1. Harding and Coolidge – Need for Normalcy
26/01/2009 14:07:00
←REVIEW: What was happening during the beginning of the 1920’s? During
the election of 1920 what might people be looking for?
←
←The nations desire for normalcy and its support for American business was
reflected in two presidencies – Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge
←HARDING
←THE ELECTION
• Election of 1920 – Warren Harding sensed something about the
country – people had been living in times of chaos and fear and
wanted to feel familiar and safe
o Woodrow Wilson’s presidency ended in chaos
o Harding wasn’t the leading candidate for the Republicans but
he offered a coherent message
o Plus there was no real party leader, the prior one, Teddy
Roosevelt died the year before the election
o He declared that the nation needed healing, restoration and
normalcy – no fear of labor conflicts, communists, factory or
farm troubles – normalcy
o His opponent, James Cox, also from Ohio
o Voters preferred Harding, won 60% of vote by avoiding taking
firm stance on League of Nations, etc.
o The Republican took office – different from his democratic
predecessor
←AS PRESIDENT
• Harding was from Marion, Ohio and worked as a newspaper publisher
←Why do you think a newspaper publisher would be good at running for
president? – Because he knows what people want to hear
• In his hometown people were proud of their small-town values, didn’t
want the government to solve their problems
• But he isn’t remembered for being a hard-worker but for his love of
leisure – took a casual approach to governing
• Elected as a U.S. Senator from Ohio in 1914
o Skipped more sessions than he attended
o Missed historic debates on Prohibition, women’s suffrage

2. • As President – regarded his job as a lot of ceremony as opposed to
big decision making – but his tendency to avoid taking positions on
issues made him popular
←HARDING’S POLICIES
• Pro-business
o His answer to the postwar economic troubles was his slogan
“Less government in business and more business in
government”
o Cut the federal budget
o Reduced taxes on the wealthiest Americans
 Believed that the wealthy started and grew business, so
taxing them less would help business grow and pull the
nation out of hard times
←What recent President or presidential candidate does this sound like?
• Little help for farmers
o Did sign the Fordney-McCumber Tariff which raised the cost of
foreign farm products
 Helped U.S. farmers in the short-term
 Hurt Europeans by making it harder to pay back war
debts
o Believed that “The farmer required no special favors at the
hands of government.”
←SCANDAL OF HARDING PRESIDENCY
• Harding appointed many highly skilled people to his cabinet
o Making up for his lack
o Treasury Secretary – Andrew Mellon – multimillionaire
businessman, philanthropist
o Secretary of State – Charles Evans Hughes
o Commerce Secretary – Herbert Hoover
• Also appointed old friends from Ohio to many lower-level positions
o Members of this group, called the Ohio Gang, later convicted of
taking bribes
• Worst scandal involved Secretary of Interior – Albert Fall
o Accepted bribes for allowing oil companies to drill federal oil
reserves on a piece of federal land known as the Teapot Dome
in Wyoming

3. • Harding was never found to be personally connected to the scandals
o Took a trip to Alaska to escape the rumors of all the scandals
 During a speech in Seattle at the end of the trip he
collapsed
 Doctors said it was just indigestion, but it was
really a heart attack
 Later that week, in San Francisco – he died
overnight
• At the end of his presidency he was popular, but overtime the
corruption of his administration and his own failings soured his
reputation
←What was Harding’s goal with regard to business when he became
president?
←
←THE COOLIDGE PRESIDENCY
• On August 2nd, Calvin Coolidge was awakened by his father, shocked
with the news of Harding’s death
o Walked across town to call Sec. of State Charles Evans Hughes
 Who urged him to take the oath of office
o In the early morning hours, John Coolidge, his father, a notary
public, administered the oath to his son
 And John Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president
←COOLIDGE BACKGROUND
• Modest upbringing in rural Vermont
o His father ran a local store, active Republican
o Graduated from college in Amherst, MA and took up law and
politics – worked his way up in the Republican Party
o Elected governor of MA in 1918
←Where have we heard of Calvin Coolidge before?
• Became famous in his dealings with the Boston police strike
o Gave him national attention and eventually as VP candidate
←TAKING OFFICE
• His honesty helped him deal with the erupting Harding’s scandals
o Got rid of all the officials suspected of corruption
o Proven when he defeated democrat in 1924 election
• Also believed in the power of business and industry

4. o “Those who build a factory build a temple of worship.” “Those
who work in the factory, worship there.”
o Believed that business would provide energy, resources to fuel
America’s growth
 It would promote arts and sciences
 It would fund charities
o Also that the role of government should be strictly limited
 Gov. did not produce things of value, only took away
resources that could be used to build businesses
o Believed in lowering taxes, reducing federal budget
 No budget increases between 1923-1929
o “Active inactivity”
Proposed few laws or policies

Stopped congressional plans to help farmers

Vetoed a bill to provide bonus to WWI veterans – too

expensive
 Worked to weaken regulations on industry
o Did introduce the Indian Citizenship Act stating that all Indians
born in the United States were granted citizenship
 Long struggle for Native Americans who had battled for
citizenship since the creation of the U.S. despite the fact
that they were first natives
←SHOCKING END
• Coolidge known as “silent Cal”
o Hated small talk, but played practical jokes on White House
Staff – resembled good times of the era
• Stunned the nation as election year 1928 approached
• On vacation declared “I do not choose to run for President in 1928”

5. 26/01/2009 14:07:00
←

6. 26/01/2009 14:07:00
←