Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-26
SAYS HALLAM
EVADES issue
Judge Seabury Discuss
es Negro Equality
And Intolerance

Asserting that DR.. S. X. Hallam.
leader Of the Hoover democrats, has
failed to correct the statements at-
tributed to him regarding Tammany
control Of the New York legisla-
ture. Judge Z. W. Seabury has is
sued the following open letter:
In The Brownsville Herald Of
September Is. you were reported as
having included in your address Of
the night before at Harrington, the
statement that the Tammany con-
trolled legislature Of New York en-
acted a law giving negroes the same
rights in hotels, restaurants and
public conveyances, as whites
Pursuant to the policy adopted by
the national committees Of the W
major parties, democratic and re-
publican, that this campaign should
Be fought truthfully and honorably,
and that published statements Of a
false or scurrilous nature should be
promptly repudiated or denied, l at
once challenged the truth of this
particular statement, in my letter TO
You Of September 18th, without wait
ing to see whether the republican
party, or your own superiors among
the Texas boilers, would give 10
their official Reputation.
This challenge demanded Of you,
IL you chose 10 be bound to the hon
orable policy laid down by the w
parties, one of two things. II you
were convinced by the decision Of
the highest court Of New York which
! had cited, that this law had been
passed by a republican legislature
about the time Governor Alfred Z.
Smith was born, il was up to you to
apologize handsomely for an over
jealous attempt to saddle this law
of the democratic party, on Cover
nor Smith or even on Tammany. II
you were not convinced, then you
should nave taken up my challenge
and shown by references to the New
York statutes or decisions that you
were right in the original statement.
You did neither Of these.
Instead. you have, after a weeks
delay and study, prepared and pub
lished a lengthy letter addressed TO
me. full OF the usual campaign type
of argument, and with but a single
paragraph addressed to the real is
sue between US, namely, the truth
or untruth Of your above quoted
statement.
Social Equality An Issue
"You say that negro equality Is
not an issue. In the South il has
been an issue in every presidential
campaign, and Secretary Hoover's ac-
tion in abolishing the segregation
between negroes and whites, which
had existed since 1918 ~ the bureau
Of the census, has not made it any
less an issue. You at least should
not complain Of this matter being
considered an issue in Cameron
county. for you yourself opened the
campaign at Harlingen and were the
first publicly to discuss the sub
ject. and il was certainly you your
self who tried. and who are still try
inr in your last letter. 70 tag the
democratic party and its president
ial candidate with the same label
that the republicans have worn for
SO many years.
you say that the religious ques-
tion IS not an issue. Certainly il
ought not 10 be. in a land whose
constitution demands religious
equality and implies religious toll
rance If IL Is an issue, IL has
been made such by those ministers
who have converted the house of
God into a forum for the discussion
OF social and economic questions,
and from that have gone logically
into politics and into attempts 20
control the votes Of their congrera-
tions and throw them. in mass and
IS a~dherents of that particular
church. 20 one candidate or anoth-
er. Whenever this il attempted in
America. the cry Of religious intol-
france viii be raised. and il will be
an issue in the campaign.
Cites DIR, Butler
"You say that prohibition, or the
demon rum as you forcibly exprSss
Il, Is the only true issue. Yet you,
IN ardent prohihitionist, and Nichol-
rs Murray Butler. president Of
Columbia University, the most but
standing and thorough-going oppon-
ent In America Of the Volstead act
and Of the 18th amendment. are
supporting the same candidate for
president. You must not think that
DR.. Butler Is doing this because he
shares your views as to the charac-
ter or abilities Of Governor Smith.
DR.. Butler recently said Of our
democratic candidates: "Since man.
hood. a competent and eager public
servant in posts Of steadily grow
ing Importance and authority: some
time speaker Of the assembly; mem
Der of the constitutional conven-
tion 81 1915; three times chosen BY
the people OF a truly imperial state
to be their governors, alert, effect
i've, public spirited and courageou
constantly speaking the true voice
Of the people, Or. Butler, like your
self. believes prohibition the DOM
inant question Of today. The only
difference between you two on this
point is that he wants to abolish pro-
hibition. and you want 70 keep il.
Evidently a terrible mistake Is be-
ing made by one Of you two gentle
men. Somebody is being fooled on
this prohibition issue; and as Or.
Butler knows thoroughly the char
acter. views and abilities of both
Governor Smith and Secretary Hoov-
er, / leave il to you to guess who !