation. It was beginning +to be clear that if voluntary associations were to be permitted to +substitute their will for the authority of public officials the end of +our government was at hand. The issue was nothing less than whether the +law which the people had made through their duly authorized agencies +should be supreme.</p> + +<p>This issue I took to the people in my campaign for reelection as +Governor. Though I was hampered by an attack of influenza and spoke but +three or four times, I was able to make the issue plain even beyond the +confines of Massachusetts. Many of the wage earners both organized and +unorganized, who knew I had always treated them fairly, must have +sup<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_135">{135}</a></span>ported me, for I won by 125,101 votes. The people decided in favor +of the integrity of their own government. President Wilson sent me a +telegram of congratulations.</p> + +<p>I felt at the time that the speeches I made and the statements I issued +had a clearness of thought and revealed a power I had not before been +able to express, which confirmed my belief that, when a duty comes to +us, with it a power comes to enable us to perform it. I was not thinking +so much of the Governorship, which I already had, as of the grave danger +to the country if the voters did not decide correctly. My faith that the +people would respond to the truth was justified.</p> + +<p>The requirements of the situation as it developed seem clear and plain +now, and easy to decide, but as they arose they were very complicated +and involved in many immaterial issues. The right thing to do never +requires any subterfuges, it is always simple and direct. That is the +reason that intrigue usually falls of its own weight.</p> + +<p>After the election I had the work of making the appointments in order to +reduce the entire state ad<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_136">{136}</a></span>ministration to the limit of twenty +Departments and a special session of the General Court to deal with some +street railway problems, so I had little time to think of politics. But +I soon learned that many people in the country were thinking of me.</p> + +<p>The two years that I served as Governor were a time of transition from +war to peace. New problems constantly arose, great confusion prevailed, +nothing was settled and it was possible only to feel my way from day to +day. But they were years of progress if partly in a negative way. The +new position of the wage earners was perfected and solidified. A +forty-eight-hour week for women and minors was established by a bill +passed by the General Court, which I signed. The budget system went +fully into effect the first year I was Governor and helped keep the +state finances in good condition. The departments were reorganized, and +the street railways given relief. In my second year a bill was passed +allowing the sale of beer with a 2.75 per cent alcoholic content, which +I vetoed because I thought it was in violation of the Constitution which +I had sworn to defend. The veto was sustained. A constant struggle</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="ill_005"> +<a href="images/i_p136_155.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_p136_155.jpg" width="386" height="550" alt="Wide World Photos + +Calvin Coolidge + +At Amherst College"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Wide World Photos + +Calvin Coolidge + +At Amherst College</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_137">{137}</a></span></p> + +<p class="nind">was going on to keep the costs of living down and the rate of wages up. +A State Commission was held in office with increased powers to resist +profiteering in the necessaries of life. In the depression of 1920 some +of our banks and manufacturers found themselves in difficulties. All of +these things reached the Governor in one form or another. But, in +general, conditions were such that the entire efforts of the people were +engaged in easing themselves down. There was little opportunity to +direct their attention towards constructive action. They were clearing +away the refuse from the great conflagration preparatory to rebuilding +on a grander and more pretentious scale. Nothing was natural, everything +was artificial. So much energy had to be expended in keeping the ship of +state on a straight course that there was little left to carry it ahead. +But when I finished my two terms in January, 1921, the demobilization of +the country was practically complete, people had found themselves again, +and were ready to undertake the great work of reconstruction in which +they have since been so successfully engaged. In that work we have seen +the people of America<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_138">{138}</a></span> create a new heaven and a new earth. The old +things have passed away, giving place to a glory never before +experienced by any people of our world.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_139">{139}</a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_140">{140}</a></span>  </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_141">{141}</a></span>  </p> + +<h2 class="chead"><a id="CHAPTER_IV"></a><a id="IN_NATIONAL_POLITICS"></a>IN NATIONAL POLITICS</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/barrs.png" width="405" height="11" alt=""></div> + +<h2><i>CHAPTER FOUR</i><br><br> +IN NATIONAL POLITICS</h2> + +<p class="nind"><span class="letra">N</span>O doubt it was the police strike of Boston that brought me into +national prominence. That furnished the occasion and I took advantage of +the opportunity. I was ready to meet the emergency. Just what lay behind +that event I was never able to learn. Sometimes I have mistrusted that +it was a design to injure me politically; if so it was only to recoil +upon the perpetrators, for it increased my political power many fold. +Still there was a day or two when the event hung in the balance, when +the Police Commissioner of Boston, Edwin U. Curtis, was apparently cast +aside discredited, and my efforts to give him any support indicated my +own undoing. But I soon had him reinstated, and there was a strong +expression of public opinion in our favor.</p> + +<p>The year 1919 had not produced much on the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_142">{142}</a></span> positive side of our +political life. President Wilson had returned from the peace conference +at Paris determined to have the United States join the League of Nations +as established in the final Treaty of Versailles. He found opposition in +the Senate both within and without his own party. In attempting to gain +the approval of the country he had made his trip across the continent +and returned a broken man never to regain his strength. For eight years +he had so dominated his party that it had not produced any one else with +a marked ability for leadership. During these months the contest was +raging in the Senate over the peace treaty, but as a result it had put +the leadership of our party in a negative position, which never appeals +to the popular imagination, and besides in the country many Republicans +favored a ratification of the treaty with adequate reservations. Many of +the Senators on our side cast their vote for that proposal, which would +have prevailed but for the opposition of the regular administration +Democrats. In this confusion no dominant popular figure emerged in the +Congress, but many ambitions became apparent.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_143">{143}</a></span></p> + +<p>Following my decisive victory in November there very soon came to be +mention of me as a Presidential candidate. About Thanksgiving time +Senator Lodge came to me and voluntarily requested that he should +present my name to the national Republican convention. He wished to go +as a delegate with that understanding. Of course I told him I could not +make any decision in relation to being a candidate, but I would try to +arrange matters so that he could be a delegate at large. When he left +for Washington he gave out an interview saying that Massachusetts should +support me.</p> + +<p>Very soon a movement of considerable dimensions started both in my home +state and in other sections of the country to secure delegates who would +support me. An old friend and long time Secretary of the Republican +National Committee, James B. Reynolds, was placed in charge of the +movement, and I was gaining considerable strength. Senator Crane in his +own quiet but highly efficient way became very interested and let it be +known that I had his support, as did Speaker Gillett, who is now our +Senator, but then represented my home district<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_144">{144}</a></span> in Congress. They both +went as delegates pledged to me.</p> + +<p>Already several candidates were making a very active campaign. The two +most conspicuous were Major General Leonard Wood and Governor Frank O. +Lowden. Senator Hiram Johnson had considerable support, and in a more +modest way Senator Warren G. Harding was in the field. In addition to +these, several of the states had favorite sons. It soon began to be +reported that very large sums of money were being used in the primaries.</p> + +<p>When I came to give the matter serious attention, and comprehended more +fully what would be involved in a contest of this kind, I realized that +I was not in a position to become engaged in it. I was Governor of +Massachusetts, and my first duty was to that office. It would not be +possible for me, with the legislature in session, to be going about the +country actively participating in an effort to secure delegates, and I +was totally unwilling to have a large sum of money raised and spent in +my behalf.</p> + +<p>I soon became convinced also that I was in danger of creating a +situation in which some people in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_145">{145}</a></span> Massachusetts could permit it to be +reported in the press that they were for me when they were not at heart +for me and would give me little support in the convention. It would, +however, prevent their having to make a public choice as between other +candidates and would help them in getting elected as delegates. There +was nothing unusual in this situation. It was simply a condition that +always has to be met in politics. Of course the strategy of the other +candidates was to prevent me from having a solid Massachusetts +delegation. Moreover, I did not wish to use the office of Governor in an +attempt to prosecute a campaign for nomination for some other office. I +therefore made a public statement announcing that I was unwilling to +appear as a candidate and would not enter my name in any contest at the +primaries. This left me in a position where I ran no risk of +embarrassing the great office of Governor of Massachusetts. That was my +answer to the situation.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless a considerable activity was kept up in my behalf, and some +money expended, mostly in circulating a book of my speeches. In the +Massachusetts primaries six or seven delegates were chosen<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_146">{146}</a></span> who were for +General Wood, and while the rest were nominally for me several of them +were really more favorable to some other candidate, partly because they +supposed a Massachusetts man could never be nominated, and if the choice +was going outside the state, they had strong preferences as between the +other possibilities.</p> + +<p>At a state convention in South Dakota held very early to express a +preference for national candidates I had been declared their choice for +Vice-President. Some people in Oregon desired to accord me a like honor. +As I did not wish my name to appear in any contest and did not care to +be Vice-President I declined to be considered for that office. In my +native state of Vermont it was proposed to enter my name in the primary +as candidate for President, which I could not permit. Nevertheless it +was written on the ballot by many of the voters at the polls.</p> + +<p>When the Republican National Convention met at Chicago, Senator Lodge, +who was elected its chairman, had indicated that he did not wish to +present my name, so it was arranged that Speaker Gillett should make the +nominating speech. Massachusetts<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_147">{147}</a></span> had thirty-five delegates. On the +first ballot I received twenty-eight of their votes and six others from +scattering states, making my total thirty-four. As the balloting +proceeded a considerable number of the Massachusetts delegates, feeling +I had no chance, voted for other candidates, but a majority remained +with me until the final ballot when all but one went elsewhere, and +Senator Warren G. Harding was nominated. My friends in the convention +did all they could for me, and several states were at times ready to +come to me if the entire Massachusetts delegation would lead the way, +but some of them refused to vote for me, so the support of other states +could not be secured.</p> + +<p>While I do not think it was so intended I have always been of the +opinion that this turned out to be much the best for me. I had no +national experience. What I have ever been able to do has been the +result of first learning how to do it. I am not gifted with intuition. I +need not only hard work but experience to be ready to solve problems. +The Presidents who have gone to Washington without first having held +some national office have been at great disadvantage.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_148">{148}</a></span> It takes them a +long time to become acquainted with the Federal officeholders and the +Federal Government. Meanwhile they have had difficulty in dealing with +the situation.</p> + +<p>The convention of 1920 was largely under the domination of a coterie of +United States Senators. They maneuvered it into adopting a platform and +nominating a President in ways that were not satisfactory to a majority +of the delegates. When the same forces undertook for a third time to +dictate the action of the convention in naming a Vice-President, the +delegates broke away from them and literally stampeded to me.</p> + +<p>Massachusetts did not present my name, because my friends knew I did not +wish to be Vice-President, but Judge Wallace McCamant of Oregon placed +me in nomination and was quickly seconded by North Dakota and some other +states. I received about three-quarters of all the votes cast. When this +honor came to me I was pleased to accept, and it was especially +agreeable to be associated with Senator Harding, whom I knew well and +liked.</p> + +<p>When our campaign opened, the situation was<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_149">{149}</a></span> complex. Many Republicans +did not like the somewhat uncertain tone of the platform concerning the +League of Nations. Though it was generally conceded that the +bitter-enders had dictated the platform there were some who felt it was +not explicit enough in denouncing the League with all its works and +everything foreign, and a much larger body of Republicans were much +disappointed that it did not declare in favor of ratifying the treaty +with reservations.</p> + +<p>The Massachusetts Republican State Convention in the fall of 1919 had +adopted a plank favoring immediate ratification with suitable +reservations which would safeguard American interests. While later the +treaty had been rejected by the Senate it was still necessary to make a +formal agreement of peace with the Central Powers, and for that purpose +some treaty would be necessary. Many Republicans favored our entry into +the League as a method of closing up the war period and helping +stabilize world conditions. Senator Crane had taken that position in +Massachusetts and repeated it again at Chicago.