The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-01-20


1t was Smith dinner. OF the
fifteen speeches first and Last
every one was tuned to the idea OF
preparing the party for the nomina-
tion of Governor Alfred E. Smith Of
New York.
Only one speaker the forthright
Ritchie of Maryland, dared to men,
ion the name of the New York Gov
.,rnor. but Smith was on every mind
md for seven hours the party lead
ars unloosed their best logic, their
est rhetoric. their best orat, ry and
their best Of everything in the art
of salesmanship to sell to the
assembled hosts the idea Of Demo-
cratic unity on the candidate to bc
nominated regardless Of personal
preferences or prejudices.
Speech after speech deplored reli-
gious bigotry and insisted upon a
determined and militant adherence
to the democratic doctrine Of the
rights Of citizens to the liberty Of
conscience. .; "
Speaker after speaker insisted
that the wetness or the dryness Of
a candidate should not be made! an
issue In the forthcoming campaign;
that the Democratic party could not
take its stand for either wetness or
dryness since 1t was, made up ..pf
both Vets and Drys and neither
should attempt to usurp the right
to assert its pet prejudice as Il
plank in the forthcoming platform.
Now all of this tik along two
particular lines was not without ides
ppsrescs Iera sYas y haf
rage of opposition to the; Injection
of prohibition and religion into the
impending campaign, from fhet mass
ed artillery Of the party. |, Not even
William G. McAdoo, violent: Irehi-
bitionist and Smith. antagonist that
he is dared inject any other note
into the atmosphere. Time after
time we were told that the Demo-
cratic party can win this year II 1t
will unite on an. able. honest, 'Ssur-
ageous candidate pledged to-. the
principles Of Jacksohihn, and Jeffer-
SON Democracy. AND hot spit on the
rocks. of religious blgotry and pro
hibition intolerance. All hell can't
keep us out of the White House, was
the way SIr. McAdoo put it.
Now all this talk was not to pave
the way for the nomination Of a dry
and protestant McAdoo, a Wet but
Protestant Reed or any other poten.
tial candidate except Governor
Smith. Behind 1t all was n single
provoking thought: That thought
was of the apparent inevitableness
of the nomination Of Governor
Smith at the convention in, Houston,
Tex. in June.
And so the hosts of Democracy
are preparing for the nomination. OF
Smith,. Their greatest fear is of the
Solid South, but much was done to.
ward taking care Of this sore spot
by planting this years convention
i'm Il Southern State A lot CT trad
ing can he done in Texas. Texas
with all its Norrisism, Ma Fergu-
sonism and rustic potguttedness, Is
a State dominated largely by red.
blooded. sport-loving, cow-punching
Americans. When the Texans be-
hold AL Smith in person they are
going to lean TO him and then cheer
him.. He's their hero, only most. OF
them don't know it at this moment.
And what an excuse they IN Texas
are going to have to crawl on board
the Smith band wagon. There Is
their own vice presidential offering
in the person Of Governor Dan
Moody. .Whet a pair Srsith and
Moody would make; it would be
hard to pick two more winsome per.
sonalities for one ticket.
What are the Southern women go
;ng to do when Dan Moody goes be-
fore them in behalf Of the party Of
their fathers and their forefatheis!
Handsome Dan Moody 35 years old,
red-blooded, athletic, wholesome,
captivating, L. s. A. written all
over him. Are the Democratic
women of the Old South going to
pass up Moody for a sour note ike
Herbert Hoover or an old pipe Ike
Charles Dawes? Never IL rEs
| world.
And so that's what I get out OF
the big Democratic doings In Wash-
ington last week. democracy is
rauying it's forces to acccpt the
nomination of Governor s-lrr and
| make the most of &c. W