PRAISES RECORD OF HARDING, COOLIDGE

"The Republican Party will appeal to the country on the records of Harding and Coolidge", Mr. Ogden L. Mills '04, Congressman and prominent party leader said last night speaking at the Union under the auspices of the Republican Club. "Our next platform will undoubtedly be founded on President Coolidge's message to Congress and on his two recent speeches in New York. The best assurance of the future of the Republican Party rests in the character of President Coolidge.

Prosperity During Republican Control

"Let us consider the record our party has made. In 1921 the country was undergoing a period of business depression almost unprecedented. There were about 6,000,000 unemployed, business was flat on its back, and the farmers were at a loss for finances with which to cultivate their crops. Now we have a very fair degree of prosperity and the American people are enjoying good times.

Government Has Given Security

"The government of itself could not to all this alone," Mr. Mills admitted. "The real question is, has the government done all it could toward bettering the conditions? I emphatically answer yes. The government, in the first place, has given business a feeling of security. In Hughes, Hoover, and Mellon the whole country has the most confidence. In the second place it has put its own house in order, by reducing the expenses of government, and in the third place it has proved the protective system once again most beneficial"

Praises Economy of Administration

Mr. Mills elaborated his second point very convincingly. "Under President Harding a Budget Bureau was created to see that each department of the government spent no more than it actually needed. The new bureau submitted estimates showing how much each required. This resulted in a $2,000,000,000 cut in the expenses. Thus since the Republican government took office, a real program of economy has been established.

"The Treasury Department has per- formed magnificently", Mr. Mills said becoming very enthusiastic. At the beginning of the present term there were over $7,500,000,000 worth of obligations to be cancelled. So soundly were things handled by Secretary Mellon, that this debt was reduced $5,500,000,000 without the least disturbances.

Tax According to Ability to Pay

"The real issue of the Republican Party in connection with taxes, which have so helped to pay this, is that we believe in the principle of taxing people in accordance with their ability to pay. So we fix a rate of maximum productivity and minimum disturbance. It is really an issue of honest taxation against dishonest taxation. Our opponents play up a lot to the poor and downcast and against the rich, but they really leave the door wide open to let the rich man through. Our plan of taxation is not so much a question of who pays the taxes or whether business will be disturbed, but one of whether it is a plan that can be carried cut or not.."

Says Tariff Has Been Vindicated

Mr. Mills next turned to the third point in the record of the Republican Party, namely the protective system. "Everything said against the tariff of 1921 has proved absolutely false. Imports have not ceased, and consequently exports have not ceased. We rather find that the imports increased, during the first 17 months, 42 per cent and the exports 12 per cent. Furthermore, farmers are not suffering because of the protective tariff as was predicted. Compared with their condition in 1920 and 1921, when it his rock bottom under the old tariff their condition is excellent.