Harding's Administration,
- -23. Harding was elected in 1920 by a large majority. The nation, it appeared, wanted a rest from problems connected with the war and was tired of reform movements. Harding appealed to this mood, promising a return to "normalcy."
The Bureau of the Budget was established to achieve better control over government spending. Congress sharply limited immigration, breaking with the traditional policy of welcoming nearly all persons from abroad who wished to come. The country returned to a system of high tariffs. A tax reduction program, which critics viewed as too favorable toward large corporations and wealthy individuals, was begun. Backers of the tax program said it was a major step toward national prosperity.
When Harding died in August, 1923, with 18 months of his term remaining, Vice President Calvin Coolidge became President. The nation then learned of the corruption of some of the Harding administration's high officials, including two cabinet members. The Teapot Dome affair, involving bribery and fraudulent leasing of government-owned oil land, was one of several major scandals that came to light.
