Milford chronicle., 1928-08-10

The statement read by Bishop
James Cannon, Jr., of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, begins by
emphasizing, 1.-The prime necessity
for the maintenance in unimpaired
vigor of the Democratic Party in ev-
cry Southern State. We favor and
shall work for the election of dry
Democratic local and State officials
and for dry Democratic candidates
for the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States. We
shall vigorously oppose any effort
which may be made by the Republi-
can Party to take advantage of diff
ferences of opinion among Southern
Democrats concerning the Presiden-
tial nominee to elect in any South
ern State Republican nominees for
the United States Senate, for the ma
tional House of Representatives, or
for any State offices. We believe that
the best interest not only of the
Southern States, but of the nation,
demand the maintenance of Demo-
cratic control of all local govern
ment in the Southern States"
Then it declares that "all proper
and honorable means will be used to
secure the defeat of Gov Smith" for
these reasons:
First, Governor Smiths repudia-
ton of the Houston platform on Pro-
hibition. Second, Governor Smiths
wet record. Third, Governor Smiths
selection of a wet Republican as
chairman of the national Democratic
committee. Fourth, Governor
Smiths relation to Tammany Hall"
The statement recites in detail the
story of the protracted discussion of
prohibition in the platform commit
tee of the Houston convention and
the fact that a compromise was
reached in that committee, after
wards approved by the convention
itself. 1t calls attention to the fact
that the reading of Gov. Smiths
telegram was "belated;" that this
telegram voiced a flat refusal to
accept the carefully considered de-
cision of the platform committee,
which had been approved by a for
NAL vote of the convention" that the
telegram was mot courageous" as
was Judge Parker's telegram to the
convention in 1904, but was rather
an action of "brazen political effron-
terry" planned in advance, and made
for the purpose of appealing to the
wet Republican vote in the North
east. 1t was, the statement asserts,
IAN open, inconsiderate, shameless
defiance of dry Democrats every
where and especially in the South,
where thousands were publicly and
insolently notified that they must
their convictions on a
great moral question" with the I'M
derstanding that if the wet Tam
many candidate is elected, his cleo
ton will be regarded as a mandate
to advocate and secure the adoption,
# possible, of drastic modification of
The prohibition law. "This," the
statement declares, "is a shameless
of political double-deal-
ng in full accord with Tammany
and ideals and is indignant
y rejected"
The statement recites Gov. Smiths
saloon record in New York and then
lssails the appointment of Mr.. Ras-
Rob as Chairman of the National
Democratic Committee, which it !
as simply an empha- 7
izing of the insulting, conscience
ess attitude of the wet Tammany
toward the dry voters of :
he Democratic party" =
Mr.. Raskob, it is said, "is the Vice +
Hartman Of the Association Against b
he Prohibition Amendment, a mem v
er of the Republican Union League C
Tub, and voter for Coolidge in the n
lection of 1924. Mr.. Raskob prompt n
Y responded to the call of the wet
ammany Governor with a speech s
hitch had been carefully prepared O
advance, reiterating as it's out il
landing feature the sentiments of il
lie said wet Tammany Governor in n
pposition to prohibition. This Z
1eech by Mr.. Raskob was followed G.
day later by statement to the W
ress that he had accepted the posi- it
on of Chairman of the Democratic al
Committee because he saw ta
~ EnTHn nWHWuT~w--