Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-04
Political Inconsistencies

It is doubtful if any national campaign contained
more Inconsistencies than those developed in the battle
now raging. Throughout the North. South, East aud
West, both parties are appealing to local p~rejudices and
interests in the effort to advance the political cause
with which they are allied. Lacking definite national
issues upon which to base their campaigns, they arc
injecting local issues and appeals to local p~rejudiees.
Eastern and Northern republican leaders are de-
pictinc Hoover as the friend Of modification, while in
the South he is receiving the v%ociferous support Of the
Anti-Saloon League and Kindred organizations. Smiths
definite stand on the prohibition question has had a
tremendous appoal in the East and North. and his
Southern and Western prohibition friends are pointing
to the fact that Notwithstanding his opposition to the
Volstead law and the Eighteenth amendment he would
Be powerless to modify either. Therefore, they AR
sert, prohibition is not an issue. Republican leaders
are likewise assuring voters in the East that prohibit
tion IL not the real issue, nut make no sueh deolara
tions in the South.
The campaign has produced many curious incon-
si.tencics. The North l. wet and the South Is dry, or'
more broadly speaking, the cleavage runs with the
urban and rural populations. Il cuts across all party
lines. Governor Smith is wet while his running mate
Senator Robinson, is dry. Republican Senator Edge
of New Jersey is as wet rs his democratic colleague
senator Edwords. one of the pronounced vets " the
country. Senator Borah, dry leader, is a fellow re-
rublican with President Nicholas Butler, chief apostle
among the vets. The republican management encour-
ages dry democrats in the South to bolt the wet noml-
nee and At the same time bows down in homage 70 the
vet republicans in New York and New England SEN
stor Borah Il assigned TO make dry speeches In the
South. and Senator Sheppard Of Texas author Of the
Eighteenth amendment and national dry leader AS as-
signed the same territory in behalf of Governor Smith.
A writer in the New York Times. in commenting
upon the chaotic political situation states that "f Mr.
Hoover wins he viii be handicapped by such an over
whelming weight Of vets, democrats and republicans
alike. that he Viii not ne able "a effectively enforce
the law. on the other hand, II Governor Smith tri-
umphs the opposition sentiment will be so s.rong that
~ will BE able to neither Hberalze the Nostcad law
nor revise the Eighteenth amendment. IN any event
there will be a moral stalcmate."
That the fundamental issue of prohibition Will not
Be settled in the coring election rs very obvious. The
Eighteenth amendment and the Nolstead law. which Mr..
Hoover terms IA noble experiment. Will stand the law
Of the land for at least four years more. The line NJ
cleavage is so very apparent, and the strength of the
contending forces 81 EVENLY divided. that regardless
OF the outcome az the election there viii he no radical
change. But the problem of enforcing the law, diff
cult from the outset. will bc made more difficult rs 2
result Of the very apparent sentiment " opposition 70
the restrictions imposed.