Date: November 11, 1930
Location: Northampton, MA
Summary: Coolidge praises Democrats for declaring that they will not obstruct legislation but criticizes the way Congress has been acting.
(Original document available here)
The declaration of seven Democratic leaders that they do not propose to engage in obstruction is an encouraging feature in national politics. It has been cordially received by Republican leaders, and, so far as public statements are effective, will tend to allay apprehension about political bickerings. The truce is too late to cure the present economic situation. The most that can be said for it is that our state is not so bad as it might have been without it.
If responsible leaders really mean that they do not propose to countenance artificial political efforts by their party in the Congress it is of much importance. During the recent months there has been too much effort of that kind by both parties in Washington. We have had too much government action, with attendant publicity, proposing to cure human illness which no government can cure and too much public opposition when there was nothing to oppose. The people want from both parties an effective and quiet conduct of public affairs. If the state of business and the election finally have impressed this on our officeholders we now can hope for improvement.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Fr. Stephen Lawson who prepared this document for digital publication.