</p> + +<p>Since that time the situation has changed. The<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_150">{150}</a></span> war period has closed +and a separate treaty has been made and ratified. The more I have seen +of the conduct of our foreign relations the more I am convinced that we +are better off out of the League. Our government is not organized in a +way that would enable us adequately to deal with it. Nominally our +foreign affairs are in the hands of the President. Actually the Senate +is always attempting to interfere, too often in a partisan way and many +times in opposition to the President. Our country is not racially +homogeneous. While the several nationalities represented here are loyal +to the United States, yet when differences arise between European +countries, each group is naturally in sympathy with the nation of its +origin. Our actions in the League would constantly be embarrassed by +this situation at home. The votes of our delegates there would all the +time disturb our domestic tranquillity here. We have come to realize +this situation very completely now, but in 1920 it was not so clear.</p> + +<p>At that time we were close to the war. Our sympathies were very much +with our allies and a great body of sentiment in our country, which may +be<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_151">{151}</a></span> called the missionary spirit, was strongly in favor of helping +Europe. To them the League meant an instrument for that end. That was a +praiseworthy spirit and had to be reckoned with in dealing with the +people in a political campaign. This sentiment was very marked in the +East where it had a strong hold on a very substantial element of the +Republican party.</p> + +<p>While I was taking a short vacation in Vermont several thousand people +came to my father’s home to greet me. I spent most of my time, however, +in preparing my speech of acceptance. The notification ceremonies were +held on a pleasant afternoon in midsummer at Northampton in Allen Field, +which was part of the college grounds, and its former President, the +venerable Dr. L. Clark Seelye, presided. The chairman of the +notification committee was Governor Morrow of Kentucky. A great throng +representing many different states was in attendance to hear my address. +I was careful to reassure those who feared we were not proposing to +continue our cooperation with Europe in attempting to solve the war +problems in a way that would provide for a permanent peace of the +world.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_152">{152}</a></span></p> + +<p>Not being the head of the ticket, of course, it was not my place to +raise issues or create policies, but I had the privilege of discussing +those already declared in the platform or stated in the addresses of +Senator Harding. This I undertook to do in a speech I made at Portland, +Maine, where I again pointed out the wish of our party to have our +country associated with other countries in advancing human welfare. +Later in the campaign I reiterated this position at New York.</p> + +<p>This was not intended as a subterfuge to win votes, but as a candid +statement of party principles. It was later to be put into practical +effect by President Harding, in the important treaty dealing with our +international relations in the Pacific Ocean, in the agreement for the +limitation of naval armaments, in the proposal to enter the World Court, +and finally by me in the World Peace Treaty. All that I said and more in +justification of support of the Republican ticket by those interested in +promoting peace, without committing our country to interfere where we +had little interest, has been abundantly borne out by the events.</p> + +<p>Shortly before election I made a tour of eight days,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_153">{153}</a></span> going from +Philadelphia by special train west to Tennessee and Kentucky and south +as far as North Carolina. We had a most encouraging reception on this +trip, speaking out-of-doors, mostly from the rear platform during the +day, with an indoor meeting at night. During the campaign I spoke in +about a dozen states.</p> + +<p>The country was already feeling acutely the results of deflation. +Business was depressed. For months following the Armistice we had +persisted in a course of much extravagance and reckless buying. Wages +had been paid that were not earned. The whole country, from the national +government down, had been living on borrowed money. Pay day had come, +and it was found our capital had been much impaired. In an address at +Philadelphia I contended that the only sure method of relieving this +distress was for the country to follow the advice of Benjamin Franklin +and begin to work and save. Our productive capacity is sufficient to +maintain us all in a state of prosperity if we give sufficient attention +to thrift and industry. Within a year the country had adopted that +course, which has brought an era of great plenty.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_154">{154}</a></span></p> + +<p>When the election came it appeared that we had held practically the +entire Republican vote and had gained enormously from all those groups +who have been in this country so short a time that they still retain a +marked race consciousness. Many of them had left Europe to escape from +the prevailing conditions there. While they were loyal to the United +States they did not wish to become involved in any old world disputes, +were greatly relieved that the war was finished, and generally opposed +to the League of Nations. Such a combination gave us an overwhelming +victory.</p> + +<p>After election it was necessary for me to attend a good many +celebrations. My home town of Northampton had a large mass meeting at +which several speeches were made. In Boston a series of dinners and +lunches were given in my honor. Shortly before Christmas Mrs. Coolidge +and I paid a brief visit to Mr. and Mrs. Harding at their home in +Marion, Ohio. They received us in the most gracious manner. It was no +secret to us why their friends had so much affection for them.</p> + +<p>We discussed at length the plans for his adminis<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_155">{155}</a></span>tration. The members of +his Cabinet were considered and he renewed the invitation to me, already +publicly expressed, to sit with them. The policies he wished to adopt +for restoring the prosperity of the country by reducing taxes and +revising the tariff were referred to more casually. He was sincerely +devoted to the public welfare and desirous of improving the condition of +the people.</p> + +<p>When at last another Governor was inaugurated to take my place and the +guns on Boston Common were giving him their first salute, Mrs. Coolidge +and I were leaving for home from the North Station on the afternoon +train which I had used so much before I was Governor. It had only day +coaches and no parlor car, but we were accustomed to travel that way and +only anxious to go home. For nine years I had been in public life in +Boston.</p> + +<p>During the winter I made an address before the Vermont Historical +Society at Montpelier and spoke later at the Town Hall in New York for a +group of ladies who were restoring the birthplace of Theodore +Roosevelt.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_156">{156}</a></span></p> + +<p>After a brief stay at Northampton, Mrs. Coolidge and I went to Atlanta +where I spoke before the Southern Tariff Association. A great deal of +hospitality was lavished upon us by the state officials and the people +in the city. In a few days we went to Asheville, North Carolina, where +we remained about two weeks. The Grove Park Inn entertained us with +everything that could be wished, and the region was delightful.</p> + +<p>When the Massachusetts electors met, Judge Henry P. Field of the firm +where I read law, who had moved my admission to the Bar, now had the +experience of nominating me for Vice-President. Twenty-four years had +intervened between these two services which he performed for me.</p> + +<p>The time soon came for us to go to Washington. A large crowd of our +friends was at the station to bid us goodbye although the hour was very +early. We went a few days before March 4 in order to have a little time +to get settled. The Vice-President and Mrs. Marshall met us and gave us +every attention and courtesy. When Mr. and Mrs. Harding arrived, we went +to the station to meet them and they took us<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_157">{157}</a></span> back with them to the New +Willard—where we too were staying—in the White House car President +Wilson sent for them.</p> + +<p>About ten-thirty the next morning a committee of the Congress came to +escort us to the White House where the President and Mrs. Wilson joined +us and we went to the Capitol. Soon President Wilson sent for me and +said his health was such it would not be wise for him to remain for the +inauguration and bade me goodbye. I never saw him again except at a +distance, but he sent me a most sympathetic letter when I became +President. Such was the passing of a great world figure.</p> + +<p>As I had already taken a leading part in seven inaugurations and +witnessed four others in Massachusetts, the experience was not new to +me, but I was struck by the lack of order and formality that prevailed. +A part of the ceremony takes place in the Senate Chamber and a part on +the east portico, which destroys all semblance of unity and continuity. +I was sworn in before the Senate and made a very brief address dwelling +on the great value of a deliberative body as a safeguard of our +liberties.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_158">{158}</a></span></p> + +<p>It was a clear but crisp spring day out-of-doors where the oath was +administered to the President by Chief Justice White. The inaugural +address was able and well received. President Harding had an impressive +delivery, which never failed to interest and hold his audience. I was to +hear him many times in the next two years, but whether on formal +occasions or in the freedom of Gridiron dinners, his charm and +effectiveness never failed.</p> + +<p>When the inauguration was over I realized that the same thing for which +I had worked in Massachusetts had been accomplished in the nation. The +radicalism which had tinged our whole political and economic life from +soon after 1900 to the World War period was passed. There were still +echoes of it, and some of its votaries remained, but its power was gone. +The country had little interest in mere destructive criticism. It wanted +the progress that alone comes from constructive policies.</p> + +<p>It had been our intention to take a house in Washington, but we found +none to our liking. They were too small or too large. It was necessary +for me to live within my income, which was little more than my<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_159">{159}</a></span> salary +and was charged with the cost of sending my boys to school. We therefore +took two bedrooms with a dining room, and large reception room at the +New Willard where we had every convenience.</p> + +<p>It is difficult to conceive a person finding himself in a situation +which calls on him to maintain a position he cannot pay for. Any other +course for me would have been cut short by the barnyard philosophy of my +father, who would have contemptuously referred to such action as the +senseless imitation of a fowl which was attempting to light higher than +it could roost. There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no +independence quite so important, as living within your means. In our +country a small income is usually less embarrassing than the possession +of a large one.</p> + +<p>But my experience has convinced me that an official residence with +suitable maintenance should be provided for the Vice-President. Under +the present system he is not lacking in dignity but he has no fixed +position. The great office should have a settled and permanent +habitation and a place, irrespective of the financial ability of its +temporary occupant.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_160">{160}</a></span> While I was glad to be relieved of the +responsibility of a public establishment, nevertheless, it is a duty the +second officer of the nation should assume. It would be much more in +harmony with our theory of equality if each Vice-President held the same +position in the Capital City.</p> + +<p>Very much is said and written concerning the amount of dining out that +the Vice-President does. As the President is not available for social +dinners of course the next officer in rank is much sought after for such +occasions. But like everything else that is sent out of Washington for +public consumption the reports are exaggerated. Probably the average of +these dinners during the season does not exceed three a week, and as the +Senate is in session after twelve o’clock each week day, there is no +opportunity for lunches or teas.</p> + +<p>When we first went to Washington Mrs. Coolidge and I quite enjoyed the +social dinners. As we were always the ranking guests we had the +privilege of arriving last and leaving first, so that we were usually +home by ten o’clock. It will be seen that this was far from burdensome. +We found it a most en<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_161">{161}</a></span>joyable opportunity for getting acquainted and +could scarcely comprehend how anyone who had the privilege of sitting at +a table surrounded by representatives of the Cabinet, the Congress, the +Diplomatic Corps and the Army and Navy would not find it interesting.</p> + +<p>Presiding over the Senate was fascinating to me. That branch of the +Congress has its own methods and traditions which may strike the +outsider as peculiar, but more familiarity with them would disclose that +they are only what long experience has demonstrated to be the best +methods of conducting its business. It may seem that debate is endless, +but there is scarcely a time when it is not informing, and, after all, +the power to compel due consideration is the distinguishing mark of a +deliberative body. If the Senate is anything it is a great deliberative +body and if it is to remain a safeguard of liberty it must remain a +deliberative body. I was entertained and instructed by the debates. +However it may appear in the country, no one can become familiar with +the inside workings of the Senate without gaining a great respect for +it. The country is safe in its hands.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_162">{162}</a></span></p> + +<p>At first I intended to become a student of the Senate rules and I did +learn much about them, but I soon found that the Senate had but one +fixed rule, subject to exceptions of course, which was to the effect +that the Senate would do anything it wanted to do whenever it wanted to +do it. When I had learned that, I did not waste much time on the other +rules, because they were so seldom applied. The assistant to the +Secretary of the Senate could be relied on to keep me informed on other +parliamentary questions. But the President of the Senate can and does +exercise a good deal of influence over its deliberations. The +Constitution gives him the power to preside, which is the power to +recognize whom he will. That often means that he decides what business +is to be taken up and who is to have the floor for debate at any +specific time.</p> + +<p>Nor is the impression that it is a dilatory body never arriving at +decisions correct. In addition to acting on the thousands of +nominations, and the numerous treaties, it passes much more legislation +than the House. But it is true that unanimous consent is often required +to close debate, and because of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_163">{163}</a></span> great power each Senator is +therefore permitted to exercise—which is often a veto power, making one +Senator a majority of the ninety-six Senators—great care should be +exercised by the states in their choice of Senators. Nothing is more +dangerous to good government than great power in improper hands. If the +Senate has any weakness it is because the people have sent to that body +men lacking the necessary ability and character to perform the proper +functions. But this is not the fault of the Senate. It cannot choose its +own members but has to work with what is sent to it. The fault lies back +in the citizenship of the states. If the Senate does not function +properly the blame is chiefly on them.