The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-08
The Growing Test for Liberalism"

Is the Democratic party through? That ques-
ton arises out of the 1928 election.
More and that party has been losing its
reason for existence. More and more it has been
straying after false gods. Once it the party of
true liberalism in the Jeersonian definition of that
term 1t is no more. Those principles which once
distinguished it have been lost in scramble to ap
proprate for of expediency and strategy doc
trineS that essentially Republican.
In 1920, 1924 and 1928 the platforms of the two
parties showed little difference In 1928, Smith in
jected prohibition after the party had lodged it.
With that outstanding exception, the campaign
just closed has presented little TO diferentate the
Democratic party from the Republican. The Demo-
Gratis accepted the Republican tariff.
They took unto their bosom the bureaucracy of
McNary- Haugenism, while Hoover proclaimed the in
dividualism which the basis of Jeffersons belief
but which no longer is the Democratic creed.
So overwhelming was the defeat that the Demo-
cratic party's ability to survive doubtful
Ours is a party system If one of the two
major parties dies, another must take its place For
we still must function along two party lines
new grouping seems not unlikely in the next
ur years
Generally speaking, politics is state of mind
d dded into two classes, commonly called liberalism
a41d conservatism. Duplicating as it has to an in
sreasing degree the Republican philosophy, the Demo-
cratic party has been less and less to which liberals
could turn
Accordingly, for want of a liberal party as such,
the liberals of the nation have been dividing into two
camps selecting what they regarded the lesser of
two evils.
Should the next four years of Republican admin
stration be reactionary those of Mckinley Taft,
Harding and Coolidge, there may emerge in 1882 an
effective organization of liberals challenging the right
of the Democratic party to live.
But should Hoover instin into the Republican
party the liberalism that with the exception of the
Roosevetian era it previously has lacked, the posi-
bilities for the growth of new liberal party would
be diminished correspondngly
Is Hoover a liberal?
The essence Of his philosophy as expressed in 1928
has been equality of opportunity. He has stressed
that theme repeatedly.
Equal opportunity in itself is liberal creed 1t is
the opposite of the conservative reactionary ideal
The conservative believes in government by the
'best minds" The liberal believes in government by
all the people The "best mind" philosophy is the
philosophy of special privilege. Through special
privilege the "best mind" thinks the country can
prosper and that such prosperity bengnly husbanded
can be passed on down to the rank and file.
1t is the idea of largess Equal opportunity, on the
contrary means that the mission of the government
is to guarantee opportunity to ALL rather than supply
special privilege to few, that the few may act as
guardians of the many.
Individual opportunity is the philosophy of indi-
vidualism as against bureaucracies. 1t was SO
pressed by Hoover in his Madison Square Garden
speech.
Hoover's basic idea therefore, put into practical
operation would bring a change in the whole
mental attitude of the Republican party 1t would
be an intensely liberalizng process
Hoover's nomination came from the rank and file,
which forced that nomination because of a belief,
that Hoover would represent the antithess Of stand
patsm His previous public record had indicated him
to be liberal.
During the campaign he utilized the organization
of the party that had nominated him. In that or
ganization were the conventional standpatters who
for years have been running Republican affairs
Liberals who had been enthusiastic about his nonna-
ton began to have qualms they found themselves
in the company of the Watsons and the Hlleses.
But despite those qualnns, many liberals saw the
practical reason why Hoover, the nominee Of party
which contained great numbers of reactionarles
could not hope to win by declaring war on his own
following.
From now on it is a case Of the proof OF the
pudding.
Averting Calamity