“Silent Cal”, as Calvin Coolidge was nicknamed, lived up to the moniker. He was quiet, introverted, unexciting and good natured. It was probably the exact qualities that the country needed after WWI and the continuing scandals from the Harding administration. The worst of the scandals did not truly unfold until after Harding’s death. Coolidge was known to be a good public speaker, but to the point. At the various receptions and parties he was very quiet. This led to a famous story wherein Coolidge was seated next to Dorothy Parker at a dinner party. Ms. Parker said to Coolidge, “Mr. Coolidge, I've made a bet against a fellow who said it was impossible to get more than two words out of you." His famous reply: "You lose.” She was also quoted upon hearing of his death “How can they tell?”
Coolidge was born in a small town in Vermont, the oldest of two children (he had a sister Abigail). Tragedy struck the family when his mother died when Coolidge was only twelve years old. His mother had a history of health problems and probably died from tuberculosis. He took the loss hard and carried a picture of his mother with him the rest of his life. The picture of his mother was in his jacket pocket when he died. Later when he was eighteen his younger sister, Abigail, died at the age of fifteen from appendicitis.
After graduating from Amherst College, Coolidge followed his father’s advice and started the study of law. Rather than pursue a formal law degree he followed the still common practice of apprenticing with an established law firm; Hammond & Field. After passing the Massachusetts bar Coolidge opened his own law firm in Northampton. Coolidge won his first election in 1898 when he won a seat on the Northampton city council at the age of twenty-six. Over the next decade he would win a series of city elections and prove himself to be a loyal Republican. In 1906 his notice within the state Republican Party paid off with a nomination as a Massachusetts state representative. He won a close election over his Democratic opponent. While serving two terms in the lower house Coolidge supported Women’s Suffrage and the direct election of U.S. Senators (Senator’s were elected by state legislatures until passage of the 17th amendment in 1913).
Rather than seek a third term in the legislature Coolidge returned to Northampton to run for mayor. Coolidge served two one-year terms as mayor. During his terms he increased teacher salaries, lowered taxes and still managed to reduce the town’s debt. Winning election to the state senate in 1911 Coolidge moved back to Boston. He would end up serving three terms in the state senate, serving as President of the Senate in his last term. Even though he considered himself a progressive, he refused to leave the Republican Party during the split between Taft and Roosevelt.
In 1915 Coolidge won election as the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. As Lieutenant Governor his duties were pretty limited. At that time the position of Governor (and Lieutenant Governor) were one year terms. Coolidge served a total of three years as Lieutenant Governor. In 1918 the current Governor, Samuel McCall, decided not to run. Coolidge announced his intent to run for Governor. What Coolidge couldn’t know at that time was that winning the election for Governor in 1918 and his actions during that time would thrust him into the national spotlight and eventually the vice-presidency.
In 1919 there were rumors that the Boston Police were attempting to form a union. The police chief stated that such a move would not be tolerated. When the union was formed the police chief threatened to fire the union leaders for insubordination unless the union was dissolved. When he went about his threat, about three quarters of the policemen went on strike. After that the Mayor of Boston removed the police commissioner and called up the National Guard stationed in the Boston area. Coolidge was furious that a Mayor believed he could call up state resources and acted. His first moves were to call up more National Guard units, restore the police chief and fire all of the striking officers.
That night Coolidge received a telegram from the AFL leader stating that the right of the police had been denied by the police chief and tried to get support from Coolidge. Coolidge responded publically stating in part “There is no right to strike against the public safety by anybody, anywhere, any time”. This tough stand against the police union raised his profile within the Republican Party with some saying that he should be the candidate for president in 1920. It did get him on the ticket with Warren Harding the suggested year.
When Harding died in 1923 Coolidge became president. In the remaining eighteen months of Harding’s term Coolidge created a calming sense in the nation by guiding it out of the scandalous years of the Harding administration. He continued the business friendly policies of the Harding administration. Firmly believing that “The chief business of the American people is business” his policies were for a more hands-off government when it came to business. He selected people to head the Federal Trade Commission and the Interstate Commerce Commission who shared the view that less government interference is better. In fact it has been said that the regulatory state under Coolidge was “thin to the point of invisibility”. This created the environment for the “Roaring Twenties” or the “Golden Era”. Businesses flourished and it seemed that everyone was better off.
Coolidge cut taxes four times and by 1927 only the top 2% of Americans paid any income tax. At the same time, by keeping spending under control, Coolidge was able to retire 25% of the federal debt. This is the model that future Republicans (Ronald Reagan in particular) refer to whenever they want to cut taxes to spur growth.
