A political cartoon titled “Don’t Be a Shirker,” appeared on the front page of the Lykens Standard, October 21, 1934. It featured “Uncle Sam” pointing to a large plaque that stated, “It is the duty of every American citizen to vote.”
Below the cartoon were statements that promoted the idea that Calvin Coolidge was the right person to vote for in the Presidential Election of 1924 – so, “Why Change?”
From the Lykens Standard, October 21, 1934:
WHY CHANGE?
Uvery citizen has confidence that as President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge will treat all people alike, regardless of race or religion, section or class.
WHY CHANGE?
Under the present administration the people of the country are prosperous, and are enjoying the rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
WHY CHANGE?
Every voter knows the business of the Government is safe with Coolidge in the White House.
WHY CHANGE?
In all his public career, Calvin Coolidge has stood for the general welfare and has never tried to promote his political interests by bidding for the support of any one class or section. His political principles are the same in the East as in the West. He believes in a square deal for all and special privileges for none.
WHY CHANGE?
Under Republican leadership this Nation has served the cause of international peace and disarmament more than any other nation and has maintained national sovereignty unimpaired without shirking any international duty or responsibility.
WHY CHANGE?
There is no reason to believe or even to hope that with a change of administration the business of the Nation would be better conducted than at present. There is every reason to believe it would not be conducted as well.
WHY CHANGE?
Coolidge hasalways been a great vote-getter because the people have had confidence in his integrity, his ability and his courage. We have a public servant who had always made good.
WHY CHANGE?
“Under the Republican Administration we have cut expenses, reduced taxes, reduced the national debt, and established a Budget System which guarantees that there will be no deficits.
WHY CHANGE?
Under the Republican Administration, every class of people in the United States is better off than it has been before for years, and better off than the corresponding class in any other nation on earth.
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Coolidge, who had assumed the presidency upon the death of Warren G. Harding on August 2, 1923, was seeking a term of his own. The major conservative issues in the campaign were: limited government, reduced taxes, and less regulation. Both the Democratic candidate, John W. Davis, and Coolidge, the Republican candidate, supported the same issues, but to different degrees. A third party candidate, Robert L. LaFollette of Wisconsin, was from the Progressive Party and supported greater taxes on the rich and the nationalization of the railroads. Coolidge won the election in a popular (54%) and electoral college landslide (382-136-13). Davis carried the “Solid South” plus Oklahoma, LaFollette carried Wisconsin, and Coolidge won every other state.
When Coolidge became president, he was faced with scandals that had occured during the Harding administration and he dismissed many of the officials who were involved. However, the economy was strong, so he obtained the passage of three big tax cuts. He also signed the Fordney-McCumber Tariff, which allowed him to keep tariffs high and to protect manufacturing profits; farmers tried to get protection for several crops, but Coolidge was successful in blocking their efforts. While the government had a surplus of revenue and the the debt was reduced, the wild speculation of the richest Americans foretold that the most vulnerable Americans would soon be the victims of economic catastrophy. One of the worst pieces of immigration legislation was passed in 1924. This act strictly limited immigration from areas of the world that nativists concluded had inferior people – areas which had been a main source of new labor in the years between 1890 and 1923.
Some historians blame the policy decisions of Coolidge as one of the main cause of the Great Depression, – which occurred only months after he left office.
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Cartoon and editorial from Newspapers.com.
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