Evening star., 1927-10-13

the Democratic party-no man has
yet been seriously mentioned as a
candidate for the nomination in 1928
who is not opposed in principle to the
eighteenth amendment and all that
it represents. They only differ in the
amount of publicity given their views.
Any candidate who should offer him
self on an AnttSaloon League plat
form would be overwhelmed in ad-
vance.
Views Of Candidate.
"These of themselves are hopeful
signs. but in order to get effective ac-
ton in the public interest much more
is needed We shall be told, for eX-
ample, that no matter what may be
the personal views of the presidential
candidate he cannot himself repeat
the eighteenth amendment, or even
modify the Eolstead act. That is one
of those truths which records false
hood. af
"Of course. no President can repeal
the eighteenth amendment, or even
modify the Nolstead act but the per
sonality and the political opinion oil
the candidate for President have long
since become symbolic in the public
mind and thereby profoundly intlu-
entail with newly elected Congress-
and with State Legislatures having a
ma iority belonging to the party oi
which the President himself is
member.
"'The excuse given by the profes-
sionat nolitical managers and the Of
ficc-holding class for trying to elm
mate the prohibition question from
the next campaign is repetition OF
what happened concerning the gold
standard in the campaign of 1896. SO
strong was the free silver movement
and so largely was it represented in
the. ranks of the Republican party.
that the most desperate efforts were
made by the party managers, first at
the St. Louis convention. and after
ward during the opening weeks of the
campaign, to keep it in the back
ground The tariff was put forward
bv the Republicans as the issue to
be pushed and debated.
Force of Public Opinion.
"PubliC opinion, however, would not
he denied BY the first of August the
tariff question had been practically
eliminated from the campaign, and
nothing was talked of or thought of
except the gold standard versus the
free coinage of silver. The people
took the campaign out OF the handS
of the political managers and shaped
it to suit themselves and their own
convictions. They will do precisely
the same thing in 1928.
This is not the time nor the place
to enlarge upon the other great is
sues. agricultural development and
relief and international co-operat ton
to promote international peace. but.
believe me. these two, together with
prohibition, occupy the minds of an
overwhelming majority of the Ameri
can people.
mo issue can be made out of pros
Derity because nobody is opposed to
it, No issue can be made out of gov,
ernmental economy. because every.
body is in favor of it. A platform
that represented high political prin-
ciple and true political courage could
be written in so few words that it
might be printed on a post card and
kept sta nding in it's entirety in a box
at the head of newspaper column.
Such platform would directly re-
fleet and represent both the present
temper and the present interest of
the American people"
Copyright. 1897 by North American News.
. paper Alliance.
(Tomorrow's interview will be with
Senator Capper of Kansas.)