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Republican Dinner, Charlotte, NC, October 1, 1965
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The original documents are located in Box D19, folder "Republican Dinner, Charlotte, NC,
October 1, 1965" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Testimonial Dinner
THE HONORABLE CHARLES RAPER JONAS
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
EIGHTH DISTRICT, NORTH CAROLINA
PARK CENTER
OCTOBER 1, 1965
Digitized from Box D19 of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and
Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
UNUME
The Great Seal of the United States
Menu
Program
SHRIMP COCKTAIL
Presiding
JOHN L. STICKLEY
Invocation
DR. WARNER L. HALL
ROAST RIB EYE OF BEEF
TESTIMONIES
Anson County
BAKED IDAHO POTATO
BLUE LAKE CUT GREEN BEANS
CHARLES MCBRYDE
Lee County
WILLIAM MORRISEY
Lincoln County
BRANSON McRAY
Montgomery County
TOSSED GREEN SALAD
DAVID A. DREXEL
Moore County
DR. JAMES HEMPHILL
Richmond County
WILLIAM A. ENGLISH
Union County
GERMAN'S CHOCOLATE CAKE
Introduction of Principal Speaker-
THE HONORABLE JAMES T. BROYHILL
HoT ROLLS
BUTTER
Member of Congress, 9th District
Principal Speaker
THE HONORABLE GERALD FORD
COFFEE TEA MILK
Minority Leader
U. S. House of Representatives
Introduction of Guest of Honor
DR. GEORGE D. HEATON
ALTERNATE ENTREE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
Committee
JOHN L. STICKLEY, Chairman
JAMES G. CANNON
DR. PAUL W. SANGER
EDGAR A. TERRELL, SR.
HARRY C. WOLF, JR.
PHILIP L. VAN EVERY
DR. LESTER CROWELL, JR.
C. W. GILCHRIST
CHARLES A. HUNTER
HENRY W. WILMER
JESSE PAGE, JR.
DONALD G. BRYANT
MRS. Louis G. ROGERS
MARCUS T. HICKMAN
GEORGE L. SIBLEY
MR. & MRS. PARKS M. KING, JR.
JAMES E. HARRINGTON, JR.
MRS. NORMAN E. SERIGSTAD
R. P. MAJORS
G. RANDOLPH BABCOCK
MRS. DAVID L. MORTON
CHARLES F. COIRA, JR.
MRS. W. D. CHANTER
DR. MARVIN N. LYMBERIS
JOHN C. ERWIN
H. K. HALLETT
MRS. Roy BIGHAM
JACK WOOD
T. J. NORMAN, JR.
GEORGE SNYDER
MAURICE A. WEINSTEIN
MRS. BREVARD MYERS
DON M. PENDLETON
EDITH ABERNETHY
JOHN W. ADAMS
J. CURTIS PRICE
MRS. SUE ABERNETHY
RUSSELL HARDEN
JAMES PLYLER
DR. RICHARD BAKER
JOE SIBLEY
DR. WINGATE WILLIAMSON
LINDBERG DENNIS
COLON BLAKE
MRS. ESTHER CHAPPELL
ERNEST L. EATON, SR.
JOHN E. HODGE
DR. J. W. OWEN
DONALD D. COOKE
CHARLES M. HAZELHURST
WALLACE O'NEAL
ROBERT L. GAVIN
Roy HAYES
MRS. JACK SCHEER
GRANT WHITNEY
GEORGE DOWDY
YzM. - OSU.1% Carolina
READING TEXT
gim Ver
for of Virgin Island
Republican Dinner
Burdonn of Internal Revenue
©Charlotte, N. C.
October 1, 1965
Great, great man.
q. _qhal In
at recent speech, the man we salute tonight described a
conservative as "one who is happy in his own country.'
Country Jack
He quoted with approval and adopted as his own the following
gim Harmy
description of a conservative: "A loyal citizen
хримения
a person
profoundly grateful to the land he loves, who is eager to repay a
tithe of what he has received by passing on his heritage to future
generations who is not in favor of change for its own sake
and
who wants to maintain America's best traditions."
Charles Jonas could have added another description. He could have
said that a conservative is someone who believes there should be
more than one television station in Austin Texas.
I was particularly impressed by Charlie's comment when he said:
"We know that adjustments must be made to changing conditions, but in
order to make those adjustments we do not think it is necessary to
repudiate fundamental principles.