</p> + +<p>If the Vice-President is a man of discretion and character, so that he +can be relied upon to act as a subordinate in such position, he should +be invited to sit with the Cabinet, although some of the Senators, +wishing to be the only advisers of the President, do not look on that +proposal with favor. He may not help much in its deliberations, and only +on rare occasions would he be a useful contact with the Congress, +although his advice on the sentiment of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_164">{164}</a></span> Senate is of much value, +but he should be in the Cabinet because he might become President and +ought to be informed on the policies of the administration. He will not +learn of all of them. Much went on in the departments under President +Harding, as it did under me, of which the Cabinet had no knowledge. But +he will hear much and learn how to find out more if it ever becomes +necessary. My experience in the Cabinet was of supreme value to me when +I became President.</p> + +<p>It was my intention when I became Vice-President to remain in +Washington, avoid speaking and attend to the work of my office. But the +pressure to speak is constant and intolerable. However, I resisted most +of it. I was honored by the President by his request to make the +dedicatory address at the unveiling of a bust of him in the McKinley +Memorial at Niles, Ohio. I also delivered the address at the dedication +of the Grant statue in Washington.</p> + +<p>During these two years I spoke some and lectured some. This took me +about the country in travels that reached from Maine to California, from +the Twin Cities to Charleston. I was getting acquainted. Aside<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_165">{165}</a></span> from +speeches I did little writing, but I read a great deal and listened +much. While I little realized it at the time it was for me a period of +most important preparation. It enabled me to be ready in August, 1923.</p> + +<p>An extra session of the Congress began in April of 1921, which was +almost continuous until March 4, 1923. While an enormous amount of work +was done it soon became apparent that the country expected too much from +the change in administration. The government could and did stop the +waste of the people’s savings, but it could not restore them. That had +to be done by the hard work and thrift of the people themselves. This +would take time.</p> + +<p>While the country was improving it was still depressed. There was some +unemployment and a good deal of distress in agriculture because of the +very low prices of farm produce and the shrinkage in land values. When I +began to make political speeches in the campaign of 1922 I soon realized +that the country had large sections that were disappointed because a +return of prosperity had not been instantaneous. Moreover the people had +little knowledge of the great<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_166">{166}</a></span> mass of legislation already accomplished, +which was to prove so beneficial to them within a few months in the +future. After I had related some of the record of the relief measures +adopted they would come to me to say they had never heard of it and +thought nothing had been done. While my party still held both the House +and Senate it lost many seats in the election, which made the closing +session of Congress full of complaints tinged with bitterness against an +administration under which many of them had been defeated. That being +the natural reaction it is useless to discuss its propriety.</p> + +<p>While these years in Washington had been full of interest they were not +without some difficulties. Its official circles never accept any one +gladly. There is always a certain unexpressed sentiment that a new +arrival is appropriating the power that should rightfully belong to +them. He is always regarded as in the nature of a usurper. But I think I +met less of this sentiment than is usual, for I was careful not to be +obtrusive. Nevertheless I could not escape being looked on as one who +might be given something that others wished to have. But as it soon +became<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_167">{167}</a></span> apparent that I was wholly engaged in promoting the work of the +Senate and the success of the administration, rather than my own +interests, I was more cordially accepted.</p> + +<p>In these two years I witnessed the gigantic task of demobilizing a war +government and restoring it to a peace-time basis. I also came in +contact with many of the important people of the United States and +foreign countries. All talent eventually arrives at Washington. Most of +the world figures were there at the Conference on Limitation of +Armaments. Other meetings brought people only a little less +distinguished. While I had little official connection with these events +the delegates called on me and I often met them on social occasions.</p> + +<p>The efforts of President Harding to restore the country became familiar +to me. I saw the steady increase of the wise leadership of Mr. Hughes +and Mr. Mellon in the administration of the government and the passing +of some of the veteran figures of the Senate. Chief among these was +Senator Knox of Pennsylvania. He was a great power and had a control of +the conduct of the business of the Senate,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_168">{168}</a></span> which he exercised in behalf +of our party policies, that no one else approached during my service in +Washington.</p> + +<p>In the winter of 1923 President Harding was far from well. At his +request I took his place in delivering the address at the Budget +Meeting. While he was out again in a few days he never recovered. As +Mrs. Coolidge and I were leaving for the long recess on the fourth of +March I bade him goodbye. We went to Virginia Hot Springs for a few days +and then returned to Massachusetts, where we remained while I filled +some speaking engagements, and in July went to Vermont. We left the +President and Mrs. Harding in Washington. I do not know what had +impaired his health. I do know that the weight of the Presidency is very +heavy. Later it was disclosed that he had discovered that some whom he +had trusted had betrayed him and he had been forced to call them to +account. It is known that this discovery was a very heavy grief to him, +perhaps more than he could bear. I never saw him again. In June he +started for Alaska and—eternity.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_169">{169}</a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_170">{170}</a></span>  </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_171">{171}</a></span>  </p> + +<h2 class="chead"><a id="CHAPTER_V"></a><a id="ON_ENTERING_AND_LEAVING_THE_PRESIDENCY"></a>ON ENTERING AND LEAVING THE PRESIDENCY</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/barrs.png" width="405" height="11" alt=""></div> + +<h2><i>CHAPTER FIVE</i><br><br> +ON ENTERING AND LEAVING THE PRESIDENCY</h2> + +<p class="nind"><span class="letra">I</span>T is a very old saying that you never can tell what you can do until +you try. The more I see of life the more I am convinced of the wisdom of +that observation.</p> + +<p>Surprisingly few men are lacking in capacity, but they fail because they +are lacking in application. Either they never learn how to work, or, +having learned, they are too indolent to apply themselves with the +seriousness and the attention that is necessary to solve important +problems.</p> + +<p>Any reward that is worth having only comes to the industrious. The +success which is made in any walk of life is measured almost exactly by +the amount of hard work that is put into it.</p> + +<p>It has undoubtedly been the lot of every native boy of the United States +to be told that he will some<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_172">{172}</a></span> day be President. Nearly every young man +who happens to be elected a member of his state legislature is pointed +to by his friends and his local newspaper as on the way to the White +House.</p> + +<p>My own experience in this respect did not differ from that of others. +But I never took such suggestions seriously, as I was convinced in my +own mind that I was not qualified to fill the exalted office of +President.</p> + +<p>I had not changed this opinion after the November elections of 1919, +when I was chosen Governor of Massachusetts for a second term by a +majority which had only been exceeded in 1896.</p> + +<p>When I began to be seriously mentioned by some of my friends at that +time as the Republican candidate for President, it became apparent that +there were many others who shared the same opinion as to my fitness +which I had so long entertained.</p> + +<p>But the coming national convention, acting in accordance with an +unchangeable determination, took my destiny into its own hands and +nominated me for Vice-President.</p> + +<p>Had I been chosen for the first place, I could<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_173">{173}</a></span> have accepted it only +with a great deal of trepidation, but when the events of August, 1923, +bestowed upon me the Presidential office, I felt at once that power had +been given me to administer it. This was not any feeling of +exclusiveness. While I felt qualified to serve, I was also well aware +that there were many others who were better qualified. It would be my +province to get the benefit of their opinions and advice. It is a great +advantage to a President, and a major source of safety to the country, +for him to know that he is not a great man. When a man begins to feel +that he is the only one who can lead in this republic, he is guilty of +treason to the spirit of our institutions.</p> + +<p>After President Harding was seriously stricken, although I noticed that +some of the newspapers at once sent representatives to be near me at the +home of my father in Plymouth, Vermont, the official reports which I +received from his bedside soon became so reassuring that I believed all +danger past.</p> + +<p>On the night of August 2, 1923, I was awakened by my father coming up +the stairs calling my name. I noticed that his voice trembled. As the +only<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_174">{174}</a></span> times I had ever observed that before were when death had visited +our family, I knew that something of the gravest nature had occurred.</p> + +<p>His emotion was partly due to the knowledge that a man whom he had met +and liked was gone, partly to the feeling that must possess all of our +citizens when the life of their President is taken from them.</p> + +<p>But he must have been moved also by the thought of the many sacrifices +he had made to place me where I was, the twenty-five-mile drives in +storms and in zero weather over our mountain roads to carry me to the +academy and all the tenderness and care he had lavished upon me in the +thirty-eight years since the death of my mother in the hope that I might +sometime rise to a position of importance, which he now saw realized.</p> + +<p>He had been the first to address me as President of the United States. +It was the culmination of the lifelong desire of a father for the +success of his son.</p> + +<p>He placed in my hands an official report and told me that President +Harding had just passed away. My wife and I at once dressed.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_175">{175}</a></span></p> + +<p>Before leaving the room I knelt down and, with the same prayer with +which I have since approached the altar of the church, asked God to +bless the American people and give me power to serve them.</p> + +<p>My first thought was to express my sympathy for those who had been +bereaved and after that was done to attempt to reassure the country with +the knowledge that I proposed no sweeping displacement of the men then +in office and that there were to be no violent changes in the +administration of affairs. As soon as I had dispatched a telegram to +Mrs. Harding, I therefore issued a short public statement declaratory of +that purpose.</p> + +<p>Meantime, I had been examining the Constitution to determine what might +be necessary for qualifying by taking the oath of office. It is not +clear that any additional oath is required beyond what is taken by the +Vice-President when he is sworn into office. It is the same form as that +taken by the President.</p> + +<p>Having found this form in the Constitution I had it set up on the +typewriter and the oath was administered by my father in his capacity as +a notary public, an office he had held for a great many years.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_176">{176}</a></span></p> + +<p>The oath was taken in what we always called the sitting room by the +light of the kerosene lamp, which was the most modern form of lighting +that had then reached the neighborhood. The Bible which had belonged to +my mother lay on the table at my hand. It was not officially used, as it +is not the practice in Vermont or Massachusetts to use a Bible in +connection with the administration of an oath.</p> + +<p>Besides my father and myself, there were present my wife, Senator Dale, +who happened to be stopping a few miles away, my stenographer, and my +chauffeur.</p> + +<p>The picture of this scene has been painted with historical accuracy by +an artist named Keller, who went to Plymouth for that purpose. Although +the likenesses are not good, everything in relation to the painting is +correct.</p> + +<p>Where succession to the highest office in the land is by inheritance or +appointment, no doubt there have been kings who have participated in the +induction of their sons into their office, but in republics where the +succession comes by an election I do not know of any other case in +history where a father has<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_177">{177}</a></span> administered to his son the qualifying oath +of office which made him the chief magistrate of a nation. It seemed a +simple and natural thing to do at the time, but I can now realize +something of the dramatic force of the event.</p> + +<p>This room was one which was already filled with sacred memories for me. +In it my sister and my stepmother passed their last hours. It was +associated with my boyhood recollections of my own mother, who sat and +reclined there during her long invalid years, though she passed away in +an adjoining room where my father was to follow her within three years +from this eventful night.</p> + +<p>When I started for Washington that morning I turned aside from the main +road to make a short devotional visit to the grave of my mother. It had +been a comfort to me during my boyhood when I was troubled to be near +her last resting place, even in the dead of night. Some way, that +morning, she seemed very near to me.</p> + +<p>A telegram was sent to my pastor, Dr. Jason Noble Pierce, to meet me on +my arrival at Washington that evening, which he did.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_178">{178}</a></span></p> + +<p>I found the Cabinet mostly scattered. Some members had been with the +late President and some were in Europe. The Secretary of State, Mr. +Hughes, and myself, at once began the preparation of plans for the +funeral.</p> + +<p>I issued the usual proclamation.</p> + +<p>The Washington services were held in the rotunda of the Capitol, +followed by a simple service and interment at Marion, Ohio, which I +attended with the Cabinet and a large number of officers of the +government.</p> + +<p>The nation was grief-stricken. Especially noticeable was the deep +sympathy every one felt for Mrs. Harding. Through all this distressing +period her bearing won universal commendation. Her attitude of sympathy +and affection towards Mrs. Coolidge and myself was an especial +consolation to us.