Will Rogers: A Centennial Tribute Page: 53
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McAdoo finally came out for Smith, and to offset that Democratic gain,
why Coolidge came out for Hoover.
So that leaves only myself in the open.
I have been studying the two parties and here is the difference: Hoover
wants all the drys, and as many wets as possible. Smith wants all the wets
and as many drys as he can get.
Hoover says he will relieve the farmer, even if he has to call congress.
Smith says he will relieve the farmer even if he has to appoint a commission.
Hoover says the tariff will be kept up. Smith highly indorses prosperity.
Hoover wants no votes merely on account of religion.
Smith wants no votes solely on religious grounds. Both would accept the
mohammedan vote if offered.
Hoover would like to live in the white house. Smith is not averse to living
in the white house. And in order to get in there either one will promise
the voters anything from perpetual motion, to eternal salvation.
So I am out openly for myself.
If I have had any religion I have at least not advertised the fact. If I want
the constitution changed, or if I want it left as it is, I know that is the
people's business and not mine.
I have promised nothing, and am the only one of the three that can make
good on the promises, so to offset Coolidge and McAdoo I come out for
myself.
The second criterion for the image of "democrat," thus, was "Rogers'" ful-
filling Walt Whitman's prescription of being interested in politics but
above party: "If we dident have to stop and play politics any administration
could almost make a Garden of Eden out of us," the public Will Rogers
pronounced.16
In conjunction with mingling with all classes and being above parties in
political concerns, practicing fair play and defending the underdog defined
the persona's image as American democrat. Usually consisting of following
the rules and refusing to take unfair advantage of another group or in-
dividual, fair play was a hallmark of the public Rogers. His dispatches
could hit at American inconsistency such as an intervention in Nicaragua,
supposedly protecting democratic elections there :17
You want to know why we are so funny to the rest of the world? Here
we are sending warships to tell Nicaragua who to seat after their election
and we haven't got a Senator that was elected here last Fall that will be
16 Tulsa Daily World, November 1i, 1928. For other examples relevant to this defining
attribute, see ibid., January 8, 1933; New York Times, March 19, 1927; Saturday Evening
Post, March 30, 1929, p. 161.
17 New York Times, January 10, 1927.53
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Will Rogers: A Centennial Tribute (Book)
Compilation of biographical stories about Will Rogers in Oklahoma, discussing his career, roots, and actions during his lifetime. Index starts on page 144.
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Gibson, Arrell Morgan. Will Rogers: A Centennial Tribute, book, 1979; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc862884/m1/63/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; .