-more-
Charlotte 10/1/65
-2-
I am very grateful for this opportunity to join you in saying
" "thank you" to Charlie for his dedicated service to everyone,
Having regardless served mith of party affiliation. Charhi on are - annie Elliott I
Charlie certainly has the attributes for a successful politican
as pictured in this description:
"To live long in politics, you must possess the hide of a
rhinoceros, the memory of an elephant, the persistence of a
beaver, the native friendliness of a mongrel pup. You need the
heart of a lion and the stomach of an ostrich. And, it helps to
have the humor and ubiquity of the crow. But all these combined
are not enough unless when it comes to matters of principle,
you also have the stubbornness of an army mule!"
-more-
2 believe all f you feel as 2
do I Charlie has done a fabuluous for
for his District,
your state
but 2 add this fortnate
Our nation
2 hope we can have have
doing this fob
SPEECH BY CONGRESSMAN GERALD R. FORD, HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
Republican Dinner
For release at time of
delivery.
Charlotte, N.C.
October 1, 1965
Tonight I will share with you some of my views on where we stand
as a Nation with Lyndon B. Johnson as the heavy-handed ruler in the White
House.
His Great Society is a shambles of contradiction. His programs are
dressed in purity of name. They operate under his hard-core political
platoons.
His far-out dreams are built on foundations of sand. His Potomac
paternalism reaches into the states. His use and misuse of power as a
total politician is awesome. Behind the facade of the Great Society,
he is actually more interested in being known as the most popular President
in history than he is in true progress. There is a great difference between
popularity and statesmanship. We need again a President with the courage to
be unpopular at times by refusing to bend to pressures exerted by special
interest groups.
There are many instances of the White House attempting to crush all
opposition to his scheme to concentrate all power in central government.
The President attempts to abolish responsible dissent in Congress. He
asks "come, let us reason together." What he really means is "come and
I'll reason."
He rode into office on a landslide characterized by pre-empting
without justification the middle of the road, the mainstream of American
political sentiment; by the promotion of a glittering scheme with an
appealing name; by capitalizing on the weakened emotions of a Nation in
sorrow.
Big, bigger, biggest---that's Lyndon Johnson. Take more and the
government spends more. Borrow against tomorrow and spend it all today.
Fatten the federal payroll one employee for every hundred Americans.
The goal of his Administration is the general welfare state. There
should be a broader interest. On our side of the aisle we are concerned
with the state of the general welfare.
Unfortunately for the Nation, the President has a headlock on the
runaway 89th Congress. Even his close political friends are concerned
about his control, and the results.
-2-
Senator Mansfield, the powerful majority leader, recently proposed that
the next session of Congress "spend less time on new legislation and more time
correcting oversights in legislation we have just passed."
The distinguished Senate leader noted that the Congress has "passed a
lot of major bills, some of them very hastily." That may be the understate-
ment of the year.
This Johnson-controlled Congress might be given the title---"the speed-
of-sound Congress." It takes only a few telephone calls from the other end of
Pennsylvania Avenue to pass White House-spawned legislation.
Vice President Humphrey has mentioned "the huge legislative tonnage
dropped on our doorstep." I question his choice of the word "dropped." With
his boss at the controls, the word "shoveled" might be more appropriate.
The "tonnage" the Vice President speaks of the legislation aimed at
pushing the Great Society- is burying taxpayers, their wallets and savings
accounts.
This year, 20 major public laws sponsored by the White House in the
Great Society's name authorize NEW spending of an estimated $16,767,300,000in
fiscal 1966. That's just the beginning. Our national debt is NOT the $320 billion
appearing on the record, but actually $800 billion in committments for future
spending that require no new laws or programs.
You can see why Lyndon Johnson needs all those fountain pens they will
be used to sign all the blank checks handed to him by the Congress he controls
with terrifying political power.
He claims his Great Society makes progress.
What is progress?
Is it progress to retreat from the principles of the Constitution?
Is it progress to perpetuate poverty for political exploitation and
purpose? Is it progress to destroy incentive? Is it progress to take one
man's taxes to pay another man's rent? Is it progress to have Congress bend
like a soggy noodle when the President pushes his weight around?
The President when he isn't making profound announcements in the White
House rose garden or sounding off on Texas weekends between boat rides and sight-
seeing is a master of the silent treatment.
He throttles open debate on vital and controversial issues. He welcomes
conversation only when it praises his Great Society.
One of the most brazen uses of gag rule--with Lyndon Johnson calling the
shots was the restriction clamped on debate on the proposal to repeal Section
14-B of the Taft-Hartley Act.
-3--
By the raw use of his power, debate was severely limited in the House.
At the same time and by the identical method any opportunity to offer meaningful
amendments was blocked.
