Evening star., 1927-10-05
Smith-fOr-President Debate
Shows Widely Varying Views

| The Endorsement of Gov. Smith for
| the Democratic presidential nomina.
| ton by a group of party leaders of
Western States has been interpreted
on the one hand as what the Syracuse
| Herald independently calls "a political
| straw of unusual size and portent,"
| and on the other, in the phrase of the
| Santa Barbara Daily News Demo
| cratic), as merely 1.-The first fruits of
months of clever manipulation by
| Tammany agents"
| Something more than a straw in
| the wind that is now set toward the
governors chair at Albany" is seen
| by the Richmond News-Leader Gnde-
pendent Democratic), and the Tulsa
| World independently feels that "the
action of the Western Democrats. al
| though few in number, while not de-
cisive, is indicative Of the trend the
| campaign is to take" The Cleveland
Plain Dealer independent Democratic)
remarks that 'it is something to know
| that there is any Smith sentiment in
| the CommonwealthS which boast of
| many square miles and few electoral
votes. Hitherto it had been silent.
And ever and anon some Southern
State pipes up with 'Hurrah for AL" I"
1T was made very plain" says the
Savannah News Oemocratic). that no
political job holders were in the meet
ing, and that the gathering was COM
posed simply of Democratic workers
who want to win now and then in a
national fight. The Baltimore Sun Tin
dependent Democratic) points to "the
notable drift now observable in
Smiths favor" and the Hartford
Courant independent Republican, de-
clares: "It cannot be denied that the
holding of this conference in McAdoo
territory is another indication that
Smith sentiment is growing through
out large part of the country. If it
continues to develop at it's present
rate, it should be strong enough to
insure his nomination in 1925"
X X X
Evidence is found by the Bangor
Commercial Republican) that several
of the far Western States are very
likely to send Smith delegates to the
convention while the Salt Lake
Tribune independently says OF the
seven States represented: "It is plain
to be seen that a fight for Smith will
be put up in these States, and that he
is likely to secure the support of the
delegates to the national convention
from all, or nearly all, of them" The
Springfield Illinois State Journal (Re-
publican) says 'it was attended by men
whose influence on Democratic politics
in those States is not to be ignored"
The Manchester Union independent
Republican, recalls: THE opponents
of the New Yorker have had their
warnings lately that the time has
come for their active cooperation if
they still hope to block his nomina-
ton. The word from Ogden is another
forcible reminder of the Sort
In line with the thought that the
Western conference simply was well
staged bit of Smith political play. the
Indianapolis News observes, THE
question arises as to whether the
not the principal business of the con-
ference" The Lynchburg Advance
Democratic) adds that those who at
tended ''have no authority to bind
their State delegations to the Smith
candidacy"
Modern aspirants for high Offices"
it seems to the Worcester Telegram
independently, devote a good deal of
effort to the manufacture of over
whelming popular demands 1t Is
possible that Gov. Smiths managers
possess some expertness in this busi-
ness" The Hartford Times Gndepend- ,
eIit DcIIIoCldtlNy CON. SIilllu
should be content to let the ambitious
and the favorite sons have their fling.
There is no danger that Smith senti-
ment will grow less or that he will be
any less impressive as a presidential
figure as long as he continues to serve
New York as we'll as he does.''
The Philadelphia Bulletin Gndepend-
enD believes, however, that "the
Smith candidacy and platform is pro-
foundly alien to the bulk of Western
Democracy" and that "anti-Smith SEN
timent only needs proper leadership to