The border vidette., 1928-01-28
GOV. SMITHS LETTER TO JACK
SON DAY DINNER LEADERS
(Arizona Republican,

sent by Governor Smith OF New
| York to be read at tonight's
Jackson Day dinner here fol.
lows:
Hon. Glenn Shaver, chairman,
Democratic National Committee,
Washington. D. G.
/ MY Dear Chairman:
/ 1t is a matter of deep regret
that the pressure of official busi-
ness makes it impossible for me
to leave the state. I should like
to join with my fellow Demo
Gratis throughout the country in
celebrating the birthday of An.
drew Jackson. | take it that
when a group of Democratic
| leaders from the various parts
of the country come together,
something must naturally be said
of interest to the country and to-
the party.
THE Democratic party de
serves success in the nation, but,
in my opinion, cannot obtain it
by relying wholly upon the mis-
takes of it's political adversaries.
It should inspire confidence by
constructive, forward looking
! platform with promises of ma
terial betterment for the nation.
There should be no western, no
eastern, no southern democracy.
Jeffersonian democracy is built
upon proposals sufficiently broad
and liberal to enlist all men who
believe in the principles of re.
preventative government. We
must think nationally, and not
locally.
IF I may be pardoned for
definite suggestion at this time,
| I venture to say that declaration
of party principles might we'll
be tentatively drafted at the
learliest possible moment. | be
llieve We have erred in the past
by waiting for the national con-
tion to undertake the entire task
of preparing platform. In the
heat and rush of convention
the platform when finally writ
ten is, to my way of thinking
not sufficiently understandable
to the masses of the people.
There is too great tendency to
speak of the evils that beset US
and fail to suggest any specific
remedy.
Party platforms of recent
years have been too general in
their terms and important ques
tions have been neglected by
platform builders 10 the spirit of
compromise with great princi.
pies. We cannot carry water on
both shoulders. The Democra.
tic party must talk out, to the
American people in no uncer.
tain terms.
THE national committee could
render great service to the
party and to the country as we'll.
Eby the formulation far in ad.
vance of the national conven.
ton. of definite party policy
on lines from which there can
come during the course of the
conventions deliberatins a plat
form upon which our candidates
may present their cause to the
country.
TT is my deep conviction that
our platform should be built by
applying the fundamental prin
ciples of Jeffersonian democracy
unf1inchingly, to each specific
problem OF the day.
THE greatest degree of local
self-government by the states,
the minimum of interference by
the federal government or any
state with the local habits and
concerns of any other states. le.
gislation for the interest of all,
and not for any class or group,
non-ipterference with the inter.
nal affairs of other nations, tol.
erance of conflicting opinion
these are our articles of political
faith:
| when we follow these, we
succeed. We should follow them
now.
| I'VE should study and treat in
the light of these principles our
foreign relations, prohibition,
agriculture, reform of the gov.
ernmental machinery, economic
policy, conservation, and devel,
opment of our public natural re-
sources and in fact any other
question which arises. We will
solve these specific problems
rightly only if we fearlessly