Press Release, Speech of President Harry S. Truman, Auburn, New York

IMMEDIATE RELEASE IMMEDIATE RELEASE REAR PLATFORM REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT AUBURN, TRUMAN NEW YORK - October 8, 1948 NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND 3:21 P.M., E.S.T. RECORDS I understand that you need rain. I'm sincerely sorry that this shower could not have held off for another five minutes, and I can't tell you how very much I appreciate this courtesy which you have extended to me on a day like this. It's just simply wonderful, and I'll try to be as brief and as fast as I possibly can so you won't have to stand here and get wet. I am making a crusade over the country in the interests of the common, everyday man. I am trying to win this election because I think it's in the public interest. On my way to Auburn I noticed with a great deal of pleasure the soil conservation measures taken by the farmers of this great county. I'm always interested in farms because I'm a Missouri farmer myself. I understand that soil conservation plans have developed on more than 200 farms in this county total- ing about 30,000 acres. You have my sympathy. I'm glad I am not out there. You know, the Republicans have opposed every law that has been in the public interest, and I'm sorry to say that your Congressman from this District has used a butcher knife and a salbre and a meat-axe on the appropriations that have been in the public interest both for the farmers, for rural electrification, and for every other forward-looking program that has come before the Congress. I saw a cartoon the other day called "The Sabre Dance," in which they showed a big man with a sabre cutting the heads off all the appropriation for the Interior Department and the Department of Agriculture. Well, I have a better name than that. I named it "The Taber Dance." Now, this district will be given a choice in November. You can elect a man who doesn't care about the welfare of the people, or you can elect a man who does care about the welfare of the people, if you elect Francis J. Souhan, who will work for the benefit of the farmer and the worker alike. I wish I could stand here on a clear, sunshiny day and discuss with you all the issues in this campaign, but obviously I can't do that because if I keep you standing here in this rain any longer you will be against anything I want, and I wouldn't blame you. But I understand that you need the rain worse than you need to listen to any Presidential speech. It is lawfully nice for you to come out here. I can't tell you how very much I appreciate it, and I hope you'll turn out just like this on election day and vote the Democratic ticket straight. I appreciate all these Posts that have turned out in my honor today. I wish I could come down and shake hands with every one of them, but if I could get down there I couldn't get back up, and I might get wet myself and then I couldn't finish this program. (After having received an honorary membership card from American Legion Posts in Auburn and the VFW Posts in Auburn, the President said the following:) Well, thank you very much. I appreciate this very much. I've been a member of the Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars ever since 1919, 30 years. That's a long, long time. And I'm glad to have this honorary membership in the (OVER)