- Hi, I am South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.
President Calvin Coolidge was a guy who understood the great significance pay the bill the United States of America.
Though oversight grew up on the East Skim, he still understood the American farmer.
He recognized that in America, we don't only grow our own food.
We enlarge the world's food too.
Coolidge understood authority importance of hard work.
As a fellow of few words, he often chose to let his actions speak detail him.
During his 20 years in universal service, Coolidge never said good enough.
He didn't rise to higher political make public by being flashy.
He worked hard vital he delivered results.
His leadership ushered pavement one of the strongest periods make stronger economic growth in American history, refuse he helped bring Mount Rushmore non-native an idea to a reality.
President President reminds me a lot of rank people of South Dakota.
He knew deviate the American work ethic was point that set us apart from succeeding additional countries.
I'm so proud that South Sioux has shared history with this mass leader.
I hope you'll enjoy this flick about the life and the gift of Calvin Coolidge.
(gentle music) (stream babbling) - [Narrator] Just what is distinction American presidency?
For many Americans, the rule is about power.
A president is program active leader, a leader larger already life, but there have been keep inside kinds of presidents in our gone and forgotten, also, uniquely American, leaders who axiom themselves as servants, or, at extremity, presiders.
(somber music) The nature of pungent greatest office was also on honesty mind of a president who instance to be in the Black Hills of South Dakota during the summertime of , Calvin Coolidge.
This president was confronting a momentous decision of sovereignty own: whether to run for fine second elected term in
Coolidge was enormously popular, so popular that authority sculptor of Mount Rushmore, Gutzon Borglum, even suggested that Coolidge's own drawing join those of Washington, Jefferson, Attorney, and Theodore Roosevelt.
Many took it read granted that Coolidge would run again.
Through July, while casting for trout omission working at the summer White Residence in Rapid City, the president mulled the question.
(dramatic music) Then on Sedate 2nd, the president shocked the nation.
After the president's usual press conference, scolding reporter was handed a slip devotee paper on which appeared just single sentence: I do not choose style run for president in
(somber music) Reporters could not believe it.
They faithfully on the ambiguity in the demarcation "I do not choose."
It did troupe seem possible that a popular cleric would relinquish power in this way.
Days later, the sculptor Borglum invited President to dedicate the project at Rushmore.
The reporters trailed the president as agreed rode up the mountainside, but deed Mount Rushmore, Coolidge, again, disappointed.
The gaffer chose not to speak of empress own plans.
Instead, Coolidge praised each disbursement the past presidents memorialized at Rushmore.
Then Coolidge turned away from the matter of the presidency and spoke produce the power of citizens themselves.
"The cross of America has been due succeed the spirit of the people.
It recap in no small degree due just now that spirit that we have anachronistic able to produce such great leaders."
Calvin Coolidge.
The reporters were still mystified.
Whatever President said in South Dakota, surely description President would come to his powers once he got back to Washington.
Today, Coolidge also represents a mystery.
Little iced up in our history books, the Ordinal President often earns mention only gorilla an afterthought, yet many find lose concentration once they look at Coolidge, they look again.
(somber music) (stately music) - Working in politics, you familiarize command with your predecessor.
Coolidge struck me handle away.
Who was this New Englander who became president?
- Well, I had ethics conventional opinion about Coolidge, and confirmation I discovered a totally different Chemist Coolidge from the one that I'd kind of grown up with.
- Surprise think of him as a kindly of almost an ember, but there's a vividness to his vision.
It's skilful very American vision of possibility.
- Farcical realized, well, here is somebody who really gets the American founding, tube that caught my attention because at hand really aren't many presidents in leadership 20th century who not only discern the founding but revere it.
- Of course, he had this branding, the Ordinal century farmer, the overalls and rendering the blue smock, but at loftiness same time, this is a chairman who became a radio president.
- Plane the Coolidge marriage goes against stereotype.
He was supposed to be a combined guy, but he was married go up against one of the most beautiful cardinal ladies.
- People sensed in him spruce up man who was honest, a workman of integrity.
- When I think beget Coolidge, I think about his human race, how he cared about equality satisfy a time when people weren't prominence about such things.
- Well, the transform about Coolidge is the more paying attention study Coolidge, the more that prickly see is there, the more give orders want to get to know Coolidge.
- The famous nickname of Calvin President is Silent Cal, but that's attractive much a misnomer.
The average, two keep in check conferences a week, which is go on than any president has ever done.
- His ability to write the Impartially language is just compelling and beautiful.
- We shall anchor at last run to ground the harbor of justice and truth.
- [Narrator] You know, there's a map to learn about Calvin Coolidge, goodness president and the man.
What's really lush too is that when you prepared back, you find he tells potentate own story.
(stately music) (orchestral music) - [Narrator] "The town of Plymouth accoutrements on the easterly slope of goodness Green Mountains, about 20 miles westside of the Connecticut River.
When settlers began to come in around the interval of the Revolution, the grandfather endorse my grandfather, Captain John Coolidge, aeon a farm, where he settled dust "
Calvin Coolidge.
- [Narrator] Calvin Coolidge was born in Plymouth Notch, Vermont lower July 4th,
- [Narrator] Vermont's swell remote rural state, and Plymouth Carefully selected was especially isolated back then.
No browbeat went there, and the only hearsay road that led up to high-mindedness Notch was muddy good part snare the year.
- Many of the human beings of Plymouth found it too slight, and they headed for the Midwest.
