Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-25

The Houston convention will be the most ha--
monious in the history Of the democratic party, and
o nthe htird or fourth ballot. is the prediction Of east
ern leaders Of the democratic party. They forecast
that Smith will come to the convention with more than
q majority OF the delegates pledged. and that after the
usual crop Of @favorite sons" is disposed Of he will
receive the necessary two-thirds vote.
Governor Richie Of Maryland is expected to have
the support of the delegation from that state, and
Senator Reed Of Missouri will have the delegation from
his state and possibly from several others. However,
their votes will swing to Smith as soon as the conven-
ton ascertains that none of the ~favorite sons" have
n chance against the New Yorker, is the way Smith
leaders size up the situation.
The optimism of the Smith supporters is substan-
TALLY backed by the reports from the West and North
where party leaders are reporting their states will in
struct for the New York man. Even in the South.
where sentiment is believed opposed TO the nomination
OF Smith, many party leaders are joining the eastern
wing Of the party in the interest of party solidarity.
The recent outburst from Senator Helm is believed
by many party leaders to have materially changed the
situation in the South. They point out that southern
democracy has always been an exponent Of religious
tolerance, and that Heflin's attack upon Smith, based
upon the fact he is q Catholic, has aroused the ire Of
thousands of Protestants who vigorously object to the
injection of a religious issue. Political observers, who
profess to keep a finger upon the political pulse Of
the nation, predict that the reaction from the Helm
attack will line up q number of the southern states
which heretofore have been decidedly chilly in their
attitude toward the eastern candidate.
Leaders Of the Smith forces also predict that the
only note of discord in the convention will be sounded
by Senator Helm and a few ledaers of similar charac-
ter, and assert that any appeal to prejudice, such as
Helm has made, will be firmly and effectually shut
off at the source.
Republican leaders are also predicting that the
Kansas City convention will be fully as harmonious
as that Of 1924, and the Hoover forces are confidently
expecting their favorite to take the lead on the first
ballot. Like the democrats, the republicans will have
q large crop Of ~favorite sons" to dispose of before the
real balloting begins.
The endorsement tendere, Hoover By the Texas
G. o. ?. is regarded as significant by eastern leaders.
and the Hoover supporters are frankly enthusiastic
over the actio nof the Texans. They point out that
Texas has practically established q precedent by TAX
ing the initiative in an effort 10 secure an instructed
delegation for the commerce secretary, and that 1t
marks the beginning of a new era Of independence IN
tn southern wing Of the party. Heretofore il has been
the policy Of the southern republicans TO send unin-
structed delegations and then calmly climb onto the
Aband wagon" when the balloting had made sufficient
progress. Southern votes were ges rally scattered in
all directions when the b~alloting started. but at the
Kansas City convention the delegates will probably be
treated to the spectacle of a united and aggressive
South vigorously battling for the candidate Of their
choice from the time the first ballot is called.