Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-25
TEXAS DAILY PRESS LEAGUE


Until Thursday night the eyes of the nation viii
be centered on Texas and on Houston in particular.
In that city the democratic leaders Of the country are
assembled TO formulate their platform and nominate
a standard bearer, and never since the days prior to
the World War has national interest in the policies
and nominees of the democratic party been more keen.
Prohibition and farm relief are the fundamental
issues to be passed upon by the party's representa-
tives ut their national convention. With the South
apathetic SO far as fam relief is concerned but do
cidedIy militant in demanding a rigid law enforce
ment plank and a platform expression placing the
party on record in favor Of prohibitions; with the West
and Middle West ~apathetic in regard to prohibition
ard making strenuous demands for farm relief, and
the East equally v~ociferous in favor Of repeal or mod
ificatiOn of the eighteenth amendment, meeting Of all
demands in the party platform is obviously impossible.
Leaders representative of the opposing opinions are
insistent in their demands that there be no "strad-
dli IT," They assert that the republican platform, by
reason Of the ambiguous manner in which II has dealt
with the main issues now before the American public,
has lost its prestige with the American voteSs who
are demanding a clear-cut expression on the issues.
However, as each believes that the clear-cut expression
should reflect only the sentiments Of the group with
which he is personally aligned, the resolutions com
mittee, which will frame the party platform. will have
an extremely difficult task in determining how far to
go in putting the party on record on the issues on
which the party itself is hopelessly divided.
II the democratic platform takes a definite stand
either for prohibition or modification, it is doomed
20 defeat in the November election, is the prediction
Of political observers who assert the party will be rs
hopelessly divided on the issue as il was on free sill
yer in 1896. Upon farm relief, however, a definite ex-
preston either for or against will not seriously affect
the party's stand with the voters, as the East, while
opposed to the equalization fund plan Of the MeNary-
Haugen bill, will not be militant in opposing the party's
nominee in the event a logical farm relief program is
outlined as one Of the party's detectives.
The farmers Of the democratic platform have a diff
ficult task to perform. They cannot expect the plat
form to reflect the views Of every group, but il can be
so framed that It will meet the approval Of the great
mass Of American voters. Ultra-radicals Of all poit-
zeal faiths will greet the platform with predictions Of
disaster. regardless OF what il may contain, but the
party can place its faith In the CONNIE sense Of the
average voters who is seldom inclined to be tempera-
mental or become greatly wrought up over what the
leaders Of various factions or groups regard as the
paramount issue"
IL the democrats win this year. a conservative plat
form and a popular leader will be the basis Of their
victory. II the party goes before the country as the
representative of any certain group or faction within
the party it is doomed 10 certain defeat; but if It
proves By its platform that it is broad enough to meet
the problems Of the nation, the party has the best
chances Of victory since 1912 when division in rcpub-
lican ranks gave the democrats TING opportunity 10
seize control. Wy