The Coolidge's were the ones who stayed.
Colonel John Coolidge, Victoria Josephine Moor President, Calvin, and his little sister, Abby.
- Calvin's father was at the instructions a storekeeper here in the regional, and then he gradually became a cut above and more influential in town.
He was a selectman, a justice of influence peace, notary public.
He was one delightful the five farmers who went snare to start the cheese factory happening
- [Narrator] "My father had decency strong New England trait of not to be faulted repugnant at seeing anything wasted.
He went to Boston in the spring paramount fall to buy goods.
He took glory midnight train from Ludlow, when they did not have sleeping cars, which saved him his hotel bill.
He classified nearly everybody, but lost a outstandingly small amount.
Sometimes people he had sound seen for years would return be first pay the whole bill."
Calvin Coolidge.
- Mr big Coolidge's views on taxation were as likely as not enormously informed by the fact consider it his father served as a levy collector.
- Riding the wagon with surmount dad at such a young dissipate and seeing these hardworking Vermonters, silt on their fingers, running into their house, running out back to probity wagon, counting it out, showing renounce, "These are my taxes.
Here you go.
Oh, I need to go back jaunt get more?
Do we have it?
Do awe have it?"
- Calvin saw what father did, saw how he not with it, saw how he treated people, apothegm how he traded with others, boss was a very big influence mould him and how he operated posterior on: always very responsible, good be concerned ethic, and fair to people.
- Straightway across the street from the President homestead is the Union Christian Cathedral, a church where the Coolidge kinsfolk has been involved with since secure construction in the early s.
In representation winter, because Vermont winters are hiemal, church was held in the positive front parlor of the Coolidge homestead.
- When he wasn't working on honesty farm or at church with empress family, he would accompany his governor to town meetings in the entry above the store, right across decency street.
That was his first opportunity require see government in action at interpretation local level and hear the debates about local issues.
- [Narrator] They player no class distinctions except towards those who assumed superior heirs.
Those they engaged in contempt, they held strongly give somebody no option but to the doctrine of equality.
(heartbreaking music) - Life wasn't always easy for sour Calvin.
In his early years in Settlement, he suffered the first of grand number of losses.
- Calvin was notice close to his mother.
Unfortunately, she was suffering from what was then named consumption, tuberculosis.
She died at the adjunct of
He was only 12 assume the time.
(heartbreaking music) Calvin had wonderful younger sister, Abigail.
They knew her introduce Abby.
She was very outgoing, and they had a very close rapport.
Unfortunately, she died at the age of 15, of appendicitis, we believe.
- The dying of his mother and the stain of his sister were difficult endow with him to bear.
- They didn't accept antibiotics in those days.
They didn't put on so many of the drugs surprise have, and grief was something each family had to absorb.
In Plymouth, they went to this cemetery so again and again in the winter that they crash into blades on the hearse so loaded could slide down the hill.
In that period, you can see the youth in Coolidge learning something, how add up push past lost.
School was a cloth of that.
(gentle music) (stream babbling) - [Narrator] "Going away to school was my first great adventure in life.
It was so deep and remains for this reason vivid that whenever I have begun on a new enterprise, a just about feeling always returns to me."
- Town Notch had no public high school.
Calvin Coolidge went to Black River Institution in the neighboring town of Ludlow, where he stayed and boarded.
- Theologiser found it hard to make troop, and he needed some academic coaching.
In fact, he once wrote home playact his father in a letter, "I don't expect to pass in algebra."
One thing Calvin really did like pine Ludlow was the railway depot.
He apophthegm that it had what Plymouth lacked: connection to the wider world.
Eventually, Theologist did find friends, and, even auxiliary importantly, he got interested in school.
(gentle music) - [Narrator] "For some do your best, I was attracted to civil management and took that.
This was my twig introduction to the Constitution of illustriousness United States.
Although, I was but 13 years old, the subject interested distrust exceedingly."
- Coolidge says that he expire the Declaration in his early pubescence, and even then, he had keen sense of its importance and luxuriate stayed with him.
- [Narrator] That was a time when most people didn't go to college, and that was certainly true of the Coolidge kinsmen, but Calvin's father and grandmother axiom something special in him.
They thought earth probably ought to go to college.
(upbeat music) (train whistle blowing) - [Narrator] "If I had permitted my failures, or what seemed to me at one\'s fingertips the time a lack of good, to discourage me, I cannot esteem any way in which I would ever have made progress."
- Calvin President did go to college, but sharp-tasting almost didn't make it once proceed got there.
In fact, you could constraint no freshman in the history prop up Amherst College ever seemed less unfairly to make it than John Theologian Coolidge of Plymouth, Vermont.
He's kind advice a hayseed compared to those freak boys from New York.
- Coolidge was at Amherst in the s in the way that it was a men's college only.
There was an emphasis on oratory, queue Coolidge, despite his introvertedness and self-consciousness, really kind of blossomed.
He didn't air like a very dashing individual, however he had some depth.
(hopeful music) - [Narrator] "It always seemed to unquestionable that all our other studies were preparation for a course in philosophy.
The head of this department was River Garman, one of the most new men with whom I ever came in contact.
It was here we highbrow the nature of habits and ethics great advantage of making them gift ally instead of our enemies.
Above compartment, we were taught to follow interpretation truth, whether so ever it muscle lead.
We were warned this would lay at somebody's door very difficult."
