Rear Platform and Other Informal Remarks in New Mexico and Texas

[1.] LORDSBURG, NEW MEXICO (Rear platform, 7:35 a.m.)

Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the candidate for the Senate of the United States, and the Secretary of State, and all the other distinguished members of the New Mexico delegations here to meet me--and fellow Democrats:

It certainly is a pleasure to see all these good people out here at this early hour in the morning. Of course, 7:30 is not nearly so early in New Mexico as it is in Washington. Washington people, you know, have a habit of not getting up until along toward mid-day, and they can't understand why the President of the United States gets up at 5:30 every morning.

I am acquainted with your industries in this part of the world, principally mining and stockraising and farming under irrigation; and I am here to inform you that in 1932 the residents of New Mexico had an income of less than $100 million.

Do you know what it was in 1947? It was $500 million, which is 5 times what it was under the Republicans.

Thirteen times as many farms in New Mexico have electricity now as had electricity in 1932. And the farmers are earning about 8 times as much money as they did in 1932.

Now, if there is any farmer or miner or workingman who is foolish enough to want to turn the clock back, he ought to vote the Republican ticket. Otherwise, he had better vote for himself when he votes for me.

The business firms of New Mexico have prospered under Democratic administrations. New Mexico has been benefited, because Democrats believe in developing the West, and because we work to bring prosperity to all the people, not just a few at the top; and that is the difference between the Democratic policy and the Republican policy. Republicans believe in special interests. They believe in taking care of special interests. I have talked to Congressman after Congressman, and Senator after Senator on this trip, who have been in the "do-nothing" 80th Congress, and every one of them says that on every committee he finds that the Republicans are always working to take care of big business, and they don't care what happens to the fellow down below.

Now you have got a chance here in New Mexico to keep the policy of the Democrats going. You know, my former Secretary of Agriculture came down here to run for the Senate, and he is one of the best Secretaries of Agriculture this country has ever had; and I have got a good one now, too. But I want you to be sure that you send a Democratic delegation to the Congress. I want to see Clinton Anderson in the Senate, and I want you to send Democrats to the House. Then you will be doing your duty for the public, and by yourselves.

I have been preaching this doctrine all the way across the country. We are in a crusade out here. We are either going to go backwards, or we are going forward in this atomic energy age, and we are going to have the greatest age in history, if you people decide what is best for the country. I hope you will do that. I know you will do that, because you understand the situation.

Now, on election day, don't stay at home, don't do like you did in 1946, when you elected that good for nothing "do-nothing" 80th Congress. When you study the record of that Congress, it is staggering the things they did to you, and the things they did not do that they should have done. They tried to cut the throat of the West, and I had to come out here and tell you about it.

I can cite you chapter and verse in the Congressional Record, whenever you want it, as to how these people performed.

I do thank you most sincerely for turning out this morning. It is a wonderful tribute to your interest in the political situation in the country at this time.

Thank you very much.

[2.] DEMING, NEW MEXICO (Rear platform, 9:02 a.m.)

Governor Mabry and Senator Anderson, should I call him?

It certainly is a very great pleasure to me to be here in New Mexico this morning, this beautiful morning, and to meet all these good people, some of whom have come great distances to get acquainted with the President of the United States.

I have one telegram here which is from the senior Senator from New Mexico that says: "I am extremely sorry that due to my illness and the doctor's instructions, I am unable to welcome you to New Mexico. I wish to assure you of my utmost loyalty and support for you and Senator Barkley personally and for the ideals and principles you both represent. My friends in New Mexico and all over the Nation, stand 100 percent behind the Democratic platform and your laudable advocacy of your platform. God speed and God's blessings to you and yours. Dennis Chavez, United States Senator."

You have a very great chance now to see that New Mexico is properly represented in the Congress of the United States, and I know you're going to elect Clinton Anderson for the United States Senator from New Mexico, and I know you're going to elect these two good Democrats for Congressman from New Mexico--and that will go a long ways towards upsetting the terrible 80th "donothing" Congress.

I stopped an hour and a half ago at Lordsburg. I gave them some figures about your great State of New Mexico and how that State had benefited under the Democratic administrations in 16 years. I think you'll be interested in having these figures because these figures apply not only to New Mexico, but they apply to every State of the Union in the same proportion or greater.

