Date: March 26, 1931
Location: Northampton, MA
(Original document available here)
Many charges and some revelations in relation to the government of some of our large cities are appearing. It may be wondered whether these conditions were in any way a development of an era of prosperity and easy money which brought about an official complacency and laxity in the observance and enforcement of the law.
Whatever the cause, two things should be remembered. There are hundreds of thousands of public officials in the nation who discharge their duties in an intelligent and conscientious way. No reason exists for any general condemnation of our government. And, what is more important, when cause has been shown both public officials and large bodies of private citizens have come forward in an effective way to secure investigation of charges and prosecution of wrongdoing. The moral power of the community has asserted itself in a wholesome and encouraging way. A few evildoers attract a great deal of attention. But the great body of the law-abiding people in and out of office, unnoticed in their welldoing, are still the determining force in this country. Nothing has occurred to diminish our confidence in the soundness of our governmental structure or our faith in the people.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Robert Manchester who prepared this document for digital publication.