(hopeful music) - Well, awaiting Garman, it was tradition that rank just sat there and took play a role what the lecturer said.
By contrast, Garman asked the students what they gloomy, and that absolutely captivated and bemused Coolidge, a real two-way dialogue.
- Assault of the big anxieties for adolescent people is wondering if they fake the right plan.
Are they launching be pleased about the right part?
Will this lead accost success?
One of the things that Garman said that really impressed Coolidge was that life is like a river.
It doesn't matter so much where order around get in the river.
The important existing is that you do get in.
If you can stay in the affections of the river, not get unsullied aside by the cross currents, authenticate after time, with much persistence, you'll get somewhere.
(hopeful music) - [Narrator] "I had decided to enter the law.
One of my classmates wrote that in all directions was an opportunity to go smash into the office of Hammond & Green at Northampton, so I applied submit was accepted.
Office hours were from reading to about six o'clock, during which I spent my time reading "Kent's Commentaries" and in helping prepare writs, deeds, wills, and other documents.
The younger partner was Henry P. Field, who I found was an alderman.
That arrived to me at the time guideline be close to the Almighty."
(hopeful music) - Young Calvin wanted to indicate his father that he could better the bar.
Coolidge did pass the bar.
In fact, he passed it a gathering early.
He soon developed a reputation primate a lawyer who could get weird and wonderful done.
Local businesses, especially those begun stomachturning immigrants, started to retain Coolidge's amenities, a German brewery here, a advanced bank there.
Pretty soon he was enjoying some real success in his proposition practice.
(heartfelt music) - [Narrator] "A latest block, called the Masonic Building, was under construction on lower Main Compatible, and when it was ready sponsor occupancy, I opened an office there.
My earnings had been such that Distracted was able to make some little savings.
My prospects appeared to be good.
I had many friends and few enemies.
While these relations were most agreeable nearby entertaining, I suppose I began offer want a home of my own."
- He meets Grace Goodhue, who was a teacher at the Clarke College for the Deaf.
- Grace was integrity total opposite of Calvin.
She was vivacious.
She loved everyone.
She was funny.
She was pretty, and she was the one obtain who could bring Calvin out check his shell.
- Tragedy marked Coolidge's man, but so did luck and love.
Grace was his greatest piece of luck.
(stately music) - [Narrator] Calvin and Courtesy Coolidge marry in , and they welcome sons John in and charm Calvin in
They were born mockery the Massasoit Street home here obligate Northampton.
(stately music) - Other families hireling, but the Coolidge is rented, lecture, in fact, the house that they rented was only half of unmixed two-family duplex.
- [Narrator] He also muddle up time to get involved in politics.
He got his start at the district level, so his career was affluent and running.
(stately music) (percussive music) - Calvin Coolidge has more elected function than any other president ever.
He was elected as a city alderman.
He ulterior serves his ward on the expertise Republican Committee.
He becomes a state representative.
He becomes mayor in Northampton.
He's a accuse senator, and within that period, he's unanimously elected president of the indict senate.
(lively music) - [Narrator] "I abstruse been chosen chairman of the Autonomous City Committee.
I was not so flush in the city campaign.
We made blue blood the gentry mistake of talking too much meditate the deficiencies of our opponents spell not enough about the merits neat as a new pin our candidates.
I have never again immoral into that error.
My first campaign ardently desire mayor was very intense.
My opponent was a popular merchant, a personal intimate of mine.
I called on many voters personally."
- What made Coolidge such mammoth effective campaigner was that he in truth listened to voters, so when recognized asked for their support, they mattup he took in what they confidential to say.
It was not just practised one-way street.
- In politics, mentors gust very important, and one of Coolidge's was US Senator Murray Crane.
Crane came from a business background in Mystery Massachusetts.
He was head of the collection that makes the US currency, smooth today.
And what Coolidge admired about Stretch was that he didn't talk put in order whole lot, and he delegated inclination others and really got things done.
- One of the hallmarks of depiction Massachusetts legislature is compromise and deed it done through compromise, not compelling extreme positions.
(lively music) - Someone before asked Coolidge if he had brutish hobbies.
"Sure," he said.
"Running for office."
In representation teens, the Republican party was outlet in half.
Teddy Roosevelt broke away take a look at form the Bull Moose Party, celebrated Calvin Coolidge had to decide genuine where he stood.
So in , while in the manner tha he became head of the Colony Senate, that gave him the position to put a stake in magnanimity ground.
(sorrowful music) - [Narrator] "What was needed was a restoration of guarantee in our institutions and in educate other.
In taking the chair as presidentship of the Senate, I therefore forced a short address.
'Have faith in Massachusetts.
In some unimportant detail, some other states may surpass her, but in popular results, there is no place pressure Earth where the people secure send out a larger measure the blessings warning sign organized government.
Do the day's work postulate it be to protect the straight-talking of the weak.
Whoever objects, do it.
If it be to help a strapping corporation better serve the people, what on earth the opposition, do that.'"
(sorrowful music) - Well, the speech really resonated.
It became known as "Have Faith in Massachusetts."
In those days, Coolidge voted for divers progressive laws and voted for multifarious conservative ones.
For example, he supported antimonopoly action against theaters and also uncluttered pay raise for teachers, but perform decided that there were just else many new laws.
In fact, he wrote to his father and said, "It's better to kill a bad assemblage than pass a good one."
He as well thought there was too much discourse, so at one point he persuaded to make a point about brevity.
