Rear Platform Remarks in Wyoming and Utah

[1.] EVANSTON, WYOMING (9 a.m.)

My friends:

I have to get up fairly early to do my job in Washington, but it appears that you get up even earlier than I do to be here at this time of day.

You will have to pardon me for my voice. I have been using it 30 or 40 times a day for the last 15 days, and it has come near its finish.

I deeply appreciate your coming to give us this greeting. It is encouraging, and it is an indication of where you will be in next Tuesday's election. There are many things that are of importance to the people of Evanston in the Republican program which is now in progress. As you know, we have gone through a very great crisis in this country. It has touched even Evanston, which is far from the Atlantic seaboard. We have had a number of very important agencies established in order to give protection to our people. Some are reaching into this town at the present moment. The agriculture banks have begun to function. They have begun to enable the cattle to move towards the Middle West, and I am in hopes that in a few weeks we can see an improvement in prices.

We have also the problem of the protection from the tariff to the cattlemen of this territory. During the last 2 or 3 months we have had a great depreciation in currencies of foreign countries because of the collapse of their governments. It enables them to produce their cattle at less cost. It has lowered prices, increased competition, and depreciated prices for cattle. We have the authority under the Tariff Commission to have those questions reviewed. We have them under review now, and we are in hopes that we can do something to be of assistance at a very early order in that direction.

The program of our party has begun to show its results in the industrial world. We are now bringing back half a million men to employment in the great cities every month. They increase the consumption of animal products, and that will undoubtedly begin to reflect upon the products of this country at a very early date. Altogether the situation in the Nation is infinitely more hopeful than it was even 4 months ago.

There is one matter in which I have some personal interest. I came into Evanston some years ago in the matter of the Colorado River, and we at that time held hearings in this neighborhood, and we then provided for the preservation of the rights of Wyoming in the diversion of water from that great river in its lower ranges. That has worked out, I believe, of enormous assistance to your people.

I could talk to you a long time about matters that are of interest. I see such a large number of children here about, and they look to me to be so well cared for that I can compliment all of the women of this locality on their work in the interest of our Nation, and that is that we shall have the next generation stronger and better than ours. And it looks to me as if it is going to be so.

[2.] ECHO, UTAH

My friends:

I am deeply grateful for your greeting upon my entering the State of Utah. I have been through Echo many a time on other missions, but in this mission which I have now, I find in your greeting a very great encouragement and an indication of what you may do tomorrow in the ballot boxes.

It is not an occasion when one can speak about national issues at any length, and more especially as my voice has been under a good deal of strain this last 4 weeks, and I have got to try to keep it long enough to speak to you at 12 o'clock from Salt Lake City. I am in hopes you may listen over the radio, as I will have some remarks to make about our opponents on their side and what we have done on our side.

But I do wish to thank you for this greeting. It is generous, and it is encouraging.