The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-19
No Excess Baggage

In his first speech away from New York,
al Smith comes out boldly and plainly for the
McNary -Haugen method of farm relief.
This newspaper has never believed that
) such methods can bring prosperity to the
farmer, but it is also very true that very many
farmers in this and other States believe that
through this policy their prosperity and finan-
cial salvation can be assured.
They have been sold to this theory by lead
ers in the Republican party who have since
seen the error of their ways.
Senators Watson and Robinson still boast
that they are for this method and are, there
fore, more in sympathy with Smith than with
Hoover
The Smith speech on this subject should
have one immediate reaction in this State It
should convince Hoovers real friends that
he can not carry excess baggage and win in
Indiana.
The Hoover campaign in this State has
been rather badly handicapped thus far by
3 the character of his friends and with the
Smith candidacy now making open appeal
to the farmer it is highly essential that he be
/. those who are attempting to use his reputa-
ton as a shield for their own ambitions and
weaknesses.
Upon the issue of the McNary- Haugen
measure the speech of Smith will undoubtedly
arouse enthusiasm among the farmers who
were so thoroughly sold to that false theory by
the Watson and Robinson speeches in the
spring when they went up and down the State
declaring that through it and it alone could
there come any relief for the farmers.
It is undoubtedly true that the farmers, If
they ever get this particular measure, will find
that they are attempting the old impossible
! feat of trying to lift themselves by their own
boot straps and will be burdened by bureau
greater than any eyer created for other pur
poses
With this situation it becomes more and
more important that the Hoover candidacy be
no longer handicapped by association with
those forces which are becoming intolerable
1t is bad enough to have to fight the fallacy
Of this fake farm method without being COM
PEELED to carry the forces that are attached to
the Leslie candidacy and which are attempting
to ride into power with Hoover.
The decent people of The State have been
shown that there is no connection whatever be-
tween the forces behind Leslie and those behind
Herbert Hoover.
The insistance of jackson in stepping into
the limelight on every possible occasion, shame
fully parading his liberty through the statute
Of limitations, is incensing more and more
people.
The fact that the old Stephenson lieutenants
are back on the State pay rolls through the
office of the fire marshall, which is directing
the Leslie campaign, is not helping.
Every old scandal Of the State to control is
an added burden to the Hoover candidacy that
does not belong to him and should no longer be
carried.
The Smith speech, with it's apparent en-
thusiasm among farmers who should know bet
ter, means that there will be big fight in In
diana.
The decks should and must be cleared. The
real friends Of Hoover undoubtedly will insist
that he carry no longer the burden of apology
for Leslie and jackson and the other forces
which have shamed the State.
There are two distinct campaigns in this
State and party names are meaningless.