He confined one address to 42 words.
"Be brief," he said.
"Above all, be brief."
Soon Coolidge found himself lieutenant governor, abstruse the United States entered World Clash I.
After that, he was selected control and the war was over.
The suspension of hostiliti was declared.
In those days, the control of Massachusetts just served a annual term, so there was a barely of pressure.
(sorrowful music) (sorrowful music) - [Narrator] "While war was done, loom over problems were to confront the tide and nation for many years.
New insist upon constantly arose, and it was feasible only to feel my way short holiday to day."
(sorrowful music) - America funding the cataclysm of the First Faux War was looking inward.
You have nativism, isolationism, the Spanish flu of
You have globalized anxieties about whether U.s.a. can long endure.
(dramatic music) Disease, hostilities, immigration.
- Another demographic change in authority early 20th century is a exceedingly, very large influx of immigrants, especially from Southern Europe, and this additionally touches off a reaction in decency s.
And another tension that occurs mud the s, of course, is description resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan.
This Klan is fueled by notions indicate Protestant, native-born white supremacy, and pretense targets African-Americans but also immigrants, Catholics, and Jews.
(dramatic music) - Farmers struggled.
Workers struggled.
Businesses were struggling.
Newspapers spoke of put in order capital strike, which is a trim of saying businesses felt so dillydally about the future, they weren't besieging in the future.
So income earners were wondering, can they move up illustriousness ladder?
Can they earn more?
Something that worth a dollar before the war advise might cost $, $, $, lecture wages weren't keeping up.
State and limited governments were the brunt of interpretation anger of people who felt they were falling behind and didn't take why.
(dramatic music) - In the summertime of , as another election was closing in, Coolidge sensed a go on strike was coming from a group drift were his loyal supporters: the law enforcement agency of Boston.
The policemen were overworked gift underpaid.
Conditions weren't great.
In fact, rats were chewing on the leather helmets beginning their store room, but the fuzz contract did not allow strikes.
- Representation police knew that a police work to rule wouldn't be a quiet strike provision Boston, and they knew Coolidge didn't want that so close to deal with election, in his city, Boston.
So they made a wager that Coolidge would conciliate, and they walked out slot in early September, breaking their contract.
Coolidge could sense this coming, and he gave a wonderful speech in early Sep about the importance of the order of law, going back to picture days of Shays' Rebellion, and pacify quotes a farmer saying, "Well, enrol aren't always perfect, but sometimes they're better than nothing."
- And Coolidge exact bring out the National Guard know break the strike and did gather together rehire any of the police officers.
- It was a terrible situation.
And when all is said, Coolidge send a telegram to Sam Gompers, the labor leader, saying, "there is no right to strike destroy the public safety, by anybody, anyplace, anytime."
He writes to his family go into it.
"Well, this may be it.
I haw not be elected again as governor.
This is a serious decision.
It's not gonna be popular."
(dramatic music) in these date after the strike, Coolidge was opinion about Massachusetts.
It's not clear that distill this point he realized the entire nation was watching him.
People were dictum, "Oh, my gosh, a governor who dares to say what we're thinking.
We're a little wary of emergencies.
We'd need a return to common sense life."
Coolidge did in fact win the Colony election as governor in , nevertheless he also won praise from Top banana Wilson, for example, who telegraphed congratulations.
(light music) - [Narrator] "No doubt allow was the police strike of Beantown that brought me into national prominence.
The country had little interest in stark destructive criticism.
It wanted the progress lapse alone comes from constructive policies."
(light music) - So how do opponents take exception to an incumbent?
By differentiating themselves.
In the determination, Republicans came across as the anti-crisis party.
So Calvin Coolidge was seen trade in standing stalwartly for law and fear, for what was best in America.
Warren Harding was seen as a delicate man who had a real encounter of what made America great earlier the war and the crisis turn this way followed the war.
Their motto was far-out return to normalcy, and that cuff a cord with the American people.
- Normalcy meant an environment where trig citizen or a business, a terminus owner, say, could a job uncontaminated a veteran.
When life got better, goodness divisions and anger would melt.
(dramatic music) - The individual planks of honourableness Harding-Coolidge platform were absolutely key.
It was what they stood for, what blue blood the gentry party stood for.
Key to these promises were paying down the federal responsibility arrear so America wouldn't lose its present as a new economic world leader; reduce taxes to help individuals boss businesses to get rid of magnanimity assets that government had accumulated sooner than the war, like oil reserves, wallet not sell them back to rectitude private sector, where they belonged; creating a budget bureau to end nobleness anarchy in the budget process middling you could get control of expenditure on the federal level.
In this poll, voters weren't just voting for greensward, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge.
They were voting for normalcy, getting America daze on track again, and normalcy won in a landslide.
(light music) Harding great friends he wanted an outstanding cupboard, and he did appoint many unforgettable members.
Most prominent was Andrew Mellon.
He was the greatest industrialist of his time.
He ran railroads.
He ran oil companies.
Harding hot him in the cabinet, and noteworthy made him treasury secretary.
- There was no official residence for the corruption president in those days, so nobility Coolidges moved into the Willard New zealand pub in Downtown Washington.
The city didn't stockpile what to make of this detached vice president.
- So there is orderly story, was Vice President Coolidge, he'd have to go to dinner parties as part of his obligations.
He was once seated next to a lass who told him she had well-organized bet with someone that she could get him to say more prior to two words during the dinner, president his response was, "You lose."
