Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-23

Whatever the final score in the Smith
White tilt may be, an interesting feature
of the bout Is the number OF editors In
the anti-Smith cheering section who ap~
pear willing to give the governor hand
for his comeback" though many regret
the incident and hope for Its close.
There are those also who feel that the
reulv does not alter the Democratic cam
didate's record in regard TO the saloon.
His reply should be satisfactory ex~
cept to those who do not wish TO oe
satisfied" according To the Newark
Evening News independently taxing
up his public record, bill by DILL Mr.
Smith gives good explanation OF nus
attitude toward legislation aflectlng
gambling and prostitution. IL
to be hoped that Mr.. Smiths reply VIII
nut an end to, or at least impose a
check upon, the mud singing, which
both candidates promised to try 70 kee!'
out Of the campaign. Mr. Smith mas
been too long and too prominently III
public life to have many mysteries.
Fair minded readers Of his categorl-
cal statement" In the opinion OF tne
New York Times independently, VIII
dismiss the charges from their mlnds'
as the governor proposes to dismiss them
for the rest of the campaign.
He leaves both the Kansas brethren
White and Henry j. Allen-~in a posi-
ton where no other Republican VIII
envy them. He proves that the pro-
! tagonist of the charges knew notfllng
about the background Of the pllls ne
cited ms nroof that Assemblyman Smith
| was the defender Of disreputaoie ele-
ments Of society,"
u # II
1--WE cannot believe that any man OF
normal intelligence and normal decency
| felt that Gov Smith needed TO MAKE a
reply to the charges Of William Alien
white saws the Baltimore Sun tinde-
pendent Democratic) THE latter. "a
distinguished and popular figure IN
American journalism, handled ms
| charges against Gov. Smith III man
ner that grieved his friends ana re-
| ioiced his enemies. III oihltti
had been utterly subservient 10 ram
many as a young man ana nad Woikeu
himself out of that degradation ana up
TO his present station as man OF me
private honor and fine public service
but two things would have been proved
| One, the extraordinary ana inspiring
strength of the man IN overcoming sucli
handicaps, and the other. the giofious
possibilities of American Hfe. as u IN,
, the governor HAS lllaAiI /" 'N''h"N'P
detailed statement which demonstrates
very clearly, we think, that his votes on
the measures mentioned were intelligent
and credtable."
The reply appears TO the Philadelphia
Record Independent Democratie) 10 DE
simply devastating" and that paper
states further THE governor mas TIC
trouble in proving that III no way was
he Influenced by any particular par
| TALLY for the liquor interests ana tta'
| in s,lDporting certain bills ana opposing
| others he acted IN nearly all cases III
accordance with the votes cast by tts
| Republican ma ioritv, which ~contfoIieo
| the Legislature Where constitutions
| questions were concerned, ne eSefciseo
his best Judgment as CONSCIENTIOUS
| legislator
| In opposition to this view Ii the state
ment by the Fort Wayne NeWh~Sentihe
| tf2epubicnn) which argues "lne ram
many sachem's singing attacks on hi'
| opponents so~called cowardly course
| do not avail 10 erase the record cltet
| by the Empofia publisher Nor do they
serve 10 erase the plain statement or MI
most friendly htographer that since the
| liquor interests had for years giVei
| Tammany their hearty support, 1t was
| only natural that Tammany shoiilc
have been friendly 10 the liquor inter
ests " The Oklahoma City Times tinde'
pendenD comments. Gov Smiths re-
| ply, while It does not change the wei
record. certainly puts 1t In taifel
| light"
| NJ u Il
"He Ia mol very convincing IN hi
statements about voting TO extend thu
| hours when saloons could remain open
Those votes do not disclose the hos
iility 10 the saloon which are found II
bis xecent statements" deelafea las