</p> + +<p>The first Sunday after reaching Washington we attended services, as we +were accustomed to do, at the First Congregational Church. Although I +had been rather constant in my attendance, I had never joined the +church.</p> + +<p>While there had been religious services, there was<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_179">{179}</a></span> no organized church +society near my boyhood home. Among other things, I had some fear as to +my ability to set that example which I always felt ought to denote the +life of a church member. I am inclined to think now that this was a +counsel of darkness.</p> + +<p>This first service happened to come on communion day. Our pastor, Dr. +Pierce, occupied the pulpit, and, as he can under the practice of the +Congregational Church, and always does, because of his own very tolerant +attitude, he invited all those who believed in the Christian faith, +whether church members or not, to join in partaking of the communion.</p> + +<p>For the first time I accepted this invitation, which I later learned he +had observed, and in a few days without any intimation to me that it was +to be done, considering this to be a sufficient public profession of my +faith, the church voted me into its membership.</p> + +<p>This declaration of their belief in me was a great satisfaction.</p> + +<p>Had I been approached in the usual way to join the church after I became +President, I should have feared that such action might appear to be a +pose,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_180">{180}</a></span> and should have hesitated to accept. From what might have been a +misguided conception I was thus saved by some influence which I had not +anticipated.</p> + +<p>But if I had not voluntarily gone to church and partaken of communion, +this blessing would not have come to me.</p> + +<p>Fate bestows its rewards on those who put themselves in the proper +attitude to receive them.</p> + +<p>During my service in Washington I had seen a large amount of government +business. Peace had been made with the Central Powers, the tariff +revised, the budget system adopted, taxation reduced, large payments +made on the national debt, the Veterans’ Bureau organized, important +farm legislation passed, public expenditures greatly decreased, the +differences with Colombia of twenty years’ standing composed, and the +Washington Conference had reached an epoch-making agreement for the +practical limitation of naval armaments.</p> + +<p>It would be difficult to find two years of peace-time history in all the +record of our republic that were marked with more important and +far-reaching accomplishments. From my position as President of<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_181">{181}</a></span> the +Senate, and in my attendance upon the sessions of the Cabinet, I thus +came into possession of a very wide knowledge of the details of the +government.</p> + +<p>In spite of the remarkable record which had already been made, much +remained to be done. While anything that relates to the functions of the +government is of enormous interest to me, its economic relations have +always had a peculiar fascination for me.</p> + +<p>Though these are necessarily predicated on order and peace, yet our +people are so thoroughly law-abiding and our foreign relations are so +happy that the problem of government action which is to carry its +benefits into the homes of all the people becomes almost entirely +confined to the realm of economics.</p> + +<p>My personal experience with business had been such as comes to a country +lawyer.</p> + +<p>My official experience with government business had been of a wide +range. As Mayor, I had charge of the financial affairs of the City of +Northampton. As Lieutenant-Governor, I was Chairman of the Committee on +Finance of the Governor’s Council, which had to authorize every cent of +the expenditures of the Commonwealth before they could be<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_182">{182}</a></span> made. As +Governor, I was chargeable with responsibility both for appropriations +and for expenditures.</p> + +<p>My fundamental idea of both private and public business came first from +my father. He had the strong New England trait of great repugnance at +seeing anything wasted. He was a generous and charitable man, but he +regarded waste as a moral wrong.</p> + +<p>Wealth comes from industry and from the hard experience of human toil. +To dissipate it in waste and extravagance is disloyalty to humanity. +This is by no means a doctrine of parsimony. Both men and nations should +live in accordance with their means and devote their substance not only +to productive industry, but to the creation of the various forms of +beauty and the pursuit of culture which give adornments to the art of +life.</p> + +<p>When I became President it was perfectly apparent that the key by which +the way could be opened to national progress was constructive economy. +Only by the use of that policy could the high rates of taxation, which +were retarding our development and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_183">{183}</a></span> prosperity, be diminished, and the +enormous burden of our public debt be reduced.</p> + +<p>Without impairing the efficient operation of all the functions of the +government, I have steadily and without ceasing pressed on in that +direction. This policy has encouraged enterprise, made possible the +highest rate of wages which has ever existed, returned large profits, +brought to the homes of the people the greatest economic benefits they +ever enjoyed, and given to the country as a whole an unexampled era of +prosperity. This well-being of my country has given me the chief +satisfaction of my administration.</p> + +<p>One of my most pleasant memories will be the friendly relations which I +have always had with the representatives of the press in Washington. I +shall always remember that at the conclusion of the first regular +conference I held with them at the White House office they broke into +hearty applause.</p> + +<p>I suppose that in answering their questions I had been fortunate enough +to tell them what they wanted to know in such a way that they could make +use of it.</p> + +<p>While there have been newspapers which sup<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_184">{184}</a></span>ported me, of course there +have been others which opposed me, but they have usually been fair. I +shall always consider it the highest tribute to my administration that +the opposition have based so little of their criticism on what I have +really said and done.</p> + +<p>I have often said that there was no cause for feeling disturbed at being +misrepresented in the press. It would be only when they began to say +things detrimental to me which were true that I should feel alarm.</p> + +<p>Perhaps one of the reasons I have been a target for so little abuse is +because I have tried to refrain from abusing other people.</p> + +<p>The words of the President have an enormous weight and ought not to be +used indiscriminately.</p> + +<p>It would be exceedingly easy to set the country all by the ears and +foment hatreds and jealousies, which, by destroying faith and +confidence, would help nobody and harm everybody. The end would be the +destruction of all progress.</p> + +<p>While every one knows that evils exist, there is yet sufficient good in +the people to supply material for most of the comment that needs to be +made.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_185">{185}</a></span></p> + +<p>The only way I know to drive out evil from the country is by the +constructive method of filling it with good. The country is better off +tranquilly considering its blessings and merits, and earnestly striving +to secure more of them, than it would be in nursing hostile bitterness +about its deficiencies and faults.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the broad general knowledge which I had of the +government, when I reached Washington I found it necessary to make an +extensive survey of the various Departments to acquaint myself with +details. This work had to be done intensively from the first of August +to the middle of November, in order to have the background and knowledge +which would enable me to discuss the state of the Union in my first +Message to the Congress.</p> + +<p>Although meantime I was pressed with invitations to make speeches, I did +not accept any of them. The country was in mourning and I felt it more +appropriate to make my first declaration in my Message to the Congress. +Of course, I opened the Red Cross Convention in October, which was an +official function for me as its President.</p> + +<p>I was especially fortunate in securing C. Bascom<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_186">{186}</a></span> Slemp as my Secretary, +who had been a member of the House for many years and had a wide +acquaintance with public men and the workings of legislative machinery. +His advice was most helpful. I had already served with all the members +of the Cabinet, which perhaps was one reason I found them so +sympathetic.</p> + +<p>Among its membership were men of great ability who have served their +country with a capacity which I do not believe was ever exceeded by any +former Cabinet officers.</p> + +<p>A large amount was learned from George Harvey, Ambassador to England, +concerning the European situation. He not only had a special aptitude +for gathering and digesting information of that nature, but had been +located at London for two years, where most of it centered.</p> + +<p>I called in a great many people from all the different walks of life +over the country. Among the first to come voluntarily were the veteran +President and the Secretary of the American Federation of Labor, Mr. +Gompers and Mr. Morrison. They brought a formal resolution expressive of +personal regard for<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_187">{187}</a></span> me and assurance of loyal support for the +government.</p> + +<p>Farm organizations and business men, publishers, educators, and many +others—all had to be consulted.</p> + +<p>It has been my policy to seek information and advice wherever I could +find it. I have never relied on any particular person to be my +unofficial adviser. I have let the merits of each case and the soundness +of all advice speak for themselves. My counselors have been those +provided by the Constitution and the law.</p> + +<p>Due largely to this careful preparation, my Message was well received. +No other public utterance of mine had been given greater approbation.</p> + +<p>Most of the praise was sincere. But there were some quarters in the +opposing party where it was thought it would be good strategy to +encourage my party to nominate me, thinking that it would be easy to +accomplish my defeat. I do not know whether their judgment was wrong or +whether they overdid the operation, so that when they stopped speaking +in my praise they found they could not change the opinion of the people +which they had helped to create.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_188">{188}</a></span></p> + +<p>I have seen a great many attempts at political strategy in my day and +elaborate plans made to encompass the destruction of this or that public +man. I cannot now think of any that did not react with overwhelming +force upon the perpetrators, sometimes destroying them and sometimes +giving their proposed victim an opportunity to demonstrate his courage, +strength and soundness, which increased his standing with the people and +raised him to higher office.</p> + +<p>There is only one form of political strategy in which I have any +confidence, and that is to try to do the right thing and sometimes be +able to succeed.</p> + +<p>Many people at once began to speak about nominating me to lead my party +in the next campaign. I did not take any position in relation to their +efforts. Unless the nomination came to me in a natural way, rather than +as the result of an artificial campaign, I did not feel it would be of +any value.</p> + +<p>The people ought to make their choice on a great question of that kind +without the influence that could be exerted by a President in office.</p> + +<p>After the favorable reception which was given to<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_189">{189}</a></span> my Message, I stated +at the Gridiron Dinner that I should be willing to be a candidate. The +convention nominated me the next June by a vote which was practically +unanimous.</p> + +<p>With the exception of the occasion of my notification, I did not attend +any partisan meetings or make any purely political speeches during the +campaign. I spoke several times at the dedication of a monument, the +observance of the anniversary of an historic event, at a meeting of some +commercial body, or before some religious gathering. The campaign was +magnificently managed by William M. Butler and as it progressed the +final result became more and more apparent.</p> + +<p>My own participation was delayed by the death of my son Calvin, which +occurred on the seventh of July. He was a boy of much promise, +proficient in his studies, with a scholarly mind, who had just turned +sixteen.</p> + +<p>He had a remarkable insight into things.</p> + +<p>The day I became President he had just started to work in a tobacco +field. When one of his fellow laborers said to him, “If my father was +President I<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_190">{190}</a></span> would not work in a tobacco field,” Calvin replied, “If my +father were your father, you would.”</p> + +<p>After he was gone some one sent us a letter he had written about the +same time to a young man who had congratulated him on being the first +boy in the land. To this he had replied that he had done nothing, and so +did not merit the title, which should go to “some boy who had +distinguished himself through his own actions.”</p> + +<p>We do not know what might have happened to him under other +circumstances, but if I had not been President he would not have raised +a blister on his toe, which resulted in blood poisoning, playing lawn +tennis in the South Grounds.</p> + +<p>In his suffering he was asking me to make him well. I could not.</p> + +<p>When he went the power and the glory of the Presidency went with him.</p> + +<p>The ways of Providence are often beyond our understanding. It seemed to +me that the world had need of the work that it was probable he could do.</p> + +<p>I do not know why such a price was exacted for occupying the White +House.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="ill_006"> +<a href="images/i_p190_211.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_p190_211.jpg" width="254" height="550" alt="Grace Goodhue + +Before her marriage to Calvin Coolidge"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Grace Goodhue + +Before her marriage to Calvin Coolidge</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_191">{191}</a></span></p> + +<p>Sustained by the great outpouring of sympathy from all over the nation, +my wife and I bowed to the Supreme Will and with such courage as we had +went on in the discharge of our duties.</p> + +<p>In less than two years my father followed him.</p> + +<p>At his advanced age he had overtaxed his strength receiving the +thousands of visitors who went to my old home at Plymouth. It was all a +great satisfaction to him and he would not have had it otherwise.</p> + +<p>When I was there and visitors were kept from the house for a short +period, he would be really distressed in the thought that they could not +see all they wished and he would go out where they were himself and +mingle among them.</p> + +<p>I knew for some weeks that he was passing his last days. I sent to bring +him to Washington, but he clung to his old home.</p> + +<p>It was a sore trial not to be able to be with him, but I had to leave +him where he most wished to be. When his doctors advised me that he +could survive only a short time I started to visit him, but he sank to +rest while I was on my way.