Franklin D. Roosevelt

Rear-Platform Remarks at Huron, S.D., during a Drought Inspection Trip

August 28, 1936

My friends:

I am sorry I cannot be here by daylight, but it is better to come at night and have you greet me this way than not come at all.

I have had a very interesting two days, first in North Dakota and today in parts of South Dakota. I have had my old friend, Governor Berry, with me, and also Senator Bulow, and I have seen a lot of things I came out here to see at first hand.

What I have seen in these last two days convinces me that we are on the right track. We are trying to restore this country out through here to a position where we can go ahead in South Dakota to better times, not only in the cities, but on the farms.

I told the good people this morning that of course no city in an agricultural country can exist unless the farms are prosperous. We have to cooperate with one another instead of trying to buck one another.

That is why we have been trying to do what they call "planning." I hear the word "planning" is not popular with some people, but one reason why the water table has sunk as low as it has is that we did not think about the future twenty years ago. When we think of that, we know that planning makes good sense; and that is why this cooperative work is going to go forward pretty well.

Not only the Federal Government, but the State Government and the local governments, the people on the farms and the people in the cities are cooperating to make good on what we are trying to do.

It is a fine thing to know that you people out here are not despondent the way some people back East have told us. I have come out here to find you with your chins up, looking toward the future with confidence and courage. I am grateful to you for the attitude you are taking.

As I said, it is a question of working together and I am very, very certain that we shall have your cooperation in making the days to come more happy and prosperous than in the past.

Incidentally, I notice a good deal of change up here from the days when wheat was selling at twenty-five cents and corn at ten cents, even if we have not got so much wheat and corn. And next year we hope that we shall have them and that the prices for them will be better than they were in the old days.

I am glad to be here, although I wish I could have been here by daylight. I hope some day in the future to come back by daylight and see more of you. Many thanks.

Now I hope you will excuse me. I have to go back into the car and do some work. Good night.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rear-Platform Remarks at Huron, S.D., during a Drought Inspection Trip Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/208985

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