Date: July 2, 1926
Location: Washington, D.C.
(Original document available here)
I am not sure just what time I shall leave, or rather what day, to go up to White Pine Camp. I can’t leave earlier than Tuesday and I should expect to get away certainly by Wednesday.
I haven’t any more information about the investigation by the Federal Trade Commission of the gasoline industry. Here is a speculative inquiry as to the effect of larger output on prices. I don’t consider myself any better qualified to discuss that than the gentleman who asked the question. I suppose it will be apparent that if the price went up undoubtedly that would stimulate production, and if it stimulates it enough an oversupply would be produced which would undoubtedly have the effect of a reduction in prices. There has been an increase in production. Whether that is taken up by an increase in consumption would be a matter that would have to be considered in order to make any estimate as to what effect the increased production would have on the price. I think there are some 3,000,000 more automobiles this year than there were last, which undoubtedly causes a larger consumption of gasoline than in past years. There aren’t any developments in the Fenning case which I have knowledge of, other than those which have been reported in the press.
Press: Could you say whether or not the Attorney General has made that report you have been looking for?
President: He hasn’t made any report. I have asked him, as I stated the other day to the conference, to keep watch of the situation and keep in contact with the Committee to see if any action is necessary on my part.
I shall go to the Capitol tomorrow to sign bills. I found after thinking it over that I recalled very clearly going up two years ago. There was some question about that in my mind that arose at a previous conference the as to whether the President went up at the interim recess of Congress, or whether he only went up when Congress adjourned on the 4th of March, or went out of existence. He goes up at each time. While it has never been decided I think by a court of last resort whether the President has authority after Congress recesses to sign bills, some bills have been signed, but it has usually been the practice not to sign bills after Congress adjourns. I recall very distinctly being up there two years ago. I know Senator Lodge was Chairman of the Committee, being the majority leader, and he came in and notified the President that the Senate was about to adjourn and inquired if there was any more business. Something occurred during his conference with me, so that the President Pro Tem adjourned Congress before the committee got back to report – adjourned the Senate.
Did you find out Mr. Sanders – did you fin d out whether any Copeland case had been sent over here from the Department of Justice?
Mr. Sanders: It has not come, Mr. President.
President: I had an inquiry as to whether any report had come over here from the Department of Justice relative to an application for a pardon for a man named Copeland in Buffalo. No such report has come here. No application has been received here for any pardon for a man by that name.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge: Remarks by the President to Newspaper CorrespondentsÂ
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