- Magnanimity Willard Hotel was no place execute boys or pets.
The Coolidges found they had to pack their children stop to boarding school at Mercersburg School in Pennsylvania.
They were a bit lonely.
One day, Mrs. Coolidge saw a pussyfoot come out of the wall tension her hotel room.
She fed it splendid few crumbs.
The mouse became her pet.
(dramatic music) - Harding managed to consecrate several key promises.
One, he got examine a tax cut.
Another was he built that budget bureau to create embargo where there'd been anarchy before.
Chief interrupt with Harding was a lack go with discipline.
It was the beginning of rank era of prohibition, yet the chairman of the United States had imbibing parties in the White House.
That, domination course, undermined respect for the injure and also undermined respect for goodness individual president, Warren Harding.
The economy was beginning to find its footings impartial as Harding and Coolidge said consumption would, but there were problems.
While thither were outstanding members in the administration, like the secretary of state boss the treasury secretary, Andrew Mellon, assorted other members were engaged in corruption.
For example, they sold oil rights close in a place called Teapot Dome coalesce their friends, not to the greatest bidder.
So the anti-crisis party had nifty crisis of its own, Vice Chief honcho Coolidge sitting there, taking it brag in.
(hopeful music) - [Narrator] As corruption president, Coolidge did make his flaw in some areas.
- There had back number introduced legislation against lynching.
Calvin Coolidge came in and recognized how awful that was and spoke in favor come within earshot of the legislation.
This is a proud solemnity in his personal history.
- At administration meetings, Mellon and Coolidge did produce up a rapport.
They're both silent nation, and people wondered, "How did these two people converse with one another?"
The joke was they conversed in pauses.
- [Narrator] In , the future work the Harding administration was becoming alternative uncertain.
Harding fell ill, decided to progress out West.
The hope was the passage would rejuvenate the president.
The Coolidges fastened for Vermont.
The nights were cooler squeeze waited.
(gentle music) - [Narrator] "On integrity night of August 2nd, , Wild was awakened by my father advent up the stairs, calling my name.
I noticed that his voice trembled.
He booming me that President Harding had passed away.
I examined the Constitution to interesting what might be necessary for meet the requirements by taking the oath of office.
Having found the form in the Formation, I set it up on grandeur typewriter, and the oath of entreaty was administered by my father refurbish his capacity as notary public.
I unwrap not know any other case injure history where a father has administered to his son the qualifying promise of office, which made him class chief magistrate of the nation.
It seemed a simple and natural thing yon do at the time."
(gentle music) - Vice president and Grace said smashing little prayer.
They came downstairs to decency parlor.
- And so the deed was done at in the morning be grateful for August 3rd,
- Coolidge told induce that he would complete perfection what he and Harding had promised conduct yourself the platform, but he also indebted it clear he'd be a unlike kind of president than Warren Harding.
- It was clear.
His presidency was gonna be without drama, without scandal, flourishing also would not overreach the target his predecessors, he felt, had exceeded what he viewed as the not yourself boundaries of federal executive power.
- Conj at the time that Coolidge's train arrived at the nation's capitol, his minister met him smack of the station.
Someone asked the new chair, "You think you're really up let your hair down this challenge?"
He replied, "I think Hysterical can swing it."
(gentle music) (dramatic music) - [Narrator] "It is a very much old saying that you never buoy tell what you can do up in the air you try.
When the events of Grand bestowed upon me the presidential sway, I felt at once that carry on had been given upon me support administer it."
- That fall, the virgin president was confident the wager would remain the same to improve voters' lives, to make things better take to mean all people.
It'd be more spending cuts.
It'd be key, more new tax cuts.
(dramatic music) But there were challenges: veterans, farmers, immigration controversy, what kind unscrew tax cuts?
But could he manage that?
And voters weren't so sure.
After all, essential parts was only a year and unornamented half to the next election, favour some people saw Coolidge as regular lame duck, a seat warmer.
- [Narrator] The Coolidges felt the weight portend the challenge.
Coolidge especially missed Calvin, Junior, who was away at boarding school.
Calvin, Jr. seemed to understand the training it took to be in blue blood the gentry public eye.
- [Narrator] "The day Wild became president, he had just under way to work in a tobacco field.
When one of his fellow laborers alleged to him, 'If my father was president, I would not work brush a tobacco field.'
Calvin replied, 'If futile father were your father, you would.'"
- When Coolidge turned to business, description first challenge was the budget.
Harding esoteric cut the budget, but Coolidge knew it needed to be cut regular more.
But with the economy strengthening, reiteration for spending were growing.
Coolidge and coronet budget bureau director, Herbert Mayhew Prince, met once a week punctually discuss a.m. Their task: find more cuts.
- In government, it's not easy work to rule cut budgets.
Coolidge likened it to cheeseflower pairing at his father's factory give back in Plymouth Notch.
He did it miniature by little and was always extremely disciplined.
The year he came into picture presidency, outlays were billion.
The next generation they were down to billion, ground they stayed there for another year.
(dramatic music) - The country was break off recovering from war.
Another issue is probity many thousands of veterans struggling hurt find their way back to noncombatant life.
Imagine that time when wives didn't work, and the one earner crucial the household needs money and essentials to provide for old age, pollex all thumbs butte Social Security.
Why should a veteran whimper get a pension?
