Campaign Statement in Rhode Island.

PRESIDENT Franklin Roosevelt once startled a convention of the Daughters of the American Revolution by telling them that we are all "descended from immigrants." Indeed, more than any other nation on earth, America is a land of immigrants.

Being so has not been a handicap. It has been an asset. It has strengthened the courage and the idealism of the American people and driven us on to even greater endeavors.

No State better typified this great American tradition than Rhode Island. Small in size but great in spirit, it has absorbed immigrants for over three centuries, from the first small group of religious refugees fleeing persecution to the massive influx of Italians, Irish, Poles, and other peoples seeking a new life on these shores in our own century.

And Rhode Island teaches us all the important lesson that while we are a diverse people, drawn from many sources, there is far more that unites us than divides us. All of us want the same basic rights and opportunities; all of us want the same kind of future for America.

We want a future in which our sons will not have to go off to another war because America was weak, or misled, or unprepared.

We want a future in which we can all live at peace with the world and with one another, free to enjoy the fruits of our own labor.

And we want to achieve something that this country has not enjoyed since Dwight Eisenhower served in the White House more than a decade ago--we want an era of prosperity without war and without inflation.

I believe we can do it. I believe we can do it because I am convinced that, when it comes down to these vital fundamentals, we are one Nation, one people-one America.

The people of Rhode Island have a crucial role to play in that future. In your plants and in your commerce, you are helping to keep the sinews of American industry strong and vibrant. In your work at the Newport Naval Base, the Quonset Point Air Station, and the Davisville Construction Center, you are keeping our national defenses first in the world. And in your patriotism and dedication to hard work, you are keeping the Nation's spirit aflame for generations yet to come.

I urge you to continue in that role by sending a man to Washington who shares your belief in a strong America--a man who served with distinction as Secretary of the Navy, and who has proven his skill as a vigorous, effective leader who knows how to get things done--John Chafee.¹

¹ John H. Chafee, Governor of Rhode Island 1963-69 and Secretary of the Navy 1969-72, was the Republican candidate for the United States Senate.

John Chafee has a keen, independent mind of his own, but he stands together with the rest of us in his commitment to keep America strong and to keep Rhode Island playing an important part in sustaining our naval strength. He knows too that we are committed to achieving more than peace alone. We are determined to build not only a peaceful America, but a prosperous America as well.

There is an economic resurgence across America today, and I am confident we can keep it up with your help.

On the job front, more than 2.3 million new civilian jobs have been created in the last year. This is the highest rate of increase since 1956. Unemployment nationally and here in Rhode Island is coming down, and we are going to keep it coming down. Rhode Islanders know that John Chafee created 50,000 jobs while serving as Governor; that's the kind of progress we want in the future.

For 5 years, the average American's purchasing power stagnated because of inflation. We have changed that situation here in Rhode Island and across the Nation. We have cut the rate of inflation almost in half, and, in the last year, we have driven up real wages--the real purchasing power of the average working American by 4.5 percent--the equivalent of more than two extra weekly paychecks.

Higher taxes, the other threat to the average family's pocketbook, has been another of our prime targets. That is why I have vetoed a long line of excessive spending measures passed by the Congress. They all added up to breaking the budget and driving up taxes. That is something I am determined to prevent with every means at my disposal.

As a result of tax reform already achieved under this Administration, the average family of four making $10,000 a year has had its Federal income taxes drop by 26 percent since 1969.

A further major stride has been the enactment of general revenue sharing. The revenue sharing bill which I signed 2 weeks ago in Philadelphia will allow many State and local governments to hold the line on property taxes, a benefit that should not be lost on Rhode Islanders whose property taxes have soared more than 60 percent over the past 10 years. This legislation will make it easier for the next Governor of Rhode Island to govern wisely and well, without the constant threat of increased taxes.

From personal acquaintance, I believe that Herbert DeSimone would be the best man for the Governor's job in Rhode Island over the next 2 years. I have had the opportunity to see him at work firsthand as an excellent Assistant Secretary of Transportation, where he served as the strong right hand of another outstanding New Englander, John Volpe. I know that Herb DeSimone has the administrative skill, the leadership ability, and the strong character it takes to make a successful Governor.

Leadership that can set serious, attainable goals--leadership that knows how to get things done--that is what America needs today on every level of government, from the White House to the Governor's office to the county courthouse. That is the kind of leadership I pledge to give the Nation as we work together toward an era of peace and progress.