The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-13
HooVer's Acceptance

ton outweigh the good, and that modification is
needed.
Last January we Endorsed Hoover for the presi-
dency and since that time we repeatedly have voiced
our faith in him.
And now, despite our disagreement on the prohibit
ton question: what he said the subject furnishes
a striking example of why we have that faith.
His declaration is typical of the It is concise,
positive direct and unqualified, insofar as it ex-,
presses Hcovers position-but at the same time 1t
comedies the right of the other point of view 1t is
free from bigotry.
We are more interested in the elimination of big
ory from this country and the establishment OF toler-
ance than in any other single issue in all the long list
OF vital public questions Why?
Because tolerance, malice toward none and charity
toward a the greatest characteristic OF the greatest
of all our presidents furnishes the way and the only
way, by which all the other problems sanely may be
solved without it as the prevailing state OF mind IN
democracy society is rigid and progress is blocked
The major ills of the world the outgrowth OF
bigotry. All the pages of history prove that The
evils of prohibition have been the result of the blind
and bigoted manner in which its creators have man
aged their cause.
Now comes Hoover, the presidential nominee him
self believer in prohibition, and in few short SEN
fences lifts the question entirely out of the zone OF
fanacism and places it upon the high plane OF COM
mon sense In so doing he has offended the bigots
but at the same time he has challenged the admira-
ton of every open-mnded citizen, whether that cti-
zen agrees with Hoover not.
Reasserting that he personally does not FAVOR re-
peal Of the Eighteenth Amendment, Hoover says:
"Change in the Constitution can and must be
brought about only by the straightforward methods
provided in the Constitution itself There are those
who do not believe in the purpose of several proVi-
sons of the Constitution. No one denies their right
to seek to amend it. They not subject to criticism
for asserting that right"
Up to now the fanatical dry has typifed the whole
prohibition movement That the Eighteenth Amend
ent is not debatabe that it is the law OF the Mede
and the Persan forever on the tablets OF orr
Nation and that those who advocate the changing OF
it are lost souls-such has been the theme OF its
sponsors, in the person of the Anti-saloon League
Hoover reverses all that. While firmly stating his
own adherence to the Eighteenth Amendment he
grants that others who disagree with him not only
have right to advocate the repeal but subject to
no criticism for exercising that right.
And thereby he opens the way, in event of his
election, for sane treatment of the whole issue
for treatment of 1t not as an immutabe thing but as
an open question, as all questions should be in
democracy.
The law of averages provides that differences OF
opinion will exist as between individuals and groups
of individuals 1t is humanity impossible to agree with
everything that any candidate for public Office be-
leves.
Confidence in the fundamental honesty, inteli-
gence and "Reminiscences of man, rather than COM
pete unity of opinion is what counts, and the final
test of that confidence koy to arise in those
issues on which you differ than in those on which
there is accord.
1t is for that reason that we point to Herbert
Hoovers stand on prohibition as conspicuous cause
for our great confidence in the
The same toerance-the tone of sincerity
that characterizes his remarks on prohibition threads
throughout the whole Hoover message, which. Incl
dentay in its simplicity and drectness Of language
is pleasant relief from the fowery hamboyance of
the usual political address.
In what he says about agriculture he is tolerant
toward the enemies within his party-not word
of bitterness against those who have bitterly OPP
posed him-on1y broad and sympathetic recognition
of the seriousness of that great question, frank
affected and lucid expression of his ideas about relief,
and pledge if elected to work to the end that there
may be established for "our farmers income equal
to those of other occupations; for the farmers wife
the same comforts in her home as women in other
groups; for the farm boys and girls the same oppor
tunities in life as other boys and girls"
On religious liberty, national defense. on indi-
vidualism and equal opportunity, labor, public
works. and unemployment, the message is enc OF sus
tanned sincerity and sympathy and confirms the con-
viction that the words of Herbert Hoover are the
words not merely of an engineer and accountant