Evening star., 1926-12-16
Smith Defeat Seen.
Possibility of Election to Presi-
dency Secuted.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
The November elections cleared the
political atmosphere so far as Demo
cratic candidates are concerned and
the result gives hope of the election
OF the nominee of that party in 1878
in case no mistake is made in the
naming of the candidate and the Sec
tion of the country from which he is
selected. The Republican papers and
some misguided or alleged Democrats
are already playing up several names
that have no possibility of election
namely, Smith of New York, who,
aside from religious prejudice and
wet tendencies, would be the easiest
man to defeat, despite his personal
popularity in the East, and Gov.
Ritchfe of Maryland. another attrac-
tive man, but who would be doomed
TO defeat because of his prohibition
record, as well as the fact that Sec
tional prejudice still exists against
a man from the South.
The defeat of Pomerene of Ohio
eliminates the most potential candi-
late of all those mentioned. Had he
carried the State he would have been
pronounced favorite because he is
geographically right, but would have
been a weak candidate since the labor
vote would have been almost solidly
against him. It is necessary for the
Democrats to go to the West to find a
progressive Democrat--one who has a
chance of election--to attract the dis,
affected Republican Progressive, who
has no more place in that party than
has a conservative in the Democratic
party.
Last March, in a letter to The Star,
after dissecting the names of those
mentioned, and their elimination for
various reasons, l named Henry T.
tainey of Illinois, Democratic mem.
Der of the ways and means COM
mittee, who Is geographically right,
sound on Democratic principles, and
one who could attract the disaffected
Republican vote in the Northwest.
He led his disorganized party in the
House last Winter in opposition to
the revenue tax bill, refusing even to
ign the minority report Of his party
since 1t did not go far enough. Fate
appears to be pointing its finger at
him, since President Coolidge Is urg.
ing a reduction in revenue taxes
which will be considered before the
session adjourns.
His position is practically an ad-
mission Of Rainey's contentious as to
LIE IIlcdSuEe WHen 1t was originally
before the House, and will give him
an opportunity to gain the political
'potlight and press the bill in the
interest of the masses instead Of the
corporations,
A few days after the Democratic
national convention in New York, in
reply to a letter congratulating him
on the stand he took when the Klan
issue was before it, William Jennings
Bryan wrote me:
II am more interested in the pre-
vention of religious prejudice which
might impair the religion of our
country, for while a new party may
come along at any time, a war be.
,ween creeds would bring nothing but
destruction"
The writer is of the same religious
persuasion as Gov. Smith, but why
sacrifice the principles Of the Demo
cratic party on the rock of religious
prejudice? Since Gov. Smith has no
chance entering the White House
through the front door, it might be
possible to slip in the back door as did
Roosevelt and Coolidge. Rainey of
Illinois and Smith Of New York would
be a ticket no Democrat could object
to. Can any Democrat who wants to
see his party victorious name a
stronger ticket?
w. J. DWYER.