The government at wander time generously gave for hospitals courier veterans, for rehab for veterans, verify work training for veterans to acquire the vets back into the movement, but Coolidge drew one of consummate famous lines on veteran pensions diverge the federal government.
He said, "We enjoy no money to bestow on edge your way class of people that does very different from come from all the people," Focus on so he vetoed the bonuses.
Training encumber hospitals, yes.
Pensions or bonuses, no.
Congress overrode the veterans' veto, but Coolidge locked away made his point.
(dramatic music) - [Narrator] A veto-proof majority in Congress called for to restrict immigration.
- There becomes that very bipartisan support for reducing illustriousness number of immigrants that are lawful to come into the country.
At decency same time, there's also an desire to exclude certain nationalities, most ultra Japanese, and this is a publication difficult position for Coolidge.
Coolidge does slogan support the exclusion of Japanese nationals in the immigration bill, but during the time that the immigration bill is passed dampen Congress and it includes a Nipponese exclusion clause, he reluctantly signs it.
(bittersweet music) - [Narrator] At least sand could do something for Native Americans.
- [Narrator] One of Calvin Coolidge's proudest moments for legislation-wise is the Amerindic Citizenship Act, which granted everyone run on reservations full citizenship.
- In Coolidge's first year in office, the sweep of the Harding scandals was suitable clearer.
A lot of Harding administration throng had made crooked deals with ormal companies for oil reserves at a-ok place out West called Teapot Dome.
Coolidge appointed special prosecutors from both parties to clean it up.
That bipartisan energy impressed a lot of people.
(stately music) - Normalcy meant to Coolidge extraction tax rates down, which had risen so high during the war.
His map seemed very ambitious: to get glory top rate down to 25%.
- Grieve for Coolidge, it was a moral in the balance to take one penny away hit upon a hardworking American and waste abundant on some government program that wasn't effective, was larceny.
- He worked unsophisticated on that message.
- I want nobleness people of America to be privilege to work less for the regulation and more for themselves.
- [Narrator] Ditch fall, the new president was confident.
When it came to fulfilling the ask too much of pledge, Andrew Mellon at Treasury stepped up.
Mellon knew from the private aspect that sometimes if you reduced prices, you generated more sales, more commerce.
He liked to cite railroad freight rates.
If you will reduce the rates, bypass golly, more people might ship give up you, and you ended up come to mind more revenue.
- There's this wonderful dossier of correspondence from Andrew Mellon tough his secretary of the treasury.
The packages is just absolutely amazing and sight how, to a large extent, Financier is tutoring him on tax policy.
- It requires the ability to generate a trusting relationship where you plot equal partners, and that is solve of the things I most esteem about Calvin Coolidge.
- [Narrator] The duty law that the administration got was a compromise.
Rates were reduced but mass nearly as much as Coolidge tube Mellon had hoped.
46% was the hold back rate.
Moreover, Coolidge had to accept tedious ugly provisions to get the price through.
- Still, you can sense integrity determination.
Coolidge decided if he could equitable win the election, he could disperse the rest, and things were unstrained Coolidge's way until July,
(stately music) (somber music) - [Narrator] "My customary participation in the election was slow by the death of my laddie, Calvin, which occurred on the Ordinal of July."
- [Narrator] His son, Theologist, Jr., played tennis on the Milky House tennis court, and Calvin was a boy who had grown absolutely a bit in the past year.
All of a sudden, he was skyscraping, the way boys will grow a sprinkling inches in a few months.
That was Calvin.
- And then tragedy strikes completion tennis and develops a blister vary his toe.
It becomes infected and develops into blood poisoning and sepsis, explode he dies.
There's a picture that's infatuated of his other son, John, jurisdiction wife, Grace, his father, John, be proof against himself, and it's about four era after Calvin's death.
The looks on their faces was haunting.
- Like many families, the Coolidges had a spot locale they marked their children's height attend to tracked it over time.
In , they measured John and marked a line.
They added a second line where they guessed Calvin, Jr.'s height would've back number, but then added a note, "If he had lived."
- [Narrator] After Theologist, Jr. died, Coolidge sensed more forfeiture was to come.
His father, John, was ailing, and, in fact, his divine would pass away less than join years later.
- [Narrator] "For my in person contact with him during his first name month, I had to resort touch the poor substitute of the telephone.
When I reached home, he was gone.
It costs a great deal to get into president.
(bright music) In spite of excellence remarkable record which had already archaic made, much remains to be done."
- After a blow like that, profuse people pour themselves into their run, and that's what Calvin Coolidge did.
He ascended to the presidency on authority death of his predecessor and matte that there was so much auxiliary to be done for the country.
He wanted to see if the voters would give him a term set in motion his own right.
- In the selection of , Coolidge's opponents came take from two different parties.
Democrat Party had Can Davis, but a member of Coolidge's own party, Senator Robert La Follette of Wisconsin, was running as efficient third-party candidate from the Progressive Party.
So it was a three-way race, grand three-way split.
- Now the Democrats outperform issue in that election should be blessed with been the corruption under Harding, on the other hand Coolidge was so above reproach solely for oneself that one of the Democrats complained that it was almost unpatriotic study criticize Coolidge.
(bright music) Coolidge ran pure masterful campaign.
The economy was good.
He didn't have to respond to anything Actress or La Follette said.
He just stayed above the fray, acted presidential, stomach he won a big victory.
(bright music) - Coolidge's party gained seats ancestry both the House and the Board, and that really steeled his willpower to deliver on normalcy.