</p> + +<p>For my personal contact with him during his last<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_192">{192}</a></span> months I had to resort +to the poor substitute of the telephone. When I reached home he was +gone.</p> + +<p>It costs a great deal to be President.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_193">{193}</a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_194">{194}</a></span>  </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_195">{195}</a></span>  </p> + +<h2 class="chead"><a id="CHAPTER_VI"></a> +SOME OF THE DUTIES OF<br> +THE PRESIDENT</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/barrs.png" width="405" height="11" alt=""></div> + +<h2><i>CHAPTER SIX</i><br><br> +SOME OF THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT</h2> + +<p class="nind"><span class="letra">A</span>S I recall the mounting events of the years I spent in Washington, I +appreciate how impossible it is to convey an adequate realization of the +office of President. A few short paragraphs in the Constitution of the +United States describe all his fundamental duties. Various laws passed +over a period of nearly a century and a half have supplemented his +authority. All of his actions can be analyzed. All of his goings and +comings can be recited. The details of his daily life can be made known. +The effect of his policies on his own country and on the world at large +can be estimated. His methods of work, his associates, his place of +abode, can all be described. But the relationship created by all these +and more, which constitutes the magnitude of the office, does not yield +to definition. Like the glory of a morning sunrise, it can only be +experienced—it can not be told.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_196">{196}</a></span></p> + +<p>In the discharge of the duties of the office there is one rule of action +more important than all others. It consists in never doing anything that +some one else can do for you. Like many other good rules, it is proven +by its exceptions. But it indicates a course that should be very +strictly followed in order to prevent being so entirely devoted to +trifling details that there will be little opportunity to give the +necessary consideration to policies of larger importance.</p> + +<p>Like some other rules, this one has an important corollary which must be +carefully observed in order to secure success. It is not sufficient to +entrust details to some one else. They must be entrusted to some one who +is competent. The Presidency is primarily an executive office. It is +placed at the apex of our system of government. It is a place of last +resort to which all questions are brought that others have not been able +to answer. The ideal way for it to function is to assign to the various +positions men of sufficient ability so that they can solve all the +problems that arise under their jurisdiction. If there is a troublesome +situation in Nicaragua, a General McCoy can manage it. If we have +differences with Mexico, a<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_197">{197}</a></span> Morrow can compose them. If there is unrest +in the Philippines, a Stimson can quiet them. About a dozen able, +courageous, reliable and experienced men in the House and the Senate can +reduce the problem of legislation almost to a vanishing point.</p> + +<p>While it is wise for the President to get all the competent advice +possible, final judgments are necessarily his own. No one can share with +him the responsibility for them. No one can make his decisions for him. +He stands at the center of things where no one else can stand. If others +make mistakes, they can be relieved, and oftentimes a remedy can be +provided. But he can not retire. His decisions are final and usually +irreparable. This constitutes the appalling burden of his office. Not +only the welfare of 120,000,000 of his countrymen, but oftentimes the +peaceful relations of the world are entrusted to his keeping. At the +turn of his hand the guns of an enormous fleet would go into action +anywhere in the world, carrying the iron might of death and destruction. +His appointment confers the power to administer justice, inflict +criminal penalties, declare acts of state legislatures and of the +Congress void, and sit in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_198">{198}</a></span> judgment over the very life of the nation. +Practically all the civil and military authorities of the government, +except the Congress and the courts, hold their office at his discretion. +He appoints, and he can remove. The billions of dollars of government +revenue are collected and expended under his direction. The Congress +makes the laws, but it is the President who causes them to be executed. +A power so vast in its implications has never been conferred upon any +ruling sovereign.</p> + +<p>Yet the President exercises his authority in accordance with the +Constitution and the law. He is truly the agent of the people, +performing such functions as they have entrusted to him. The +Constitution specifically vests him with the executive power. Some +Presidents have seemed to interpret that as an authorization to take any +action which the Constitution, or perhaps the law, does not specifically +prohibit. Others have considered that their powers extended only to such +acts as were specifically authorized by the Constitution and the +statutes. This has always seemed to me to be a hypothetical question, +which it would be idle to attempt to determine in advance. It<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_199">{199}</a></span> would +appear to be the better practice to wait to decide each question on its +merits as it arises. Jefferson is said to have entertained the opinion +that there was no constitutional warrant for enlarging the territory of +the United States, but when the actual facts confronted him he did not +hesitate to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. For all ordinary occasions +the specific powers assigned to the President will be found sufficient +to provide for the welfare of the country. That is all he needs.</p> + +<p>All situations that arise are likely to be simplified, and many of them +completely solved, by an application of the Constitution and the law. If +what they require to be done, is done, there is no opportunity for +criticism, and it would be seldom that anything better could be devised. +A Commission once came to me with a proposal for adopting rules to +regulate the conduct of its members. As they were evenly divided, each +side wished me to decide against the other. They did this because, while +it is always the nature of a Commissioner to claim that he is entirely +independent of the President, he would usually welcome Presidential +interference with any other Com<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_200">{200}</a></span>missioner who does not agree with him. +In this case it occurred to me that the Department of Justice should +ascertain what the statute setting up this Commission required under the +circumstances. A reference to the law disclosed that the Congress had +specified the qualifications of the members of the Commission and that +they could not by rule either enlarge or diminish the power of their +individual members. So their problem was solved like many others by +simply finding out what the law required.</p> + +<p>Every day of the Presidential life is crowded with activities. When +people not accustomed to Washington came to the office, or when I met +them on some special occasion, they often remarked that it seemed to be +my busy day, to which my stock reply came to be that all days were busy +and there was little difference among them. It was my custom to be out +of bed about six-thirty, except in the darkest mornings of winter. One +of the doormen at the White House was an excellent barber, but I always +preferred to shave myself with old-fashioned razors, which I knew how to +keep in good condition. It was my intention to take a short walk before +breakfast,<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_201">{201}</a></span> which Mrs. Coolidge and I ate together in our rooms. For me +there was fruit and about one-half cup of coffee, with a home-made +cereal made from boiling together two parts of unground wheat with one +part of rye. To this was added a roll and a strip of bacon, which went +mostly to our dogs.</p> + +<p>Soon after eight found me dictating in the White House library in +preparation for some public utterance. This would go on for more than an +hour, after which I began to receive callers at the office. Most of +these came by appointment, but in addition to the average of six to +eight who were listed there would be as many more from my Cabinet and +the Congress, to whom I was always accessible. Each one came to me with +a different problem requiring my decision, which was usually made at +once. About twelve-fifteen those began to be brought in who were to be +somewhat formally presented. At twelve-thirty the doors were opened, and +a long line passed by who wished merely to shake hands with the +President. On one occasion I shook hands with nineteen hundred in +thirty-four minutes, which is probably my record. Instead of a burden, +it was a pleasure and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_202">{202}</a></span> a relief to meet people in that way and listen to +their greeting, which was often a benediction. It was at this same hour +that the numerous groups assembled in the South Grounds, where I joined +them for the photographs used for news purposes and permanent mementoes +of their White House visit.</p> + +<p>Lunch came at one o’clock, at which we usually had guests. It made an +opportunity for giving our friends a little more attention than could be +extended through a mere handshake. About an hour was devoted to rest +before returning to the office, where the afternoon was reserved for +attention to the immense number of documents which pass over the desk of +the President. These were all cleaned up each day. Before dinner another +walk was in order, followed by exercises on some of the vibrating +machines kept in my room. We gathered at the dinner table at seven +o’clock and within three-quarters of an hour work would be resumed with +my stenographer to continue until about ten o’clock.</p> + +<p>The White House offices are under the direction of the Secretary to the +President. They are the center of activities which are world-wide. +Reports come in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_203">{203}</a></span> daily from heads of departments, from distant +possessions, and from foreign diplomats and consular agents scattered +all over the earth. A mass of correspondence, from the Congress, the +officials of the states, and the general public, is constantly being +received. All of this often reaches two thousand pieces in a day. Very +much of it is sent at once to the Department to which it refers, from +which an answer is sent direct to the writer. Other parts are sent to +different members of the office staff; and some is laid before the +President. While I signed many letters, I did not dictate many. After +indicating the nature of the reply, it was usually put into form by some +of the secretaries. A great many photographs were sent in to be +inscribed, and a constant stream of autographs went to all who wrote for +them.</p> + +<p>At ten-thirty on Tuesdays and Fridays the Cabinet meetings were held. +These were always very informal. Each member was asked if he had any +problem he wished to lay before the President. When I first attended +with President Harding at the beginning of a new administration these +were rather numerous. Later, they decreased, as each member felt<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_204">{204}</a></span> better +able to solve his own problems. After entire freedom of discussion, but +always without a vote of any kind, I was accustomed to announce what the +decision should be. There never ought to be and never were marked +differences of opinion in my Cabinet. As their duties were not to advise +each other, but to advise the President, they could not disagree among +themselves. I rarely failed to accept their recommendations. Sometimes +they wished for larger appropriations than the state of the Treasury +warranted, but they all cooperated most sincerely in the policy of +economy and were content with such funds as I could assign to them.</p> + +<p>The Secretary of State is the agency through which the President +exercises his constitutional authority to deal with foreign relations. +As this subject is a matter of constant interchange, he makes no annual +report upon it. Other Cabinet officers make annual reports to the +President on the whole conduct of their departments, which he transmits +to the Congress. All the intercourse with foreign governments is carried +on through the Secretary of State, and a national of a foreign country +can not be received by<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_205">{205}</a></span> the President unless the accredited diplomatic +representative of his government has made an appointment for him through +the State Department.</p> + +<p>All foreign approaches to the President are through this Department. +When an Ambassador or Minister is to present his credentials, the +Undersecretary of State brings him to the White House and escorts him to +the Green Room. After the President has taken his position standing in +the Blue Room accompanied by his aides, the diplomat is then brought +before him. He presents his letters with a short formal statement, to +which the President responds in kind. When the mutual expressions of +friendly interest and good will have been exchanged, the accompanying +staff of the diplomat is brought in for presentation, after which he +retires. Except when foreign officials are presented for an audience in +this way, the etiquette of the White House requires that those who are +present should remain until the President and the Mistress of the White +House retire from the room.</p> + +<p>A competent man is assigned from the State Department to have the +management of the White<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_206">{206}</a></span> House official social function. He has under +him a considerable staff located in one of the basement rooms, known as +the Social Bureau. They keep a careful list of all those who leave cards +and of the officials who should be invited to receptions, which is +constantly revised to meet changing conditions. While the President has +supervision over all these functions, the most effective way to deal +with them is to provide a capable Mistress of the White House. I have +often been complimented on the choice which I made nearly twenty-five +years ago. These functions were so much in the hands of Mrs. Coolidge +that oftentimes I did not know what guests were to be present until I +met them in the Blue Room just before going in to dinner.</p> + +<p>These social functions are almost as much a part of the life of official +Washington as a session of the Congress or a term of the Supreme Court. +The season opens with the Cabinet dinner. Following this come the +Diplomatic reception, the Diplomatic dinner, then the Judicial +reception, the Supreme Court dinner, then the Congressional reception +and the Speaker’s dinner, with the last reception of the year<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_207">{207}</a></span> tendered +to the Army and Navy. About fifty guests assemble at the dinners, except +that given to the diplomats, when the presence of the Ambassadors or +Ministers, with their wives, of all countries represented in Washington +brings the number up to about ninety. The Marine Band is in attendance +on all these occasions. Following the dinners a short musical recital by +famous artists is given in the East Room, to which many additional +guests are invited.