In 1932 residents of New Mexico earned less than $100 million. Last year New Mexico earned $500 million. That's just 5 times what it was under the Republicans. Thirteen times as many farms in New Mexico have electricity now as had it in 1932, and the farmers are earning about 8 times as much money as they did in 1932.

You had a great many other benefits too, like the power that comes from Elephant Butte Dam, and at Elephant Butte Dam you have an irrigation project which is due to the Democratic administrations.

All these great projects in the West have been initiated and are being carried to conclusion because the Democratic Party believes in development of the country for the people and not for the interests. Don't let anybody tell you anything different. And this Republican 80th Congress did its best to sabotage the West, and had it not been for the fight put up by the western Congressmen and Senators, principally Democrats, you would have had your throat cut by this Congress. Don't forget that, because that shows the policies of the Democrats and the Republicans. One's for the people, one's for special interests.

Now, when you go to the polls on November the 2d, all you need to do to see that you are safe is not only to vote for me and your Democratic candidates for Senator and Representatives-you must vote for yourselves, and when you do that, you'll vote the Democratic ticket straight, and the country will be saved.

This is a most wonderful turnout and I appreciate it.

[At this point a group of Apache Indians were introduced to the President]

Well, I'm happy to meet them and I know that these real Americans are going to look after their own interests by voting the Democratic ticket.

[The President was presented with a belt and a leather necktie. He then resumed speaking]

I appreciate this very highly, this belt and this necktie. I need a pair of leather lungs and that will just exactly fit. Yesterday, in Yuma, Ariz., they gave me some sterling silver spurs engraved with my name on them, just the same as this belt is. Now, when I get this belt and that leather lung necktie and that pair of spurs on, I can certainly take the Congress for a ride!

[3.] EL PASO, TEXAS (Address, 11:20 a.m., see Item 209)

[4.] SIERRA BLANCA, TEXAS (Rear platform, 3:40 p.m.)

[The President was presented with a hat made in Texas. ]

Thank you very much. Sidney, I appreciate that introduction and I want to say to you that if you'd put me on one of these cayuses out here I'd probably be just as nervous as you are. I hope you weren't disappointed in the President when you met him.

I do appreciate the privilege of stopping here and getting a chance just to become acquainted with the people of this part of the great State of Texas.

I wish I could stop off and go to the rodeo. I would much rather see that than do what I have to do, but I've got to go across Texas today and let people see what I look like and what I stand for and what I think.

I am being accompanied across Texas today by some of Texas' greatest citizens. The Governor is with me, Governor Jester, Sam Rayburn is with me, the Attorney General is with me, and your own Congressman are my escort across this part of Texas, and I think I'm safe in their hands.

I do thank you very much for this wonderful turnout. I appreciate highly your stopping the show in order to come down to see the President of the United States. Thank you very much.

As for this hat, it's just exactly what I wear all the time and I need a new one, and I'm glad to have it.

[5.] VALENTINE, TEXAS (Rear platform, 5:20 p.m.)

It certainly is a pleasure to have a chance to meet you. I appreciate the privilege of riding across the great State of Texas with your Congressman Ken Regan and your Governor Jester, Sam Rayburn, and the Attorney General of the United States, Tom Clark.

It has been an education indeed to see the bright and shining faces in these towns. Everybody seems to be happy, and everybody seems to be interested in the welfare of the United States, because you have come out meet your Chief Executive and look him over and see what you think of him.

I hope that when election day comes around, that every single one of you will go to the polls and vote the Democratic ticket straight, and that will keep the country safe for the people; because the issue in this campaign is the difference between the interests of the country as a whole and the special interests who are trying to take over the Government.

I think, if you study the record of the 80th Congress, you will find that their interest is the special interests, that it was run by lobbyists and other special interests that were not the interests of the people.

Your choice on election day will be between the people and the special interests. Now be sure and go out and do your duty on that day, and you will not be sorry for it.

[6.] MARFA, TEXAS (Rear platform, 6:35

Mr. Caufield, Congressman Regan, Governor Jester, and ladies and gentlemen, fellow Democrats of Marfa, Texas:

It's a great pleasure to me to see this wonderful turnout here this evening at this great city of Marfa.

