Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1928-10-11
HOOVER BIDS FOR
SOUTHERN VOTE
Republican Candidate For President
Makes Appeal for Fair Play
and Sportsmanship in Elizabeth
ton Speech; Heard by Big Throng

| Elizabethton, Tenn, Oct. 6-Her-
bert Hoover appealed to the people
of the south today to lay aside par
ty prejudices and vote for a presi-
dent who represents the principles
that correspond to their convictions.
Speaking to an immense crowd,
many of whom stood almost ankle
deep in muddy field, the Republi-
can candidate made the first person
al plea for the support of the nor
mally solid Democratic south that a
nominee of his party has made in
modern political history.
The crowd was tumultous in it's
welcome to the Republican standard
bearer. He spoke on platform built
at the foot of a high hill on the
edge of the mountain town and the
crowd massed into a huge fan-shap-
ed mass of humanity below him.
Hundreds of others were seated in
temporary stands which sprawled
across the hill under the shade of
the trees above him.
As the candidates car appeared
on the outskirts of the crowd a roar
went up from the mountaineers
crowded about the stand. His auto
mobile was parked on the outskirts
Of the crowd and he was forced to
plough through the mud Of the field
to the speakers stand.
Launching into his speech, he ex-
planned his views on farm relief, pro-
hioition and other platform declara-
tions, but made no reference to the
religious issue that is stirring the
southern states. Hoover did, how
ever, make an appeal for fair play
and good craftsmanship, asserting
that I'VE prove ourselves worthy,
worthy of self-government and wor-
thy of confidence as officials in pro-
portion as we keep these contests
free from abuse, free from misrepre-
sentation and free from words and
acts that carry regret"
"In a contest like this there is no
place for personal bitterness" he
said. "a great attribute OF our po-
litical life has been the spirit of fair
play with which our presidential
contests have been waged in former
years. and the sportsmanlike spirit in
which We have accepted the re-
suits"
The candidate touched upon the
farm relief issue which he previous
ly had explained in his West Branch
speech, declaring that no such far
reaching and specific proposal had
ever been made by political party
on behalf OF any industry in our
history.
He dismissed the prohibition is
sue with a single paragraph in which
he asserted that the purpose of the
18th amendment was to protect the
American home, and that an obliga-
ton was placed upon the president to
secure its honest enforcement, and
''to eliminate the abuses that have
grown up around it." - wish it to
succeed" he added.
He turned then to brief outline
Of his views on a number of other
questions advocating strengthening
Of the ''protective tariff" "The
great manufacturing industries of
south are dependent upon it," he
asserted. "Your vast spinning in
dustry. your iron and steel industry
are the product of it."
He pledged himself against any
laXity in immigration restriction; for
development of improved highways,
completion of the Mississippi flood
control project; promotion and de-
fense of the foreign trade; the sup
port OF a sound merchant marine;
economy in government to bring
about further tax reductions; MAIN
tenance of the army and navy to
such a point as will remove 'even
the fear of foreign invasion;" and
for foreign policies directed to the
cause of peace.
The nominee urged continuance
Of just and generous laws for the re-
lief of war veterans; revision of
court procedure to bring about
''swifter and surer justices"
strengthening of the public school
system and institutions Of higher
learning to provide an enlarged op-
portunity for the young. He re-
minded his audience that cali legis-
lation, all administrative action must
stand the supreme test that it pro-
vide equal opportunity for all our
citizens, not for any special group"
While the nominee did not touch
upon the so-called whispering cam
paigns, the venerable former Cover
nor Alfred A Taylor of Tennessee,
who introduced him, dealt with
story that he said had been circu-
lated that the candidate had applied
for British naturalization. Reading
| from what he said was an official
document, the S1-year old veteran
of many political campaigns, said
that this had been offered Hoover,