</p> + +<p>A reception is a particularly colorful event. About thirty-five hundred +invitations are issued. When the guests are assembled the President and +his wife, preceded by his aides and followed by the Cabinet and his +Secretary and their wives, go down the main staircase, pausing for a +moment to receive the military salute of the band, and then pass to the +Blue Room where the receptions are always held. When the foreign +diplomats are present in their official dress, the scene is very +brilliant. After all the presentations have been made, the President and +his retinue return to the second floor. Immediately after this there is +dancing in the East Room to furnish en<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_208">{208}</a></span>tertainment while the long line +of cars comes up to take the guests home.</p> + +<p>Whenever the prominent officials of foreign governments visit +Washington, it is customary to receive them at a luncheon or dinner at +the White House. When the Prince of Wales was here in 1924 we were in +mourning, due to the loss of our son, so that he lunched with us +informally without any other invited guests. When the Queen of Rumania +came to Washington she was entertained at dinner. There have also been +Princes of the reigning house of Japan and of Sweden, the Premier of +France, the Governor General of Canada, the Presidents of the Irish Free +State, of Cuba, and of Mexico, who have been received and entertained in +some manner. Whenever an official gathering of foreigners, like the +Panama Conference, convenes in Washington, the President and the +Mistress of the White House tender them a reception and a dinner.</p> + +<p>Besides these formal social gatherings, there were various afternoon +teas and musicales, which I sometimes neglected, and usually one or two +garden parties held in the South Grounds, one of which was for<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_209">{209}</a></span> the +disabled veterans who were patients in Washington hospitals. These +parties were accompanied with band music and light refreshments, which +always seemed to be appreciated by the veterans.</p> + +<p>My personal social functions consisted of the White House breakfasts, +which were attended by fifteen to twenty-five members of the House and +Senate and others, who gathered around my table at eight-thirty o’clock +in the morning to partake of a meal which ended with wheat cakes and +Vermont maple syrup. During the last session of the Congress I invited +all the members of the Senate, all the chairmen and ranking Democratic +members of the committees of the House, and finally had breakfast with +the officers of both houses of the Congress. Although we did not +undertake to discuss matters of public business at these breakfasts, +they were productive of a spirit of good fellowship which was no doubt a +helpful influence to the transaction of public business.</p> + +<p>In addition to these White House events, the President and his wife go +out to twelve official dinners. They begin with the Vice-President, go +on<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_210">{210}</a></span> among the ten members of the Cabinet, and close with the Speaker of +the House. Aside from these, it is not customary for the President to +accept the hospitality of any individuals. This is not from any desire +on his part to be exclusive, but rather arises from an application of +the principle of equality. The number of days in his term of office is +limited. If he gave up all the time when he is not otherwise necessarily +engaged, it is doubtful if he could find fifty evenings in a year when +he could accept invitations. At once he would be confronted with the +necessity of deciding which to accept and which to reject. If he served +eight years, he could only touch the fringe of official Washington, even +if he chose to disregard all the balance of the country. The only escape +from an otherwise impossible situation is to observe the rule of +refusing all social invitations.</p> + +<p>The President stands at the head of all official and social rank in the +nation. As he is Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, all their +officers are his subordinates. As he is the head of the government, he +outranks all other public officials. As the first citizen, he is placed +at the top of the social scale.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_211">{211}</a></span> Wherever he goes, whenever he appears, +he must be assigned the place of honor. It follows from this that he can +not consistently attend a dinner or any other function given by some one +else in honor of any other person. He can have ceremonies of his own at +the White House, or outside, in which he recognizes the merit of others +and bestows upon them appropriate honors. But his participation in any +other occasion of such a nature is confined to sending an appropriate +message.</p> + +<p>It would make great confusion in all White House relations unless the +rules of procedure were observed. If this were not done, the most +ambitious and intruding would seize the place of honor, or it would be +bestowed by favor. In both cases all official position would be ignored. +In its working out, therefore, the adoption of rules which take no +account of persons, but simply apply to places, is the only method which +is in harmony with our spirit of equality. In its application it gives +us more completely a government of laws and not of men.</p> + +<p>As he is head of the government, charged with making appointments, and +clothed with the execu<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_212">{212}</a></span>tive power, the President has a certain +responsibility for the conduct of all departments, commissions and +independent bureaus. While I was willing to advise with any of these +officers and give them any assistance in my power, I always felt they +should make their own decisions and rarely volunteered any advice. Many +applications are made requesting the President to seek to influence +these bodies, and such applications were usually transmitted to them for +their information without comment. Wherever they exercise judicial +functions, I always felt that some impropriety might attach to any +suggestions from me. The parties before them are entitled to a fair +trial on the merits of their case and to have judgment rendered by those +to whom both sides have presented their evidence. If some one on the +outside undertook to interfere, even if grave injustice was not done, +the integrity of a commission which comes from a knowledge that it can +be relied on to exercise its own independent judgment would be very much +impaired.</p> + +<p>I never hesitated to ask commissions to speed up their work and get +their business done, but if they<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_213">{213}</a></span> were not doing it correctly my remedy +would be to supplant them with those who I thought would do better. At +one time the Shipping Board adopted a resolution declaring their +independence of the President and claiming they were responsible solely +to the Congress. As I always considered they had a rather impossible +task, I doubted whether any one could be very successful in its +performance. If they wished to try to relieve me of its responsibility, +I had no personal objection and would probably be saved from +considerable criticism. But they found they could not carry on their +work without the support of the President, so that some of them resigned +and the remainder reestablished their contact with the White House, +which was always open to them.</p> + +<p>The practice which I followed in my relations with commissions and in +the recognition of rank has been long established. President Jefferson +seems to have entertained the opinion that even the Supreme Court should +be influenced by his wishes and that failing in this a recalcitrant +judge should be impeached by a complaisant Congress. This brought him +into a sharp conflict with John Marshall, who<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_214">{214}</a></span> resisted any encroachment +upon the independence of the Court. In this controversy the position of +Marshall has been vindicated. It is also said that at some of his +official dinners President Jefferson left all his guests to the +confusion of taking whatever seat they could find at his table. But this +method did not survive the test of history. In spite of all his +greatness, any one who had as many ideas as Jefferson was bound to find +that some of them would not work. But this does not detract from the +wisdom of his faith in the people and his constant insistence that they +be left to manage their own affairs. His opposition to bureaucracy will +bear careful analysis, and the country could stand a great deal more of +its application. The trouble with us is that we talk about Jefferson but +do not follow him. In his theory that the people should manage their +government, and not be managed by it, he was everlastingly right.</p> + +<p>Tradition and custom, it will be seen, are oftentimes determining +factors in the Presidential office, as they are in all other walks of +life. This is not because they are arbitrary or artificial, but because +long experience has demonstrated that they are the best<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_215">{215}</a></span> methods of +dealing with human affairs. Things are done in a certain way after many +repetitions show that way causes the least friction and is most likely +to bring the desired result. While there are times when the people might +enjoy the spectacular, in the end they will only be satisfied with +accomplishments. The President gets the best advice he can find, uses +the best judgment at his command, and leaves the event in the hands of +Providence.</p> + +<p>Everything that the President does potentially at least is of such great +importance that he must be constantly on guard. This applies not only to +himself, but to everybody about him. Not only in all his official +actions, but in all his social intercourse, and even in his recreation +and repose, he is constantly watched by a multitude of eyes to determine +if there is anything unusual, extraordinary, or irregular, which can be +set down in praise or in blame. Oftentimes trifling incidents, some +insignificant action, an unfortunate phrase in an address, an +injudicious letter, a lack of patience towards some one who presents an +impossible proposition, too much attention to one person, or too little +courtesy towards another, become<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_216">{216}</a></span> magnified into the sensation of the +hour. While such events finally sink into their proper place in history +as too small for consideration, if they occur frequently they create an +atmosphere of distraction that might seriously interfere with the +conduct of public business which is really important.</p> + +<p>It was my desire to maintain about the White House as far as possible an +attitude of simplicity and not engage in anything that had an air of +pretentious display. That was my conception of the great office. It +carries sufficient power within itself, so that it does not require any +of the outward trappings of pomp and splendor for the purpose of +creating an impression. It has a dignity of its own which makes it +self-sufficient. Of course, there should be proper formality, and +personal relations should be conducted at all times with decorum and +dignity, and in accordance with the best traditions of polite society. +But there is no need of theatricals.</p> + +<p>But, however much he may deplore it, the President ceases to be an +ordinary citizen. In order to function at all he has to be surrounded +with many safeguards. If these were removed for only a short<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_217">{217}</a></span> time, he +would be overwhelmed by the people who would surge in upon him. In +traveling it would be agreeable to me to use the regular trains which +are open to the public. I have done so once or twice. But I found it +made great difficulty for the railroads. They reported that it was +unsafe, because they could not take the necessary precautions. It +therefore seemed best to run a second section, following a regular +train, for the exclusive use of the President and his party. While the +facilities of a private car have always been offered, I think they have +only been used once, when one was needed for the better comfort of Mrs. +Coolidge during her illness. Although I have not been given to much +travel during my term of office, it has been sufficient, so that I am +convinced the government should own a private car for the use of the +President when he leaves Washington. The pressure on him is so great, +the responsibilities are so heavy, that it is wise public policy in +order to secure his best services to provide him with such ample +facilities that he will be relieved as far as possible from all physical +inconveniences.</p> + +<p>It is not generally understood how much detail is<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_218">{218}</a></span> involved in any +journey of the President. One or two secret service men must go to the +destination several days in advance. His line of travel and every street +and location which he is to visit are carefully examined. The order of +ceremonies has to be submitted for approval. Oftentimes the local police +are inadequate, so that it is necessary to use some of the military or +naval forces to assist them. Not only his aides and his personal +physician, but also secret service men, some of his office force, and +house servants, have to be in attendance. Quarters must also be provided +for a large retinue of newspaper reporters and camera men who follow him +upon all occasions. Every switch that he goes over is spiked down. Every +freight train that he passes is stopped and every passenger train slowed +down to ten miles per hour. While all of this proceeds smoothly, it +requires careful attention to a great variety of details.</p> + +<p>It has never been my practice to speak from rear platforms. The +confusion is so great that few people could hear and it does not seem to +me very dignified. When the President speaks it ought to be an event. +The excuse for such appearances which formerly ex<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_219">{219}</a></span>isted has been +eliminated by the coming of the radio. It is so often that the President +is on the air that almost any one who wishes has ample opportunity to +hear his voice. It has seemed more appropriate for Mrs. Coolidge and me +to appear at the rear of the train where the people could see us. About +the only time that I have spoken was at Bennington in September of 1928, +where I expressed my affection and respect for the people of the state +of Vermont, as I was passing through that town on my way back to +Washington. I found that the love I had for the hills where I was born +touched a responsive chord in the heart of the whole nation.</p> + +<p>One of the most appalling trials which confront a President is the +perpetual clamor for public utterances. Invitations are constant and +pressing. They come by wire, by mail, and by delegations. No event of +importance is celebrated anywhere in the United States without inviting +him to come to deliver an oration. When others are enjoying a holiday, +he is expected to make a public appearance in order to entertain and +instruct by a formal address. There are a few public statements that he +does not deliver in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_220">{220}</a></span> person, like proclamations, and messages, which go +to the Congress, either reporting his views on the state of the Union in +his Annual Message or giving his reasons for rejecting legislation in a +veto. These productions vary in length. My Annual Message would be about +twelve thousand words. My speeches would average a little over three +thousand words. In the course of a year the entire number reaches about +twenty, which probably represents an output of at least seventy-five +thousand words.