I have heard of Marfa all my life. Highland Herefords--we bred them out in Missouri. They're famous all over the world.

I am informed by Speaker Rayburn that this is one of the entrances to Big Bend National Park, a Democratic project which was put over for the benefit of the people of Texas, and which eventually will bring you one of the greatest tourist trades in the United States. Some day, when I have the time and a chance, I want to come down and visit it myself and see just what it's like.

You know, there is just one issue in this campaign between the Democrats and the Republicans. It's the issue of the people against the special interests. It's the issue of whether the people will rule the country or whether the special interests will rule the country, and that's a decision you'll have to make on election day.

Now, you are vitally interested in this part of the world in the cattle industry. I've named one of your great Highland Hereford projects here in this part of the world. It furnishes cattle all over the world for feeding and breeding purposes.

We have tried to find some way to control the various, terrible diseases which affect the cattle business. In fact, we asked this Republican Congress--this Republican 80th "do-nothing" Congress -- to appropriate funds for a laboratory to investigate some of these terrible cattle diseases, and they didn't do one thing about it.

Yet in their platform they said they were for just that.

When I called them back into extra session I asked them to do something about it. But did they do it? No. No, they didn't do anything but cause trouble for the country.

Now they're trying to get out of that. They go around telling you just exactly how they feel toward the people and what they'll do for the people. I wish you'd go back over the list of things that they did to the people in this 80th Congress. You wouldn't have one bit of trouble making up your mind. I know the people in Texas are going to make up their minds the right way because they know what's what when it comes to Government of the people, for the people, and by the people.

I'm asking you to turn out on election day and give us the biggest majority we've ever had in the history of the country. We've got them on the run now. We've got them scared, and we want to keep them that way because the welfare of this country is at stake in this campaign.

I want you to remember that. It means everything in the world as to whether the people or the special interests run the country.

I've been all over the West, and I've explained to the farmers in Iowa just exactly what this Both Congress tried to do to them. I've been in Colorado and California and Utah and New Mexico and Arizona, and now I'm in Texas, explaining to the people that this Congress did everything possible to take the Government away from the people.

They tried to ruin the reclamation projects. They tried to ruin the farmer by taking the floor from under the price support program. They've done everything that's possible to ruin the country and turn the clock back.

Well, now, you don't want to go along with people who want to turn the clock back. You better go along with people who turn the clock forward, people who look forward, and look out for the welfare of the country.

The income of this country in 1947 was $217 billion, the greatest in the history of the world, and that income was distributed so that most everybody had a fair share of it. The farmers got their share of it, the businessmen got their share of it, labor got a fair share of it--and by the way, there are 61 million people employed in this country right now, more than ever have been employed in the history of the country. And we can go forward and do even better than that, if you want a forward-looking administration to take care of the business of the Government!

Please, on election day go out and show that you believe in a forward-looking administration, and vote the Democratic ticket straight and you won't have any trouble whatever--and it'll make it a lot easier for me too because I won't have to be bothered by the housing shortage because I'll live in the White House another 4 years.

[At this point the President was presented with a belt and a hatband. He then resumed speaking]

They presented me with this belt and hatband to go along with my spurs and hat, so I can ride the Democratic Donkey to victory. I certainly appreciate that.

[7.] ALPINE, TEXAS (Rear platform, 7:30

Doctor, Congressman Regan, Governor fester, and fellow Democrats:

This certainly is a wonderful turnout. You know, I have been to Alpine before. At that time, you didn't pay any attention to me. That was before most of you were born, about 1908 or 9. I came down here and went over a great part of this great State with a bunch of people who were interested in irrigation problems on the Pincus River, and I had a great time going over the Davis Mountains. I didn't catch anything, but I didn't have to run from any bears.

I wish I had time to visit the Big Bend National Park. That is a most wonderful park, and I hope that sometime during my next term I will have a chance to come down here and visit it. I understand that you have nearly 40,000 people a year who visit that great park. The park is a shining example of how State and Federal Governments can cooperate. All the people of this country have reason to be grateful to the great State of Texas for appropriating $1 1/2 million to buy the land for this fine highway that is built into the park. We also have reason to be grateful to the cattlemen who formerly grazed their herds in that area, and who voluntarily withdrew these herds when this great piece of land became a park. Now, that is real patriotism, because those men were making money raising their cattle over there, but they wanted that park to be for the public; and I congratulate them on that attitude. There is still a lot of work to be done in the Big Bend National Park, and I am hoping it will be done soon.

