Date: April 6, 1928
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
The McNary-Haugen bill changes so often that there doesn’t seem to be anything constant about it except its name. I haven’t studied the present bill in its details. I understand the House bill and the Senate bill are not the same, though they both have the same name. And I do not understand that either one of them meets the objections that I made to the bill bearing that name when it came to me last year. I haven’t changed the views that I expressed in my veto message, or those that I expressed relative to farm relief in my various messages to the Congress and the public addresses I have made. While, of course, I take every bill that comes to me and undertake to decide it on its merits after it comes, nobody has any justification in undertaking to indicate that I would sign the present bill. I don’t wish you to say, because I have said that, that I am saying I would veto it , bat I have indicated that I will try to determine it on its merits, though I do not understand that either one of the bills that are in the House and the Senate meet the objections which I stated in my veto message last year. Some of them, I think, have. But it is wrong to have any one say that there is any assurance that I can sign the present bill, or either one of them.
There isn’t any definite change in mother Goodhue’s condition. She is gradually growing weaker and no one can make any estimate of how soon the end may come. We know she is in a condition from which she can not recover.
I am glad that the press is taking up somewhat the flood control bill. It is a situation that is very well worthy of the study of the press of Washington, there was a very good statement about it in the Congressional record of April 4th Representative Frear. I f any one wants to get some of the detail s and the objections to the present bill, there is a very carefully prepared statement in there by Representative Frear.
You will notice I have a new addition to the conference. Another dog has come in. That is a dog that is very much attached to my wife and he is very disconsolate in the absence of his mistress, but he has been willing to come over here.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper Correspondents
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