</p> + +<p>This kind of work is very exacting. It requires the most laborious and +extended research and study, and the most careful and painstaking +thought. Each word has to be weighed in the realization that it is a +Presidential utterance which will be dissected at home and abroad to +discover its outward meaning and any possible hidden implications. +Before it is finished it is thoroughly examined by one or two of my +staff, and oftentimes by a member of the Cabinet. It is not difficult +for me to deliver an address. The difficulty lies in its preparation. +This is an important part of the work of a President which he can not +escape. It is inherent in the office.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" id="ill_007"> +<a href="images/i_p220_243.jpg"> +<img src="images/i_p220_243.jpg" width="440" height="550" alt="Calvin Coolidge and His Family + +The day he became Governor of Massachusetts"></a> +<br> +<span class="caption">Calvin Coolidge and His Family + +The day he became Governor of Massachusetts</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_221">{221}</a></span></p> + +<p>A great many presents come to the White House, which are all cherished, +not so much for their intrinsic value as because they are tokens of +esteem and affection. Almost everything that can be eaten comes. We +always know what to do with that. But some of the pets that are offered +us are more of a problem. I have a beautiful black-haired bear that was +brought all the way from Mexico in a truck, and a pair of live lion cubs +now grown up, and a small species of hippopotamus which came from South +Africa. These and other animals and birds have been placed in the +zoological quarters in Rock Creek Park. We always had more dogs than we +could take care of. My favorites were the white collies, which became so +much associated with me that they are enshrined in my bookplate, where +they will live as long as our country endures. One of them, Prudence +Prim, was especially attached to Mrs. Coolidge. We lost her in the Black +Hills. She lies out there in the shadow of Bear Butte where the Indians +told me the Great Spirit came to commune with his children. One was my +companion, Rob Roy. He was a stately gentleman of great courage and +fidelity. He loved<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_222">{222}</a></span> to bark from the second-story windows and around the +South Grounds. Nights he remained in my room and afternoons went with me +to the office. His especial delight was to ride with me in the boats +when I went fishing. So although I know he would bark for joy as the +grim boatman ferried him across the dark waters of the Styx, yet his +going left me lonely on the hither shore.</p> + +<p>As I left office I realized that the more I had seen of the workings of +the Federal government the more respect I came to have for it. It is +carried on by hundreds of thousands of people. Some prove incompetent. A +very few are tempted to become disloyal to their trust. But the great +rank and file of them are of good ability, conscientious, and faithful +public servants. While some are paid more than they would earn in +private life, there are great throngs who are serving at a distinct +personal sacrifice. Among the higher officials this is almost always +true. The service they perform entitles them to approbation and honor.</p> + +<p>The Congress has sometimes been a sore trial to Presidents. I did not +find it so in my case. Among<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_223">{223}</a></span> them were men of wonderful ability and +veteran experience. I think they made their decisions with an honest +purpose to serve their country. The membership of the Senate changed +very much by reason of those who sacrificed themselves for public duty. +Of all public officials with whom I have ever been acquainted, the work +of a Senator of the United States is by far the most laborious. About +twenty of them died during the eight years I was in Washington.</p> + +<p>Sometimes it would seem for a day that either the House or the Senate +had taken some unwise action, but if it was not corrected on the floor +where it occurred it was usually remedied in the other chamber. I always +found the members of both parties willing to confer with me and disposed +to treat my recommendations fairly. Most of the differences could be +adjusted by personal discussion. Sometimes I made an appeal direct to +the country by stating my position at the newspaper conferences. I +adopted that course in relation to the Mississippi Flood Control Bill. +As it passed the Senate it appeared to be much too extravagant in its +rule of damages and its pro<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_224">{224}</a></span>posed remedy. The press began a vigorous +discussion of the subject, which caused the House greatly to modify the +bill, and in conference a measure that was entirely fair and moderate +was adopted. On other occasions I appealed to the country more +privately, enlisting the influence of labor and trade organizations upon +the Congress in behalf of some measures in which I was interested. That +was done in the case of the tax bill of 1928. As it passed the House, +the reductions were so large that the revenue necessary to meet the +public expenses would not have been furnished. By quietly making this +known to the Senate, and enlisting support for that position among their +constituents, it was possible to secure such modification of the measure +that it could be adopted without greatly endangering the revenue.</p> + +<p>But a President cannot, with success, constantly appeal to the country. +After a time he will get no response. The people have their own affairs +to look after and can not give much attention to what the Congress is +doing. If he takes a position, and stands by it, ultimately it will be +adopted. Most of the policies set out in my first Annual Message have +become<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_225">{225}</a></span> law, but it took several years to get action on some of them.</p> + +<p>One of the most perplexing and at the same time most important functions +of the President is the making of appointments. In some few cases he +acts alone, but usually they are made with the advice and consent of the +Senate. It is the practice to consult Senators of his own party before +making an appointment from their state. In choosing persons for service +over the whole or any considerable portion of a single state, it is +customary to rely almost entirely on the party Senators from that state +for recommendations. It is not possible to find men who are perfect. +Selection always has to be limited to human beings, whatever choice is +made. It is therefore always possible to point out defects. The +supposition that no one should be appointed who has had experience in +the field which he is to supervise is extremely detrimental to the +public service. An Interstate Commerce Commissioner is much better +qualified, if he knows something about transportation. A Federal Trade +Commissioner can render much better service if he has had a legal +practice which extended into<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_226">{226}</a></span> large business transactions. The assertion +of those who contend that persons accepting a government appointment +would betray their trust in favor of former associates can be understood +only on the supposition that those who make it feel that their own +tenure of public office is for the purpose of benefiting themselves and +their friends.</p> + +<p>Every one knows that where the treasure is, there will the heart be +also. When a man has invested his personal interest and reputation in +the conduct of a public office, if he goes wrong it will not be because +of former relations, but because he is a bad man. The same interests +that reached him would reach any bad man, irrespective of former life +history. What we need in appointive positions is men of knowledge and +experience who have sufficient character to resist temptations. If that +standard is maintained, we need not be concerned about their former +activities. If it is not maintained, all the restrictions on their past +employment that can be conceived will be of no avail.</p> + +<p>The more experience I have had in making appointments, the more I am +convinced that attempts<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_227">{227}</a></span> to put limitations on the appointing power are +a mistake. It should be possible to choose a well qualified person +wherever he can be found. When restrictions are placed on residence, +occupation, or profession, it almost always happens that some one is +found who is universally admitted to be the best qualified, but who is +eliminated by the artificial specifications. So long as the Senate has +the power to reject nominations, there is little danger that a President +would abuse his authority if he were given the largest possible freedom +in his choices. The public service would be improved if all vacancies +were filled by simply appointing the best ability and character that can +be found. That is what is done in private business. The adoption of any +other course handicaps the government in all its operations.</p> + +<p>In determining upon all his actions, however, the President has to +remember that he is dealing with two different minds. One is the mind of +the country, largely intent upon its own personal affairs, and, while +not greatly interested in the government, yet desirous of seeing it +conducted in an orderly and dignified manner for the advancement of the +public<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_228">{228}</a></span> welfare. Those who compose this mind wish to have the country +prosperous and are opposed to unjust taxation and public extravagance. +At the same time they have a patriotic pride which moves them with so +great a desire to see things well done that they are willing to pay for +it. They gladly contribute their money to place the United States in the +lead. In general, they represent the public opinion of the land.</p> + +<p>But they are unorganized, formless, and inarticulate. Against a compact +and well drilled minority they do not appear to be very effective. They +are nevertheless the great power in our government. I have constantly +appealed to them and have seldom failed in enlisting their support. They +are the court of last resort and their decisions are final.</p> + +<p>They are, however, the indirect rather than the direct power. The +immediate authority with which the President has to deal is vested in +the political mind. In order to get things done he has to work through +that agency. Some of our Presidents have appeared to lack comprehension +of the political mind. Although I have been associated with it for many +years, I always found difficulty in understand<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_229">{229}</a></span>ing it. It is a strange +mixture of vanity and timidity, of an obsequious attitude at one time +and a delusion of grandeur at another time, of the most selfish +preferment combined with the most sacrificing patriotism. The political +mind is the product of men in public life who have been twice spoiled. +They have been spoiled with praise and they have been spoiled with +abuse. With them nothing is natural, everything is artificial. A few +rare souls escape these influences and maintain a vision and a judgment +that are unimpaired. They are a great comfort to every President and a +great service to their country. But they are not sufficient in number so +that the public business can be transacted like a private business.</p> + +<p>It is because in their hours of timidity the Congress becomes +subservient to the importunities of organized minorities that the +President comes more and more to stand as the champion of the rights of +the whole country. Organizing such minorities has come to be a +well-recognized industry at Washington. They are oftentimes led by +persons of great ability, who display much skill in bringing their +influences to bear on the Congress. They have ways of<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_230">{230}</a></span> securing +newspaper publicity, deluging Senators and Representatives with +petitions and overwhelming them with imprecations that are oftentimes +decisive in securing the passage of bills. While much of this +legislation is not entirely bad, almost all of it is excessively +expensive. If it were not for the rules of the House and the veto power +of the President, within two years these activities would double the +cost of the government.</p> + +<p>Under our system the President is not only the head of the government, +but is also the head of his party. The last twenty years have witnessed +a decline in party spirit and a distinct weakening in party loyalty. +While an independent attitude on the part of the citizen is not without +a certain public advantage, yet it is necessary under our form of +government to have political parties. Unless some one is a partisan, no +one can be an independent. The Congress is organized entirely in +accordance with party policy. The parties appeal to the voters in behalf +of their platforms. The people make their choice on those issues. Unless +those who are elected on the same party platform associate themselves +together to carry<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_231">{231}</a></span> out its provisions, the election becomes a mockery. +The independent voter who has joined with others in placing a party +nominee in office finds his efforts were all in vain, if the person he +helps elect refuses or neglects to keep the platform pledges of his +party.</p> + +<p>Many occasions arise in the Congress when party lines are very properly +disregarded, but if there is to be a reasonable government proceeding in +accordance with the express mandate of the people, and not merely at the +whim of those who happen to be victorious at the polls, on all the +larger and important issues there must be party solidarity. It is the +business of the President as party leader to do the best he can to see +that the declared party platform purposes are translated into +legislative and administrative action. Oftentimes I secured support from +those without my party and had opposition from those within my party, in +attempting to keep my platform pledges.</p> + +<p>Such a condition is entirely anomalous. It leaves the President as the +sole repository of party responsibility. But it is one of the reasons +that the Presidential office has grown in popular estimation and<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_232">{232}</a></span> favor, +while the Congress has declined. The country feels that the President is +willing to assume responsibility, while his party in the Congress is +not. I have never felt it was my duty to attempt to coerce Senators or +Representatives, or to take reprisals. The people sent them to +Washington. I felt I had discharged my duty when I had done the best I +could with them. In this way I avoided almost entirely a personal +opposition, which I think was of more value to the country than to +attempt to prevail through arousing personal fear.</p> + +<p>Under our system it ought to be remembered that the power to initiate +policies has to be centralized somewhere. Unless the party leaders +exercising it can depend on loyalty and organization support, the party +in which it is reposed will become entirely ineffective. A party which +is ineffective will soon be discarded. If a party is to endure as a +serviceable instrument of government for the country, it must possess +and display a healthy spirit of party loyalty. Such a manifestation in +the Congress would do more than anything else to rehabilitate it in the +esteem and confidence of the country.