The park will be finished, if--if Democrats are reelected, because the Democratic Party believes in a great system of parks for the enjoyment of all the people.

The Republican Party, however, is so interested in what it calls economy--in quotation marks--it isn't real economy, but they call it economy--it's a matter of cut and slash here and there without any system whatever, that it has been hacking away at appropriations for all our national parks. This Republican "do-nothing" 80th Congress cut off nearly $4 million from the appropriation for the National Park Service this year. Last year they cut it much more than that.

The Republicans have been cutting funds for reclamation, irrigation, soil conservation, public power, and all the other projects that mean so much to all you people here in the West.

On November the 2d, you are going to have a chance to make up your mind whether you want to go along with people who want to turn the clock back. The Republicans want to turn the clock back to 1898. They have got a lot of mossbacks in Congress who are chairmen of principal committees in the Congress who are living in 1898.

Don't let anybody tell you anything different, that if the Republicans can obtain control of the Congress, the same old mossback gang will be in control, and the people in the West and in Texas won't have a Chinaman's chance. Bear that in mind.

You have got to vote for the principles of the people who are looking forward, not for those who are looking back.

I am very happy to be here tonight. I can't tell you how very much I appreciate this wonderful turnout. This is magnificent. I want to say to you that turnouts all over the country have been magnificent, and these turnouts have scared the Republicans to death. They have got to work! They are actually on the run, and we are going to keep them that way.

We are going to win this election, and we are going to win it because the interests of the people are instinctive. They know that if the Government is turned over to the special interests, they will go back to another boom and bust--and the country can't afford that.

Now, on November the 2d, get up early, and go and vote the Democratic ticket straight, and the country will be safe for another 4 years, and I won't be troubled with the housing problem.

[8.] SANDERSON, TEXAS (Rear platform, 10:05 p.m.)

Mr. Sudduth, Congressman Regan, Governor Jester, and fellow Democrats Sanderson:

I appreciate very much the privilege of having a chance to meet the citizens of Texas.

I started in at El Paso this morning and it looked like half of Texas were present in El Paso. But that was not the case, for at every other stop the other half has been at each one of these other cities--and it looks now as if everybody in this neighborhood is here. I am glad of that because I want to meet you face to face and let you understand what I stand for, and then I want you to use your own good judgment for the welfare of the country.

You are interested in livestock in this part of the world. You're interested in this Big Bend National Park and you're interested in a great many other things that have to do with the welfare of the United States as a whole.

There is a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans believe in special privilege. They believe that a favored few ought to profit from the Government, and that if anybody else gets anything it will gradually trickle down to them.

The Democrats have a different viewpoint. They think that the Government is of and for and by the people and that the welfare of the whole people is much more important than the welfare of just a few.

Now, in 1947 we had a national income of $217 billion. That's the greatest income any nation in the world ever had in the history of the world--and that $217 billion income was distributed in a manner that allowed the farmer and the stockman and the sheepraiser and the little merchant and the workingman to get his fair share; and that meant an even distribution of goods so that everybody had a few of the good things of life and nobody had a corner on any of them.

That's the policy of the Democratic Party. That policy was inaugurated when Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President in 1932, and that's been the policy of the Democratic administrations ever since that time. I want to continue that policy.

The Republicans and the 80th Congress showed exactly how they were going to transact business "for the welfare of the people." They want to transact it for the welfare of a few.

There were more lobbies in Washington in this session of the 80th Congress than ever before in the history of the country and there was more money spent there by the lobbyists than ever before in the history of the country. I have had the Attorney General, the Honorable Tom Clark of Texas, making an investigation of that situation, and he's found some very, very sad situations which, in the long run, he'll work out for the benefit of the taxpayers, I hope.

Now, hear: I want you to keep in mind that your welfare and the welfare of the Nation is wrapped up in this campaign. I'm making a crusade in this country for the people, and if you'll support me and go to the polls on November the 2d and vote a straight Democratic ticket I think the country will be safe for another 4 years, and I won't be hurt by the housing shortage--I can still stay in the White House.