Newspaper Articles


Huntington Advertiser
April 29, 1960

Humphrey Tours in Area

By Hugh Maxwell

Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn), candidate for president, returned to Huntington tanned, fit and rested today and again blasted the Republican administration in Washington for sins of omission and commission.

The senator, self-proclaimed "poor man" in the West Virginia presidential preference race at the primary election May 10, stopped off in Huntington for a third visit on a tour of the state's southern section cities and town.

Before reaching Huntington, Sen. Humphrey stopped at St. Albans, Milton and Barboursville. At each town he hobnobbed with citizens, men and women alike. He was cheerful, ebullient and smiling.

In contrast to his appearance on his second visit here earlier in the month, when he looked worn and strained, he was relaxed and free of campaign fatigue today. He told newsmen and radio and TV commentators who stepped aboard his campaign bus with him at the Charleston starting point that they "were in for it" because he was going to give them a fast run on this present tour. "I got a full night's sleep last night," he grinned.

Senator Humphrey made a point of visiting the Marshall College campus, where he shook hands with and pinned Humphrey buttons on students.

Raps 'Confused' Tax System

In a speech prepared for delivery in Huntington, Sen. Humphrey said:

"The people of West Virginia know better than anyone else the effects of our confused and inequitable tax system.

"This state - more than any other - would benefit from a reasonable and efficient reform of federal tax laws.

"The time has come for changes to lighten the tax loads of low-income workers and families. Our federal income tax allowance should be increased from $600 to at least $800.

"Federal excise taxes also impost an unfair strain on lower income groups. The government should take a good, hard look at the whole range of federal excise taxes.

"We must also establish tax credits to encourage the hiring of older workers and to encourage industry to move into areas of chronic unemployment.

Must Close Loopholes

"At the same time, our biggest challenge is to close loopholes in federal tax laws which benefit only the privileged few.

"Our whole tax structure must be tightened up and made more equitable. We cannot have full pride in our democracy when the unscrupulous few save millions in tax dollars and the conscientious many struggle to pay their taxes."

The afternoon, Humphrey was to visit Hamlin, Chapmanville, and Logan. Mrs. Humphrey will join her husband in Logan. At 8 p. m. he will speak at a meeting in the Logan county courthouse.

At 9:30 p. m. the campaign party will leave for Beckley, where it will remain overnight.

Speaking in Charleston last night, Sen. Humphrey said that even though it might appear justified for the government to buy and stockpile coal as it does grain, "it's not wise to take one evil and make two evils."

The present farm program is a miserable failure," Humphrey said on a paid television program (WSAZ-TV).

He said the farm surplus program had proved a dismal and expensive failure for the government and a headache to the farmers.

"(Agriculture Secretary) Benson has no conception of farm management of economics," he added. "President Eisenhower has spent more money in seven and a half years on this disastrous farm program than all the presidents before him - clear through to Washington."


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