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_233">{233}</a></span></p> + +<p>It is natural for man to seek power. It was because of this trait of +human nature that the founders of our institutions provided a system of +checks and balances. They placed all their public officers under +constitutional limitations. They had little fear of the courts and were +inclined to regard legislative bodies as the natural champions of their +liberties. They were very apprehensive that the executive might seek to +exercise arbitrary powers. Under our Constitution such fears seldom have +been well founded. The President has tended to become the champion of +the people because he is held solely responsible for his acts, while in +the Congress where responsibility is divided it has developed that there +is much greater danger of arbitrary action.</p> + +<p>It has therefore become increasingly imperative that the President +should resist any encroachment upon his constitutional powers. One of +the most important of these is the power of appointment. The +Constitution provides that he shall nominate, and by and with the advice +and consent of the Senate appoint. A constant pressure is exerted by the +Senators to make their own nominations and the Con<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_234">{234}</a></span>gress is constantly +proposing laws which undertake to deprive the President of the +appointive power. Different departments and bureaus are frequently +supporting measures that would make them self-perpetuating bodies to +which no appointments could be made that they did not originate. While I +have always sought cooperation and advice, I have likewise resisted +these efforts, sometimes by refusing to adopt recommendations and +sometimes by the exercise of the veto power. One of the farm relief +bills, and later a public health measure, had these clearly +unconstitutional limitations on the power of appointment. In the defense +of the rights and liberties of the people it is necessary for the +President to resist all encroachments upon his lawful authority.</p> + +<p>All of these trials and encouragements come to each President. It is +impossible to explain them. Even after passing through the Presidential +office, it still remains a great mystery. Why one person is selected for +it and many others are rejected can not be told. Why people respond as +they do to its influence seems to be beyond inquiry. Any man who has +been placed in the White House can not feel that it<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_235">{235}</a></span> is the result of +his own exertions or his own merit. Some power outside and beyond him +becomes manifest through him. As he contemplates the workings of his +office, he comes to realize with an increasing sense of humility that he +is but an instrument in the hands of God.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_237">{237}</a></span><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_236">{236}</a></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_238">{238}</a></span>  </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page_239">{239}</a></span>  </p> + +<h2 class="chead"><a id="CHAPTER_VII"></a><a id="WHY_I_DID_NOT_CHOOSE_TO_RUN"></a>WHY I DID NOT CHOOSE TO RUN</h2> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/barrs.png" width="405" height="11" alt=""></div> + +<h2><i>CHAPTER SEVEN</i><br><br> +WHY I DID NOT CHOOSE TO RUN</h2> + +<p class="nind"><span class="letra">P</span>ERHAPS I have already indicated some of the reasons why I did not +desire to be a candidate to succeed myself.</p> + +<p>The Presidential office takes a heavy toll of those who occupy it and +those who are dear to them. While we should not refuse to spend and be +spent in the service of our country, it is hazardous to attempt what we +feel is beyond our strength to accomplish.</p> + +<p>I had never wished to run in 1928 and had determined to make a public +announcement at a sufficiently early date so that the party would have +ample time to choose some one else. An appropriate occasion for that +announcement seemed to be the fourth anniversary of my taking office. +The reasons I can give may not appear very convincing, but I am +confident my decision was correct.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_240">{240}</a></span></p> + +<p>My personal and official relations have all been peculiarly pleasant. +The Congress has not always done all that I wished, but it has done very +little that I did not approve. So far as I can judge, I have been +especially fortunate in having the approbation of the country.</p> + +<p>But irrespective of the third-term policy, the Presidential office is of +such a nature that it is difficult to conceive how one man can +successfully serve the country for a term of more than eight years.</p> + +<p>While I am in favor of continuing the long-established custom of the +country in relation to a third term for a President, yet I do not think +that the practice applies to one who has succeeded to part of a term as +Vice-President. Others might argue that it does, but I doubt if the +country would so consider it.</p> + +<p>Although my own health has been practically perfect, yet the duties are +very great and ten years would be a very heavy strain. It would be +especially long for the Mistress of the White House. Mrs. Coolidge has +been in more than usual good health, but I doubt if she could have +stayed there for ten years without some danger of impairment of her +strength.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_241">{241}</a></span></p> + +<p>A President should not only not be selfish, but he ought to avoid the +appearance of selfishness. The people would not have confidence in a man +that appeared to be grasping for office.</p> + +<p>It is difficult for men in high office to avoid the malady of +self-delusion. They are always surrounded by worshipers. They are +constantly, and for the most part sincerely, assured of their greatness.</p> + +<p>They live in an artificial atmosphere of adulation and exaltation which +sooner or later impairs their judgment. They are in grave danger of +becoming careless and arrogant.</p> + +<p>The chances of having wise and faithful public service are increased by +a change in the Presidential office after a moderate length of time.</p> + +<p>It is necessary for the head of the nation to differ with many people +who are honest in their opinions. As his term progresses, the number who +are disappointed accumulates. Finally, there is so large a body who have +lost confidence in him that he meets a rising opposition which makes his +efforts less effective.</p> + +<p>In the higher ranges of public service men appear<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_242">{242}</a></span> to come forward to +perform a certain duty. When it is performed their work is done. They +usually find it impossible to readjust themselves in the thought of the +people so as to pass on successfully to the solution of new public +problems.</p> + +<p>An examination of the records of those Presidents who have served eight +years will disclose that in almost every instance the latter part of +their term has shown very little in the way of constructive +accomplishment. They have often been clouded with grave disappointments.</p> + +<p>While I had a desire to be relieved of the pretensions and delusions of +public life, it was not because of any attraction of pleasure or +idleness.</p> + +<p>We draw our Presidents from the people. It is a wholesome thing for them +to return to the people. I came from them. I wish to be one of them +again.</p> + +<p>Although all our Presidents have had back of them a good heritage of +blood, very few have been born to the purple. Fortunately, they are not +supported at public expense after leaving office, so they are not +expected to set an example encouraging to a leisure class.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_243">{243}</a></span></p> + +<p>They have only the same title to nobility that belongs to all our +citizens, which is the one based on achievement and character, so they +need not assume superiority. It is becoming for them to engage in some +dignified employment where they can be of service as others are.</p> + +<p>Our country does not believe in idleness. It honors hard work. I wanted +to serve the country again as a private citizen.</p> + +<p>In making my public statement I was careful in the use of words. There +were some who reported that they were mystified as to my meaning when I +said, “I do not choose to run.”</p> + +<p>Although I did not know it at the time, months later I found that +Washington said practically the same thing. Certainly he said no more in +his Farewell Address, where he announced that “choice and prudence” +invited him to retire.</p> + +<p>There were others who constantly demanded that I should state that if +nominated I would refuse to accept. Such a statement would not be in +accordance with my conception of the requirements of the Presidential +office. I never stated or formulated in<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_244">{244}</a></span> my own mind what I should do +under such circumstances, but I was determined not to have that +contingency arise.</p> + +<p>I therefore sent the Secretary to the President, Everett Sanders, a man +of great ability and discretion, to Kansas City with instructions to +notify several of the leaders of state delegations not to vote for me. +Had I not done so, I am told, I should have been nominated.</p> + +<p>The report that he had talked with me on the telephone after his +arrival, and I had told him I would not accept if nominated, was pure +fabrication. I had no communication with him of any kind after he left +Washington and did not give him any such instruction or message at any +time.</p> + +<p>I thought if I could prevent being nominated, which I was able to do, it +would never be necessary for me to decide the other question. But in +order to be perfectly free, I sent this notice, so that if I declined no +one could say I had misled him into supposing that I was willing to +receive his vote.</p> + +<p>I felt sure that the party and the country were in so strong a position +that they could easily nominate<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_245">{245}</a></span> and elect some other candidate. The +events have confirmed my judgment.</p> + +<p>In the primary campaign I was careful to make it known that I was not +presenting any candidate. The friends of several of them no doubt +represented that their candidate was satisfactory to me, which was true +as far as it went.</p> + +<p>I can conceive a situation in which a President might be warranted in +exercising the influence of his office in selecting his successor. That +condition did not exist in the last primary. The party had plenty of +material, which was available, and the candidate really should be the +choice of the people themselves. This is especially so now that so many +of the states have laws for the direct expression of the choice of the +voters.</p> + +<p>A President in office can do very much about the nomination of his +successor, because of his influence with the convention, but the feeling +that he had forced a choice would place the nominee under a heavy +handicap.</p> + +<p>When the convention assembles it is almost certain that it will look +about to see what candidate has<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_246">{246}</a></span> made the largest popular showing, and +unless some peculiar disqualification develops it will nominate him.</p> + +<p>That was what happened in the last convention, although no one had a +majority when the convention assembled.</p> + +<p>A strong group of the party in and outside of the Senate made the +mistake of undertaking to oppose Mr. Hoover with a large number of local +candidates, which finally resulted in their not developing enough +strength for any particular candidate to make a showing sufficient to +impress the convention.</p> + +<p>Although I did not intimate in any way that I would not accept the +nomination, when I sent word to the heads of certain unpledged state +delegations not to vote for me, they very naturally turned to Mr. +Hoover, which brought about his nomination on the first ballot.</p> + +<p>The Presidential office differs from everything else. Much of it cannot +be described, it can only be felt. After I had considered the reasons +for my being a candidate on the one side and on the other, I could not +say that any of them moved me with compelling force.<span class="pagenum"><a id="page_247">{247}</a></span></p> + +<p>My election seemed assured. Nevertheless, I felt it was not best for the +country that I should succeed myself. A new impulse is more likely to be +beneficial.</p> + +<p>It was therefore my privilege, after seeing my administration so +strongly indorsed by the country, to retire voluntarily from the +greatest experience that can come to mortal man. In that way, I believed +I could best serve the people who have honored me and the country which +I love.</p> + +<p class="fint">THE END</p> + +<hr class="full"> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76649 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76649-h/images/barrs.png b/76649-h/images/barrs.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..18b89a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/barrs.png diff --git a/76649-h/images/colophon.png b/76649-h/images/colophon.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4233489 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/colophon.png diff --git a/76649-h/images/cover.jpg b/76649-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa1f34a --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_frontis_004.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_frontis_004.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..772cfbb --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_frontis_004.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_inside_cover_left.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_inside_cover_left.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e8c6314 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_inside_cover_left.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_inside_cover_right.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_inside_cover_right.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea4d39f --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_inside_cover_right.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_p136_155.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_p136_155.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..db85bcf --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_p136_155.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_p190_211.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_p190_211.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3ab3cb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_p190_211.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_p220_243.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_p220_243.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2172bbe --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_p220_243.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_p30_041.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_p30_041.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6174f25 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_p30_041.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_p48_061.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_p48_061.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a0a4ac3 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_p48_061.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_p66_081.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_p66_081.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2bb3592 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_p66_081.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/i_p90_107.jpg b/76649-h/images/i_p90_107.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0935a7e --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/i_p90_107.jpg diff --git a/76649-h/images/inside_cover.jpg b/76649-h/images/inside_cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5bc5679 --- /dev/null +++ b/76649-h/images/inside_cover.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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