The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-22
Smiths Attack On Owen


His attitude in handling the Ku-Klux Khan
in New York, his repeal of the Lusk anti-red
laws, his position on censorship and on birth
control, all those features of AL Smith s record
as Governor of New York have built for him
justly deserved reputation for tolerance even
toward those he thoroughly detests.
1t therefore is no more than natural that
this newspaper, itself an admirer of Smith s
past record in that regard should be disap-
pointed at his own suddenly acquired intoler-
ance.
Such intolerance was manifested in no un-
certain form in his Oklahoma City speech
For example, in his attack on ex-senator
Robert L. Owen, lifelong Democrat turned to
Hoover shortly after Smith S nomination, just
as John j. Raskob, a Republican, turned to
Smith.
Owen reason was that he could not stom-
ach Tammany
About that Smith said:
81 know I do not have to tell you friends
of mine in this section of the country that the
cry of Tammany hall is nothing more nor less
than red herring that is pulled across the
trail to throw us off the scent. know
what's behind it, it is nothing more nor less
than my religion
To charge that man who opposes Smith
because of Tammany is using Tammany a
screen to hide the real motive, religion-that
is not tolerant. 1t is not fair. 1t no more fair
than it would be for Smiths opponent to
charge that Raskob's adherence to Smith was
for religious reasons.
Such charge calls for proof And Smith
did not present the proof.
By what process of reasoning does Smith
deduce that Ovens objection is in reality in
spired by religion rather than Tammany
reasons9
Does Smith presume to say that man con
not honestly oppose him Tammy grounds?
Read the record Of Tammany. Retrace the
story of the forty thieves, of Tweed and of
Croker. Go back over the graft and corruption
that have been interviewer in Tammany affairs.
And then ask yourself, is it exalting the
principle of tolerance to brand man as re-
ligious bigot simply because he Announces that
Tammanys record makes him suspicious of
any candidate who has at any time been active
in the affairs of that organization2
1t is true that AL Smith has made strong
case for himself on the Tammany issue. And
we believe Smith record is one of honesty in
public office. We believe that he has risen
above Tammany. But at the same time, we
concede that others, knowing the history of
'Tammany, have plenty of reasons for wholesale
suspicious of that organization and for voting
against Smith because Of those suspicious
Many will vote against Hoover because he
was member of administrations in which so
much corruption prevailed. The doings of the
Falls and Dohenys and the Sinclairs during the
Harding and Coolidge administrations were
not in our opinion, blamable on Herbert
Hoover, secretary Of commerce.
But we certainly would not question the
sincerity of citizen who concluded that he did
not want to vote for anyone who had been
identified with the Republican administrations
in which the corruption took place.
There you have the analogy between Tam
many on the one hand and the corruptionists
IN the Republican party on the other.
And so we say that AL Smith, in his
handling of the intolerance issue at Oklahoma
City, stepped down from the high plane of toll
erance that lie occupied during his guhernator-
lal administrations, and himself INDUCED in the
very thing that he is attacking.
Smith at Oklahoma City was swinging wild.
He was not up to form.