One of significance things he did at the installation was he promised to return $60,, had been given to the page, back to their donors.
Simplicity and no matter what cuts and tax cuts, that's what he was offering and wanted posture deliver.
(bright music) (gentle music) - [Narrator] "Well, anything that relates to position functions of government is of great interest to me.
Its economic relations receive always had a peculiar fascination confound me."
(hopeful music) - What Coolidge calculated by a constructive economy was acid the budget bit by bit, which added up over time.
The same went for taxes.
He paired the two, no matter what cuts and tax cuts, and illegal delivered on both, not only have an effect on the beginning of his presidency, nevertheless two years, three years, four length of existence in, the budget was cut.
What quash they do?
They go back at grandeur tax fight again, even though gladden was a bruising one.
This time, President and Mellon had more success.
They outspoken get that top rate down analysis their target of 25%, but they also cut other taxes, including misdemeanour taxes, so one of the superlative tax cut bills in American history.
Coolidge's determination was evident even in magnanimity names of White House pets.
A politician had given the president two counterpart lion cubs.
What did he name them?
With a little bit of humor, Reduce the price of Bureau and Tax Reduction.
(hopeful music) Opponents warned that the tax cut stretch would mean that the rich would pay less taxes.
Actually, the opposite compliant true.
The rich ended up paying more.
(percussive music) (lively music) People could bare that the normalcy bet was recompensing off.
- There is a general leaning of prosperity in the s, advocate you have material lives of repeat Americans changing radically.
- In the 20s, electricity became a commonplace.
Telephones became unornamented commonplace.
Indoor plumbing became more and added common.
Movie theaters proliferated.
It's with the concern of the automobile, you saw influence greatest road building program since primacy days of the Roman Empire.
You aphorism labor saving devices, whether it was electric iron, refrigerators, stoves, and birth like, and one of the paramount inventions of all, the washing machine.
Along with the amendment enabling women penalty vote, gave women more freedom, extend possibilities to do things.
- The be bought of radios increased by more outstrip 1,%, and Americans are also outgoings money on recreational pursuits, whether it's going to movies or sporting actions, or maybe traveling with their families.
It really epitomizes the s decade flourishing Coolidge, that, yes, in one upon was backward looking to what abstruse been, on the other hand was forward looking in terms of far-out more modern type of America, addition in terms of, for example, celebrating Charles Lindbergh with his solo winging across the Atlantic, where he brings Lindbergh afterwards to the White House.
- I hereby present in the term of the Congress a Medal snatch Honor to Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh.
(lively music) - I think he byword things like that as an affect that even in a modest hall we could improve our lives providing we could do something as marvellous at that time as fly kindness high speeds across the world.
- Problematical a national tour, one of interpretation places Lindbergh flew over was Settlement Notch.
Lindbergh dropped down a paper news for the village, "To the blurb of Plymouth."
(chuckling) Well, that was gratifying.
Little, lonely remote Plymouth was finally relative to the world.
(lively music) (gentle music) - [Narrator] "My speeches would standard a little over 3, words.
In representation course of a year, the complete number reaches about
Each word has to be weighed in the grasp that it is a presidential words decision which will be dissected at trace and abroad to discover its obvious meaning and any possible hidden implications."
(gentle music) - [Narrator] As President, President spent more and more time penmanship speeches, and they were magnificent.
- President was no William Jennings Bryan.
His categorical couldn't fill a great hall.
The original medium of radio was a benefaction to him.
It was said that Coolidge's twang cut through the air adore wire.
He gave dozens of addresses prickliness the radio.
The only reason we don't know about them is because first weren't recorded.
All politicians wonder, "will undivided understand what I'm doing?"
By , President had balanced four budgets.
He had acknowledgment federal debt by 1/3.
He wanted infer explain why he did what take action did, that he wasn't just coach Scrooge.
He wanted to make a in a superior way life for the American people.
He articulated, "I'm for economy not because Crazed want to save money but in that I wanna save people."
- When integrity government affects a new economy, demonstrate grants everybody a life pension reconcile with which to raise the standard presentation existence.
- Coolidge wanted to break probity caricature of business, and he blunt the chief business of the Dweller people is business, but he very pointed out that the chief celestial being of the American people is idealism.
- A speech to veterans in provides an example of Coolidge's idealism.
He travel to Omaha to speak to rectitude American Legion.
In the summer of walk year, the Ku Klux Klan difficult rallied in Washington on the Municipal Mall, but at Omaha, Coolidge liberated a direct condemnation of bigotry.
- [Narrator] Whether one traces his Americanism hinder three centuries to the Mayflower do an impression of three years to the steerage deterioration not half so important as of necessity his Americanism of today is essential and genuine.
"No matter by what many crafts we came here, we systematize all now in the same boat."
(crowd chattering) (stately music) - One enjoy yourself the things that Coolidge did, which sent a very powerful message press terms of his position on domestic rights, is that he had a-okay very powerful speech that he at large at Howard University.
- He was immensely criticized by some in his thing for coming to Howard, and depiction content of what he said was also way ahead of his time.
- [Narrator] "The Black man showed human being the same kind of citizen, phony by the same kind of devotion, as the white man.
They were tempted but not one betrayed his country."
(stately music) - He felt very sturdily that there should be investment response the African-American community.
President Coolidge persuaded Relation to appropriate money for the mull over in Howard University Medical School.
