The Public Record
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1921, until his death on August 2, 1923. A member of the Republican Party, Harding previously served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio from 1915 to 1921. His presidency is often associated with a return to normalcy following World War I, emphasizing conservative economic policies and limited government intervention.
When that glad day comes—I hope it will be soon—when the sincerity of our own aspirations and the sincerity of the world's convictions bring us to a united endeavor, we shall forget that there were necessary compromises which hindered but…
I have thus far made no allusion to the hungering of humanity for new assurances that the world may be equally blessed. Peace ought to be the supreme blessing to all mankind.
Doctor Whitman, your long ride and frozen limbs testify to your courage and your patriotism. Your credentials establish your character. Your request is granted.
I thank you from my heart for permitting me to participate in-doing homage to those brave souls. I rejoice particularly in the opportunity afforded me of voicing my appreciation, both as President of the United States and as one who…
All I ask is that you will not barter away Oregon or allow English interference until I can lead a band of stalwart American settlers across the plains. For this I shall try to do.
And finally, as just a human being, I wish I could find words to tell you how glad I am to see you all, and reflecting as you do, from untroubled eyes, the happiness of spirit breathed by your own best song:
Mr. Secretary, you would better give all New England for the cod and mackerel fisheries of Newfoundland than to barter away Oregon,
I loved the martial notes of those stirring verses as a boy. I love them still.
My Countrymen: As I stand here in the shadow of the great hills, my mind reverts to the placid banks of the broad Potomac.
If war must come again—God grant that it shall not!—then we must draft all of the nation in carrying on.
One of the greatest lessons which the World War taught to society was a realization of its stupendous producing capacity under modern organization.
We have come thus far, and thus fortunately, through the most difficult period of reconstruction that we have ever known.
I believe our policy, and its results, have reflected the sound judgment of the overwhelming majority of the American people.
Through such effort as this there will be opportunity for a great service.
It will be righteous and just, it will be more effective in war and marked by less regret in the aftermath, if we draft all of capital, all of industry, all of agriculture, all of commerce, all of talent and capacity and energy of every…
Those who were sure that our salvation lay in the destruction of organized labor and the precipitated reduction of wages have found that the national administration was not disposed to Acquiesce in their program.
I am quite aware that there were some who imagined, before the present administration was voted into responsibility, that it was going at least to acquiesce if not definitely sympathize with projects for the deflation of labor and the…
My thought is that the Government should give the largest encouragement, consistent with sound economics and proper Government functions, to every effort of the people to help themselves in dealing with the high cost of living and the…
Anything tending to break down personal initiative, to destroy enterprise and ambition, must not enter into any program which can hope for the approval of the American people.
We have become convinced that somehow our system of distribution has grown too cumbersome, too costly, too complex, too indirect, too unrelated to the interests of real producers and legitimate consumers.
The aim and object of our every policy must be the establishment and maintenance of an independent and self-respecting, reliant and industrious, intelligent and self-helpful American citizenship.
I have wondered if it were not possible, for example, that a scheme of cooperation among consumers, financed, in part at least, through a carefully organized and supervised adaptation of the principles of the savings bank or the building…
The development of such a general program into a sound working business scheme would doubtless be found chiefly an affair of the state governments, but one in which the jointure of state and national authorities might prove practicable and…
Not only have I no apology for what has been done in the interest of the agricultural community; not only do I regard it as one of the monumental achievements of the last generation in developing our country’s institutions, but I venture…
Politicians like Warren Harding