Clear-thinking Congressmen listened to public opinion-- but not Lyndon
Johnson!
Most Americans, the polls showed, favor the right of each state to enact
right-to-work laws by retaining 14-B---but not Lyndon Johnson!
House Republicans wanted unions to be barred from discriminating on account
of race, color or creed---but not the Administration
We wanted to prohibit unions from using dues or assessments for political
purposes---but not Lyndon Johnson!
We wanted to safeguard the rights of the individual worker---but not
Lyndon Johnson!
We wanted to respect the conscientious religious convictions of individuals
as a reason for not joining a union--but not Lyndon Johnson!
His gag-rule order in the house brought him a personal victory. Whether
he is successful in wrapping up the Senate remains to be seen. The fate of the
right-to-work law hangs in the balance, as do the futures and freedoms of millions
of Americans!
The President recently predicted that this Congress "will leap into
history as the most effective and most rewarding Congress for all the people in
all the history of America."
Where has it leaped?
Is it "rewarding" the American taxpayers when the national debt is greater
than that of all other nations in the world combined?
Is it "effective" to have a steady growth of direct and hidden taxes?
Is it "rewarding" to have living costs high and going higher?
Is it "effective" to have state and local governments crumbling under the
iron hand of federalism?
Is it "rewarding" to be under the shadow of inflation?
Is it "effective" to have less to spend on necessities, slimmer bank
accounts, and more taxes arbitrarily taken from paychecks?
Do we want history to record this era as one which marked the beginning
of a one-party system with Congress as a puppet dangling on wires manipulated by
the White House?
Is it "success" to have Americans losing their identity in a Great Society
that sets a record for escalating bureaucracy?
Is the Nation making forward strides when crime and lawlessness are on the
increase?
-4--
The major issues are found in the answers to these questions. They are
the almost limitless power in the hands of one man--Lyndon B. Johnson; and the
erosion of the rights of states and local governments to follow the advice of
Abraham Lincoln---"the best rule, after all, is to let the people do pretty well
as they please with their own business."
What is the Republican course of action to bring balance in government,
to strengthen Congress, to put statesmanship ahead of popularity in conducting
the business of the Executive branch?
Our plan is an orderly one.
Republicans must be a broadly-based, united, un-splintered Party!
Republican victories must be won in state houses, counties and townships
across the Nation.
We must develop strong fund-raising campaigns.
We should conduct a neighbor-to-neighbor crusade telling the electorate
day after day, week after week, what is wrong and how we will change the
situation by returning proper balance in government at all levels.
I have faith in you, in North Carolina, in all the precincts of
America. Let's get rolling.
#
#
#
#
SPEECH BY CONGRESSMAN GERALD R. FORD, HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
Republican Dinner
For release at time of
delivery.
Charlotte, N.C.
October 1, 1965
Tonight I will share with you some of my views on where we stand
as a Nation with Lyndon B. Johnson as the heavy-handed ruler in the White
House.
His Great Society is a shambles of contradiction. His programs are
dressed in purity of name. They operate under his hard-core political
platoons.
His far-out dreams are built on foundations of sand. His Potomac
paternalism reaches into the states. His use and misuse of power as a
total politician is awesome. Behind the facade of the Great Society,
he is actually more interested in being known as the most popular President
in history than he is in true progress. There is a great difference between
popularity and statesmanship. We need again a President with the courage to
be unpopular at times by refusing to bend to pressures exerted by special
interest groups.
There are many instances of the White House attempting to crush all
opposition to his scheme to concentrate all power in central government.
The President attempts to abolish responsible dissent in Congress. He
asks---"come, let us reason together." What he really means is "come and
I'll reason."
He rode into office on a landslide characterized by pre-empting
without justification the middle of the road, the mainstream of American
political sentiment; by the promotion of a glittering scheme with an
appealing name; by capitalizing on the weakened emotions of a Nation in
sorrow.
Big, bigger, biggest---that's Lyndon Johnson. Take more and the
government spends more. Borrow against tomorrow and spend it all today.
Fatten the federal payroll one employee for every hundred Americans.
The goal of his Administration is the general welfare state. There
should be a broader interest. On our side of the aisle we are concerned
with the state of the general welfare.
Unfortunately for the Nation, the President has a headlock on the
runaway 89th Congress. Even his close political friends are concerned
about his control, and the results.
-2-
Senator Mansfield, the powerful majority leader, recently proposed that
the next session of Congress "spend less time on new legislation and more time
correcting oversights in legislation we have just passed."
