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608865170
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Press Release, Speech of President Harry S. Truman, Taunton, Massachusetts
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608865170
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document
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Press Release, Speech of President Harry S. Truman, Taunton, Massachusetts
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President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)
Speech Files
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608865170
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28
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1948-10-28
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10
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1948
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DIATE RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TRUMAN
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS
OCTOBER 28, 1948, AT 9:05 A.M., E. S. T.
RECORDS
SERVICE"
CIBRARY
GOVERNMENT
Thank you very much. Isn't that lovely -- (a Silver Plate) -- that's
beautiful. I am certainly glad that it has my name on it, because if it
didn't I know a young lady by the name of Margaret who would have possession
of it.
I can't tell you how very much I appreciate this royal welcome given me
here in the Cormonwealth of Massachusetts. They tell ne that in this town
here the first Flag of the United States was raised in 1774 on the liberty
pol right here in this park. What I have been trying to do is raise liberty
poles all over the United States by telling the people just exactly what we
are faced with during this canpaign.
The Republicans have been putting out a lot of polls. They call them-
selves the pollsters of this cangaign, and I want to say to you that on the
morning after election, there are going to be more red-faced pollsters
than the country has ever seen before in its history.
I an just as sure as I stand here that this great State is going to vote
in its own interests and that it is going to vote for the welfare of the
people as a whole, and not vote for the special interests. That will mean
that you will vote the Democratic ticket from top to bottom -- you will elect
a Democratic Songressman from this District -- you will elect a Democratic
Governor -- and the whole Democratic ticket, and then the country will be
safe because you will still have a Denocratic President.
You know, they have been talking about a change -- the need for a change.
I will tell you the sort of change we need: we need to change the Congress.
What we need is a Democratic Congress to g0 along with a Democratic President,
then the rights of the people will be safe. I think that is just what you
are going to do.
You know, one of the first things that this Republican 80th Congress did
when it came into power was to begin to tear UP the rights of labor
The
Democratic Party under Franklin Roosevelt gave to American labor he Wagner
Act, which is the Bill of Rights for labor. Well, this Re ublican 80th
Congress, just as soon as they got into power, passed this Taft-Hartley Law.
I want that Taft-Hartley Law repealed, and the best way to get it repealed
is to elect a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress.
I understand that they are trying to pass Taft-Hartley legislation right
here in Massachusetts on the ballot. I an just as sure as I an standing here
that you are not going to let that happen here, either, in this great State.
You know, the welfare of this country is wrapped up in the welfare of
the whole population. Last year we had a national income of 217 billion
dollars. This year it is going to be over 220 billion dollars, and that in-
come has been so distributed that the farmer has his fair share, the working
man has his fair share, and the snall businessman has his fair share.
asking for campaign contributions
Now that is not what the Republicans want. They want special privilege
to get the majority of that income. That is what they want. They have sent
out letters to people as a result of their rich man's tax bill which they
passed -- the most outrageous tax bill that has ever been passed in this
country. They passed that tax bill three times, and I vetoed it three times.
They had to pass it three times before they could make a law out of it.
I want to say to you that if I hadn't been standing there with the veto
power, there is no telling what they would have done to the peo le of this
country
Now I want you to remember these things -- that the welfare of the
country is in your hands. You must yourselves exercise that power which
nakes you the Government, and that is to 00 to the polls and vote on
election day.
If you don't do that, and you get something like the 80th Congress
in the next Congress, you have got nobody to blane but yourselves for it --
you can't quarrel with anybody about it. You are the Government when you
want to exercise that privilege.
I sincerely hope that every person within the hearing of my voice who
has the right to vote on November the second, will 80 and vote. That's all
I ask. If you do that, I am not a bit worried about what the result will be,
because you are going to vote in your own interests, you are coing to vote
for yourselves. That means that you are going to vote the straight Democratic
ticket on November the second, and I will stay in the White House, and we will
have a Democratic Congress, and we will have a Democratic administration in
the >reat State of Massachusetts.
Thank you very nuch.
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