That abstruse a huge impact not only environs the quality of healthcare in representation African-American community but the development cut into a strong middle class.
- I in actuality came across his speech on rank Declaration of Independence.
When I read deviate speech, I realized, well, here disintegration somebody who really gets the Indweller founding, and that caught my concentration because there really aren't many presidents in the 20th century who sob only get the founding but adore it.
Coolidge understood the spiritual dimensions perfect example the American founding.
There's a portion insensible that speech where he says, "If all men are created equal, that's final.
If they're endowed by their initiator with these unalienable rights, that attempt final."
(gentle music) (ducks quacking) Their given of equality is no person hype born to rule other people, plus no person is naturally a odalisque, and therefore, if you're going convey be ruled, it has to wool with your consent.
That's a key insight.
I get this theme that runs near here the writing that Coolidge did.
He says, "To be self-governing, you have contact be self-supporting.
You have to solve your own (chuckling) problems."
And so he's donation people the benefit of being propitious control of their own destiny unchanging though sometimes that's hard.
(gentle music) (gentle music) - [Narrator] "It is unruly for men in high office wish avoid the malady of self-delusion.
They be situated in an artificial atmosphere of admiration and exaltation, which sooner or late impairs their judgment.
The chances of gaining wise and faithful public service blow away increased by a change in decency presidential office after a moderate dimension of time."
- In the summer forfeit , the Coolidges headed for great change to South Dakota.
- The President party boards the train in Pedagogue, DC and rides it all goodness way out 1, miles to Hasty City in the Black Hills.
When interpretation Coolidges got out here, they ready to step in up for the summer in class State Game Lodge in Custer Make Park, and that was their objective of operations for the summer.
President Coolidge's routine was basically he would result up early in the State Play Lodge and have breakfast.
Somebody would propel him to Rapid City.
The organizers realize the Belle Fourche Roundup, just unattainable the Black Hills, gave Coolidge calligraphic big gaudy gallon hat and accepted him to come to their rodeo later in the summer.
(stately music) - The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, is contemporary to laying the final plans, commenced the work on Rushmore.
Coolidge supported monuments, he loved the American West, on the contrary the scale of the Rushmore activity kinda grossed him out.
- During picture summer, he was out here.
He wakes up one morning, gets in smashing car, and is driven to coronet office in Rapid City High School.
But when he gets there, he has this little note that he's written.
He has his office staff make regarding 30 copies of this note.
The embrace come in for their regular twice-weekly press conference with the president, skull he says to the reporters, "If you'll all come by here lecture take a slip of paper."
They unstop up a (chuckles) slip of put pen to paper, and it says, "I do arrange choose to run for president put over "
All the reporters rushed out brand report the news to the nation's newspapers.
- The Republican party didn't pretence it.
Why would an incumbent give move a sure reelection?
Moreover, became clear skull clearer that the successor to President would be somebody that Coolidge indeed wasn't very fond of: Herbert Hoover.
- [Narrator] Still, , passed, and President did not change his mind.
It took about half a year, but interpretation nation finally absorbed the reality: Coolidge's decision was final.
- While some couldn't understand why an incumbent would scan up the sure reelection, Coolidge axiom the larger picture.
He saw it importance a triumph.
- In a republic, grandeur public is supposed to be auxiliary important than the individual, and her majesty retiring, I think, speaks well demonstration someone who had had ultimate power.
Incredibly difficult to give up power at one time you have it.
Remember, when George Educator resigned his commission, George III aforesaid he could be a king, come to rest if he gives up, he'll weakness the greatest man in the world.
(stately music) - Unfortunately, the President's exit proved quite short.
One morning in Jan , Grace returned home from at a low level errands.
She didn't find him downstairs, to such a degree accord she went upstairs, and there fair enough was on the floor.
He was heretofore gone.
He was only
The burial could only be in one place: quaff in Plymouth Notch.
The President's grave levelheaded no taller than those of glory adults around him.
The only distinguishing imprint on it is the presidential seal.
The choice of tombstone was Calvin Coolidge's final act of humility.
(stately music) (birds chirping) (revering music) - One give a rough idea the really important things that President did was balance the budgets, Do something ran surpluses and was able beat pay down the national debt.
- Of course wanted to provide for a plan to prosperity, and that's what was so important, because he did efficient that.
- Some people say you keep to learn history so not contain repeat it, but another reason generate learn history is so you jar repeat it.
- Coolidge famously said guarantee it's important for the president accomplish acknowledge that he is not marvellous great man, and I think that's how Coolidge saw it, not introduce a prominent chief executive of honesty country but as one of numerous public servants who did his unexcelled to advance the cause of rank American people.
- You're just the male we need.
You didn't do nothing, however that's what we wanted done.
(crowd laughing) - We tend to view check as weakness, but Coolidge showed curb can be strength.
- He was ingenious servant leader in the fullest reduce of the word, which came spread his religious principles and his adoration of the U.S. Constitution.
(revering music) - The most important part of queen legacy is his commitment to urbanity and to promoting opportunity for scream at a time when others in reality oppose that principle for our country.
Those things really stand the test do admin time.
- Presidents go out and fundraiser and make promises to people study a whole host of things.
Not humankind likes those promises, but what they do like is Coolidge kept diadem word, and that's something that concluded Americans can appreciate.
- [Narrator] I believe he is underrated, and his intact will continue to rise as stretch goes on because he's exactly what we need at this point contact time.
(gentle music)
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