A major piece of domestic legislation during his tenure was the McNary-Haugen Bill which was intended to help farmers from fluctuations in crop prices by allowing the federal government to buy surpluses at a fixed price and sell them abroad. Coolidge vetoed this bill twice believing that it violated free trade principles. Some believe that this made the depression worse for farmers.
In 1927 the Mississippi river flooded, devastating large areas of the south. Coolidge opposed a congressional relief bill that would give financial support to the hard hit areas. Coolidge did not believe that federal policies should favor one section of the country over another section. The bill passed in spite of his opposition, starting an expansion of federal government intervention in natural disasters at a time when most people believed that this type of intervention should be left to the states.
As the 1928 election approached Coolidge announced that he would not run for reelection. The country was shocked, because at that time he was a very popular president. Coolidge didn’t give any reason at the time, however, in his memoirs he says "The Presidential office takes a heavy toll of those who occupy it and those who are dear to them. While we should not refuse to spend and be spent in the service of our country, it is hazardous to attempt what we feel is beyond our strength to accomplish." Coolidge and his wife retired back to Northampton where he lived until 1933 when he died of a heart attack.
The economics of a major economy is a very complicated subject. Some have argued that Coolidge’s hands-off policy toward business and the reduction in regulation and oversight contributed to the bubble and subsequent burst in the economy. Yes, he oversaw a period of incredible growth, but his policies may have also contributed to crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. It is hard to believe that any single person can control or direct the American economy, but a little oversight might have prevented (or lessened) the crash. The bubble was similar to the Tech bubble in the 1990’s or the more recent housing bubble. One could argue that more regulatory oversight could have prevented or lessened the impact of those as well. It is a hard thing to know when the regulation is constraining the economy and when it is protecting it.
In particular, Coolidge didn’t act risky business practices such as buying stocks on margin (i.e. borrowing money to buy stocks). This practice was exactly what happened during the Tech bubble where people not wanting to miss out on big gains borrowed money.
Trivia to impress!
- Upon Harding’s death Calvin Coolidge was initially sworn in as president by his father who was a justice of the peace. He was subsequently sworn in by Justice Adolph Hoehling of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. Many believed that it was not sufficient for a local official to administer the oath of office to the president. It’s hard to say, but Coolidge would have taken the same oath of office when he was sworn in as vice-president, so was it really necessary to take the oath of office again?
- At the inauguration of his only full term he was sworn in by Chief Justice and former president Taft, becoming the first president to be sworn in by a former president
- Coolidge liked to have his head rubbed with petroleum jelly while eating his breakfast in bed
- Every so often Coolidge would press all the buttons on the president’s desk and hide and watch his staff run in. He would then jump out and say he was just checking to see if everyone was working.
- He is the only president to be born on the 4th of July (1872)
- Calvin Coolidge Jr. died at the age of 16 while his father was president. He contracted an infection after not taking care of blisters that formed from playing tennis. Coolidge is one of five presidents that had children die while they were president; J. Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln and Kennedy. In addition, Pierce’s son died after he won the election, but before he was inaugurated.
- Calvin Coolidge’s birth name was John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. after his father. I assume to distinguish between the two he chose to go by Calvin rather than John. Where I get confused is if he named his second son Calvin Coolidge, Jr. Wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to name the son John Calvin Coolidge III? I couldn’t find anything where Calvin officially changed his name.
- Coolidge did not believe in the benefits of privilege and insisted that his children work. In one case, his son Calvin Jr. started a job as a farm hand the day after his father was inaugurated. One of his coworkers stated that “If my father was president I wouldn’t be working here,” to which Calvin Jr. replied “If your father were my father you would.”
- His vice-president during his full term, Charles Dawes, is the only vice-president to win the Nobel Peace Prize which he received for his work related to WWI reparations (The Dawes Plan). Dawes also had a #1 pop single for music he wrote that was used for the hit song “It’s all in the Game”. The song was recorded by several artists including Tommy Edwards, Elton John, Barry Manilow, The Four Tops, Van Morrison and Nat “King” Cole to name a few.
- Other things that happened during his time in office:
- Babe Ruth set a new home run record
- Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo flight across the Atlantic
- The Jazz Singer was released, it was the first major motion picture to use sound
Vital Stats:
- Wife: Grace Anna Goodhue (1879-1957, m. 1905)
- Children: John (1906-2000), Calvin Jr. (1908-1924)
- Party affiliation: Republican Party
- Presidency: 1923-1929
- Born: July 4th, 1872 (Plymouth, Vermont)
- Died: January 5th, 1933 (Northampton, Massachusetts)
