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Radio Address to the Nation From Palo Alto, California

November 05, 1928

I have been asked to speak this last night before election directly to the vast radio audience of the United States. I shall not discuss partisan questions, nor shall I speak for more than a few moments on this occasion. I have endeavored to make clear during this campaign the principles, views, and ideals which are advocated by my party and myself.

I wish to emphasize that great function of American citizenship which every one of us should perform tomorrow. The ballot is the most sacred individual act in that great system of self-government which we have inherited and which it is our duty to carry forward. It is the direct opportunity for every man and woman to assert a direct personal influence upon the kind of national Government and the policies which he wishes pursued during the next 4 years.

It is estimated that over 42 million men and women have registered in preparation for casting their ballots. This registration exceeds by 12 or 15 million any previous registration in the history of our country. This is to a great extent due to our women, who are alive to the fact that the issues in national elections more seriously than ever before affect every home in our country. Women have achieved their rights at the ballot; they have now accepted their responsibilities.

In my public statements I have earnestly urged that there rested upon government many responsibilities which affect the moral and spiritual welfare of our people. The participation of women in elections has produced a keener realization of the importance of these questions and has contributed to higher national ideals. Moreover, it is through them that our national ideals are ingrained in our children.

Never before in the history of the world have 40 millions of people of any commonwealth prepared to express their convictions and determination as to the character of government of their country and the future policies which they desire to see adopted and carried out. It is the greatest spectacle and the greatest inspiration in self-government that has ever been witnessed in the whole history of the world. It should hearten the confidence of every believer in government by the people.

This enormously enlarged interest is evidence of the great depth of conviction and even anxiety of our people over this momentous decision. And whatever that decision is, it will be right. I believe in the will of the majority. It represents the common will and conscience of our people.

Our two great political parties have laid before you their principles and policies. And I am a believer in party government. It is only through party organization that our people can give coherent expression to their views on great issues which affect the welfare and future of the Republic. There is no other way. Furthermore, it is only through party organization that we may fix the responsibility for the assured execution of these promises. Our national campaigns are a period of renewed consideration of the fundamentals which make for progress and for prosperity, that make for moral and spiritual advancement. We are a nation of progressives; we differ as to what is the road to progress.

I differ widely with many of the principles and views advocated by our opponents and the proposals which they have put forward. But it is not my purpose to review these questions. We are, or should be, a nation of individuals, and should make independent determination of our conclusions. Democracy cannot survive if the ballot is to be cast upon somebody's order or direction. Democracy in such a state would become the destroyer of liberty, and not its guarantee.

It is contrary to our national ideals that any party should represent any section of our country, and this election, more than any that has gone before, gives hope for the breaking down of sectional lines. There ought no longer to be any North, South, East, or West in our national thought. Our ideals as Americans have been molded and welded under leadership of men and women from every section of our country. The greatest progress can come in advancement of our institutions, our ideas, and our ideals by the common contribution of every section.

We shall have with us this year millions of first voters. I wish to express welcome to them. We welcome them to the common task of building a better and better social order and the welding of idealism of youth into political life.

This election is of more momentous order than for many years because we have entered into a new era of economic and moral action, not only in our own country but in the world at large. Our national task is to meet our many new problems, and in meeting them to courageously preserve our rugged individualism, together with the principles of ordered liberty and freedom, equality of opportunity, with that idealism to which our nation has been consecrated and which has brought us to the leadership of the world.

The American voting booth is the place where every ballot should be lodged upon the conviction of each individual as to the principles and issues of the party which will best serve the future of America. It is only by this consecrated independence of judgment that we may truly give expression to the will of a great people. Therefore, I urge upon each citizen to vote, and vote early, and to vote seriously and earnestly as conscience and mind direct.

And before I close, I wish to express my gratitude to the millions of men and women who have given to our cause their support and labor during these months. Any American may be proud to have been chosen their leader.

Good night, my friends.

Herbert Hoover, Radio Address to the Nation From Palo Alto, California Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/372880

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