Sold For $1,059
*Includes Buyers Premium
Uncommon partial hand-annotated typed and autograph manuscript drafts by Franklin D. Roosevelt, unsigned, two pages, 8.5 x 11, no date but presumably circa 1928–1932, drafted when he was either running for governor of New York or while holding that office. Roosevelt heavily edits the draft in pencil, striking through and rewriting many words and phrases; his amendments amount to about 75 words. The first page deals with taxation; the second discusses crime prevention. The first page, in part: "Government is theoretically the servant of the people. But the people are not the masters unless they know how their tax money is being spent. Many of our people do not know. The State of New York spends about three hundred millions of dollars a year, of which one third goes straight back to local education and another third to public works—roads, new hospitals, prisons, park systems. Care of the 70,000 wards of the State and general upkeep and administration of the government takes the last third…It is the aggregate tax bill which everywhere brings protest. Forty-six percent of the aggregate tax bill is Federal taxation, which cannot be controlled by the Legislature or the Governor…The quality of these State activities proves that we have not lagged in our duty toward the individual as that human duty was originally conceived by those who created these United States."
The second page, in part: "Since more than ninety percent of those who enter State prisons come out as free persons, it is obvious that the bulk of the crime prevention work should be done with these men. We are studying as individual cases all those who have been convicted. But even before a man convicted of a lesser offense is sentenced, an analysis of him and his environment decides whether he may be left at liberty through probation. This is the first step. Those whose offenses, or other conditions, make it necessary to hold in custody, are first classified as to types. They are then sent to separate institutions, each for their particular type. There they are given sanitary housing and provided with educational, industrial and agricultural work of the highest type. In this work the incentive of time off from prison sentences is granted for good behavior and for progress in education for good citizenship. Finally when they go out into normal life, we place them on parole and encourage them in every way to stay straight. These methods of crime prevention are proving effective, despite some individual failures and prison breaks. New York State is definitely winning its war on crime, though the sensational press may not allow the public to understand it for some years to come." In overall fine condition, with overall toning and minor edge chipping.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$100.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
