The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-05-14
BY LOWELL MELLETT

chlne ana lts ways
BY LOWELL MELLETT
Fl ROBABLY it should be told
- before going any further why
friends Of AL Smith-in all
their housands-belieVe he can be
elected President. Note that their
confidence lies in his ability to win
the election. They are much less
confident about the nomination. They
recognize that Smith, as a candi-
date for the nomination, carries
three distinct handicaps. These are;
l. He IS a Tammany man
2. He is a wet.
3. He is a Catholic
Skipping lightly over the NOM
mating convention, they prove his
strength as a nominee with this set
up:
He can carry New York, New Jer-
sey, Rhode Island and Delaware.
The three handicaps listed will have
no effect in those States. The to-
tai electoral vote of the four is Go.
South Believed Certain
James NJ. Cox carried the South,
with the exception Of Maryland,
Tennessee, West Virginia, Missouri
and Oklahoma. Under any circum-
stances less abnormal than those Of
1920 any Democratic candidate would
have carried the whole South, they
say, with the possible exception Of
Oklahoma. Any Democratic candi-
Date IS certain so to carry the South
this year. There may be opposition
to Smith because he is wet and be
cause he is Catholic. but. as be
tween Smith and Republican. the
South will vote for Smith. The
South's total electoral vote. Okla
hOma again excluded, is III.
Add III to 60 and you have PAP.
Needed to elect, 266.
This, on paper, puts Smith within
twenty-four electoral votes of the
Presidency, the moment he is nomi-
mated. Massachusetts win give him
her eighteen electoral votes, his
friends seem sure. and he then has
all the rest Of the country in which
to gain the final six. Either Indiana
or Ohio would do the trick.
Look 30 Convention
These figures, the Smith man
ayers declare, are bound to persuade
the delegates TO the coming conveu-
ton that the New York Governor is
the one Democrat sure of election II
nominated. With that basis OF avail
ability established they are pre-
pared TO prove they think, that he
will be a President TO be proud of.
First, he is progressive; having
come from among the people, he
never has lost the peoples point of
view. An impressive list Of his ac-
compushments as Governor viii be
ready for delegates who are as much
CONCERNED about the candidates
character and principles as they are
about his vote-getting ability In
this list will he child labor legisla-
ton, workmens compensation.
working hours. minimum wages,
public health. waterpower develop
ment and the Great Lakes-St. Law
renee Canal.
AS for his handicaps The Gov
ernor's friends feel that sentiment
has turned against prohibition be.
cause of the manner Of its enforce
ment, or the impossibility Of its com
plete enforcement. They think
Smiths frank belief in modification
Of the present statutes Will win IA
vor. They say he strikes a note of
honesty in an atmosphere charged
with hypocrisy. They profess not
to be afraid Of the wet issue.
viii Not Dodge Religion
The Catholic church. Smith is
loyal to his church. and it is not ex-
pected that he will dodge the issue
If it is raised-as, of course, it will
be.
Then there is Tammany. Well,
say his friends, Smith is really more
the candidate OF the upstate, anti
Tammany Democrats than he is Of
Tammany Hall. It is recalled that
in 1922, when Hearst was afflicted
with one of his periodic candidates..
1t was the insistence Of the upstate
Democrats that compelled Charles
F. Murphy to line up for Smith.
However, the Tammany stigma, if
1t may be called that, is likely not
to be met merely by setting up
distinction between Smith the Gov
ernOr and Smith the Tammany man.
1t will also be met by showing, if
possible, that Tammany in the pres
ent day, is more of a bugaboo than
q real menace.