The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1928-06-08
THE MEANING OF SMITH.

THE MEANING OF SMITH.
It was some years ago that The Empire first
said there was opportunity for the Demo-
cratic Party to become of service to the country.
1t declared then and many times since that If
the Democrats would discard the CLASSIFICATION
alism, sectionalism, bigotry, Federalism and mar
rowness of Organism and return to the Jefersonian
principles of broad tolerance State rights liber-
alism and non-interference by Federal authority
in personal rights, they would find great work
to do and a warm welcome from thinking people.
1t is refreshing to know that others have
thought along those lines, and that Roadway has
been made. The Democratic Party has progressed
in the right direction by listening to the eoun-
ellis of Gov Smith, former Senator Underwood,
Senator Reed Senator Bruce, Gov. Richie John
w Davis and other leaders Of statesmanlike
calibre.
Perhaps better statement of the situation
could not be found than a recent editorial in
the Chicago Tribune, which claims to be Am
erica's Greatest Newspaper" and is always
stanchly Republican in politics-generally admit
ted to be the leading Republican daily news
paper of the West The Tribune editorial, which
is exciting wide comment, follows
The Democrats to see their can
didate clearly in advance of their con.
vention They may, of course, be lead
but not high enough, for view
of the scenery and nothing else. That
lacks both FEASIBILITY and probability
Informed observers longer believe
that the party is to give Smith go-
rious miss, which grazes the nomi-
nation so closely the candidate
hear the acclaim of it and smell its
and yet not get it. In reasonable
prospects the New Yorker is regarded
the nominee
When the Republicans come together
in Kansas City holding their conven-
ton in advance of the Democratic at
Houston, they probably will have to
consider Smith as the man of the OPP
position ticket, with all that his nomi-
nation will imply. They won't know it
certain, but they will not be justi-
fled in thinking anything else,
Not only as to Smith but to ideas
the Republicans have seen the Demo-
craft, campaign in the making for the
last six months and 1t has been
revealed to its meaning and pur-
pose the stump by Senator Reed in
his swinging around the circle. 1t has
been outlined in the United States Sen
ate by Senator Bruce of Maryland and
elsewhere by Gov Richie of Maryland.
1t has not been without opposition in the
party, from Senators Glass and Swanson
of Virginia and Walsh of Montana in
the Senate and by McAdoo and his
cerics and drys at large. But the
of Smith means the defeat of these
elements, and it that the prin-
cipes declared with political and his
torcal accuracy by Bruce and Reed are
dominating the Democratic Party
1t is not a description of the ideas
to say that they wet. Opposition
to the Volstead Act and the theories
and abuses of government which have
followed Constitutional Prohibition is
a small part of the social and political
theory now being developed by the
Democratic leadership. Volsteadism is
the NEST vivid phenomenon symp-
tom. but the Democratic issue is cut
ting deeper than that
The Republican management has for
gotten the origin of the party. For
purpose. in inertia because of timid-
fty. it has swung back through Whig-
gerry into the old Federalism and into
the worst OF Federalism. 1t has re-
Joined itself by doctrines of oppres-
sion enforced by Federal machinery
by Federal Courts and Marshals The
Democratic Party has renewed its
ISOLATION with its youth when it was
at times unwisely and at times wildly
the exponent of Democratic rights and
the defender of the individual against
the usurped power against autocratic
government and against unrea-
sonable or unjust majorities.
Broad classification must attribute
the Republican Party to the successful
liberalizing of the Federalist idea hut
the process destroyed two party or
CARNATIONS before it Powered in Lin
coin. 1t must be remembered also
that the Democatic Party having de-
stroyed the Federalsts for their sins
against democracy, itself took to the
autocracy of Federalism in support of
slavery and made the Republican Party
possible. The sins of the Federasts
were found in the Alien and Sedition
Acts and in the of Federal judicial
and administrative machinery to force