Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1928-07-07
THE SITUATION


nounced that he will not resign MS
position as Governor of New YORK
State. Had he decided so to do, he
would be succeeded by the Lieuten-
ant Governor, who is Republican,
"a the brilliant New Yorker was the
only Democrat elected during that
Republican landslide. He will make
approximately twelve speeches dur
ing the campaign. By his open dec
laration upon the liquor question, ne
has made it the burning issue and
has accordingly made a minor afair
Of the oil scandals on which Senator
James A. Reed, of Missouri, would
have depended had he been chosen
the standard bearer Of the Demo-
cratic Party.
The effect of intoxicating by name
and specification the 18th Amend
ment in the Democratic platform was
nullifed when Governor Smith noti-
fed the Convention then in session
in Houston that his position on this
all important subject had not been
changed and that he would seek to
modify the drastic features of the
Volstead Act leaving to the States
the right to determine the alcoholic
contents of wine and beer. This an
nouncement Mortified the extreme dry
element, which element claimed that
Governor Smith had virtually bolted
the platform, the expressed will of
the Democratic National Convention
and that the members of that Con-
vantion had the right and were justi-
fed in boiling him as candidate of
the party for the presidency.
In retaliation, Hoover Democratic
clubs are being organized throughout
the country to encompass his defeat.
AS Governor Smith is being backed
in States, which are antagonistic to
the equalization fee of the McNary-
Haugen farmers bill, the Democratic
National Convention found itself m
the same predicament as did the Re-
publicans at Kansas City and could
only make vague promises spoken
to the ear to be broken to the hope"
Although a lynching greeted the
delegates at Houston before the
opening of that great organization,
not one sentence appears in the plat
form denunciatory of this browning
infamy of the century.
No colored citizen appeared inside
the convention hall either as a dele
gate or as an alternate. They were
lucky enough to get inside as mental
servants. As for Governor Smith,
he and his managers evidently scent
ed danger and as result, he re-.
manned in New York, where. ne smil-
ingly enjoyed the convention exer-
cises over radio. There may also be
some method and wisdom in the de-
termination not to have him travel
over the country making speeches,
where he is liable to come within the
range of the anarchist or the Ku-
Kluxer.
In view Of present conditions, what
are his handicsps and what are the
distractions to his success? He has
waged a spectacular contest TOP the
nomination. He has won out With
out any suspicion Of fraud, deception
or unfair dealing. he accepted the
gauge Of q two-thirds vote and al
though he had hspower so rtotdo, hs
did not change TBS, established rsie
to a majority vote in order to- So.
cure the nominations. He hasrdissi-
pated the propagsnda thst StAsaes
religion shall psoye . bal: to his nom
nation as. candidate for President. .
Hsis . Roman CATHOLIC. and he has
not made any compromising remarks
with regard to his chosen religion, in
order to secure the honor which has
come to him. So far, so good. Has
"Al" Smiths friends depleted their