The distinguished Senate leader noted that the Congress has "passed a
lot of major bills, some of them very hastily," That may be the understate-
ment of the year.
This Johnson-controlled Congress might be given the title---"the speed-
of-sound Congress." It takes only a few telephone calls from the other end of
Pennsylvania Avenue to pass White House-spawned legislation.
Vice President Humphrey has mentioned "the huge legislative tonnage
dropped on our doorstep." I question his choice of the word "dropped." With
his boss at the controls, the word "shoveled" might be more appropriate.
The "tonnage" the Vice President speaks of the legislation aimed at
pushing the Great Society- is burying taxpayers, their wallets and savings
accounts.
This year, 20 major public laws sponsored by the White House in the
Great Society's name authorize NEW spending of an estimated $16,767,300,000*1n
fiscal 1966. That's just the beginning. Our national debt is NOT the $320 billion
appearing on the record, but actually $800 billion in committments for future
spending that require no new laws or programs.
You can see why Lyndon Johnson needs all those fountain pens they will
be used to sign all the blank checks handed to him by the Congress he controls
with terrifying political power.
He claims his Great Society makes progress.
What is progress?
Is it progress to retreat from the principles of the Constitution?
Is it progress to perpetuate poverty for political exploitation and
purpose? Is it progress to destroy incentive? Is it progress to take one
man's taxes to pay another man's rent? Is it progress to have Congress bend
like a soggy noodle when the President pushes his weight around?
The President--when he isn't making profound announcements in the White
House rose garden or sounding off on Texas weekends between boat rides and sight-
seeing is a master of the silent treatment.
He throttles open debate on vital and controversial issues. He welcomes
conversation only when it praises his Great Society.
One of the most brazen uses of gag rule--with Lyndon Johnson calling the
shots was the restriction clamped on debate on the proposal to repeal Section
14-B of the Taft-Hartley Act.
-3--
By the raw use of his power, debate was severely limited in the House.
At the same time and by the identical method any opportunity to offer meaningful
amendments was blocked.
Clear-thinking Congressmen listened to public opinion-- but not Lyndon
Johnson!
Most Americans, the polls showed, favor the right of each state to enact
right-to-work laws by retaining 14-B---but not Lyndon Johnson!
House Republicans wanted unions to be barred from discriminating on account
of race, color or creed but not the Administration!
We wanted to prohibit unions from using dues or assessments for political
purposes but not Lyndon Johnson!
We wanted to safeguard the rights of the individual worker but not
Lyndon Johnson!
We wanted to respect the conscientious religious convictions of individuals
as a reason for not joining a union--but not Lyndon Johnson!
His gag-rule order in the house brought him a personal victory. Whether
he is successful in wrapping up the Senate remains to be seen. The fate of the
right-to-work law hangs in the balance, as do the futures and freedoms of millions
of Americans!
The President recently predicted that this Congress "will leap into
history as the most effective and most rewarding Congress for all the people in
all the history of America."
Where has it leaped?
Is it "rewarding" the American taxpayers when the national debt is greater
than that of all other nations in the world combined?
Is it "effective" to have a steady growth of direct and hidden taxes?
Is it "rewarding" to have living costs high and going higher?
Is it "effective" to have state and local governments crumbling under the
iron hand of federalism?
Is it "rewarding" to be under the shadow of inflation?
Is it "effective" to have less to spend on necessities, slimmer bank
accounts, and more taxes arbitrarily taken from paychecks?
Do we want history to record this era as one which marked the beginning
of a one-party system with Congress as a puppet dangling on wires manipulated by
the White House?
Is it "success" to have Americans losing their identity in a Great Society
that sets a record for escalating bureaucracy?
Is the Nation making forward strides when crime and lawlessness are on the
increase?
-4--
The major issues are found in the answers to these questions. They are
the almost limitless power in the hands of one man--Lyndon B. Johnson; and the
erosion of the rights of states and local governments to follow the advice of
Abraham Lincoln---"the best rule, after all, is to let the people do pretty well
as they please with their own business."
What is the Republican course of action to bring balance in government,
to strengthen Congress, to put statesmanship ahead of popularity in conducting
the business of the Executive branch?
Our plan is an orderly one.
Republicans must be a broadly-based, united, un-splintered Party!
Republican victories must be won in state houses, counties and townships
across the Nation.
We must develop strong fund-raising campaigns.
We should conduct a neighbor-to-neighbor crusade telling the electorate
day after day, week after week, what is wrong and how we will change the
situation by returning proper balance in government at all levels.
I have faith in you, in North Carolina, in all the precincts of
America. Let's get rolling.
#
#
#
#