Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-18
ROANOKE KEYNOTER
FLAYS SMITH MEN
Williams AsSaiIs Virginia
Democratic Leaders and
Praises Hoover.
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nominated Gov. Smith, Smith had an
nounced he would try to have the dry
law modified or changed Just as soon
as ne could persuade the people to
let him do it The speaker charged
that Smith. while Governor of New
York, had 'bludgeoned a lone Demo-
cratic legislator into casting the de-
Gliding vote" which caused a repeal OF
the State enforcement act. He charged,
too that the Democratic national COM
mittee, under the leadership of John
j. Raskob. conducted a tWo-faced
campaign. militant campaign in the
North and East and an evasive, soft
pedaling campaign upon the question of
liquor in the South under the smoke
screen Of intolerance and religious
prejudice" Mr.. Williams declared that
the Democrats in Virginia who had
supported Smith had not recanted"
They are as arrogant and dogmatic as
them are running thither and yon
about the State to corral the people
under the lash of party loyalty and
regularity. 1t is an insult to our in
teligence for them to think we shall
continue TO follow blindly where they
lead.
Tammany Is Assailed.
I'VE are here for the purpose Of
repudiating that leadership until our
influences. individually and collectively,
bring their minds back to a recogni-
ton of the essential foundations upon
which our Nation was builded We can
not tolerate the leadership in this State
which not only has refused to renounce
The national Raskob-Smith-T ammany
leadership but many of whom are in
Gun not laty NTH hot 1nfi ion al
leadership. They have not renowned
it because they believe in it and prac-
tlce many of the reprehenSible methods
OF Tammany, so unthinkable to many
Southern people" Mr. Williams de-
clared the leaders even sought TO in
timidate school teachers.
Mr.. Williams said that the regular
Democrats after they have nominated
their candidate by Tammany methods"
at the primary on August s, will then
denounce Tammany I'VE may look
for the nominees of that primary to
outherod Herod in their protests against
Tammany" he said.
when they come with their de-
nunciation of Tammany at what they
believe to be a prudent time for Office
as usual. and not for principle, we will
understand: All the people of Virginia
will understand. If they so deSpised
Tammany, why, in the hour of our
peril, were they not only willing that
Virginia would surrender to Tammany,
but begged the people to surrender
merely for party regularity
Denies Issues Are Dead.
The speaker denied that the issues of
the last campaign were dead.
Let me call your attention" he said
that at a dinner recently in honor of
Jouett Shouse, new chairman of the
Democratic executive committee, John
j. Raskob announced he had no inten-
ton of resigning the national chair
manShip and we understand that thun-
derous applause greeted every mention
of Al Smiths name. RaSkob is being
retained because he is a wet and he
and his friends are possessed of an
abundance of WhereWithal to under
write or liquidate the party's deficit.
He himself points out that Smith re-
ceived more votes in the last election
than any man in the White House
except the man who defeated him.
The intent and purpose of the
Smith RaSkob conglomeration is writ
ten in characters SO large and visible
that every one who is not stone blind
can see and read a determination to
lower the party to the memorable level
of the sidewalks of New York"
A significant thing is that only four
Southern Democratic leaders have
openly expressed disapproval of the
continuance Of Smith and Raskob as
party leaders, the speaker continued.
They are Representative Box of Texas,
Senators BleaSe of South Carolina,
Hefiin of Alabama and Simmons of
North Carolina. Gov. Byrd, he said, is
still vice chairman of the Democratic
national committee.
When the convention met today soon
after 10 o'clock about 800 delegates and
spectators were in the hall. The crowd
was growing constantly. A band played
Dixie" amid loud cheers and every
one rose to the strains of THE Star
Spangled Banner"
Lyon Loudly Cheered.
Frank Lyon of Mclean, Va, opened
the convention with a statement of
reasons for the convention. He said the
independent Democrats, who opposed
Smith last year. had determined at a
conference February 5 in Lynchburg to
meet here in convention to outline their
future cause.
Mr.. Lyon was loudly cheered when
he attacked Smith and Raskob. He de-
clared that if the Democrats who fol-
| lowed Smith last year were left In
charge, they would lead the Democrats
of Virginia into the Tammany wig
wan"
we are here to proclaim the free
dom of this commonwealth as our fore
fathers did" said Mr.. Lyon. He said
that the Protestant leaders of Virginia
had practically all opposed Smith and
had been "vilified" by the Democratic
| leaders "as bigots." He predicted that
these Democratic leaders in the ocn-
gressional elections and in the 1882
presidential election would stand for
! just what they supported in 1928.
will you continue these leaders in
power?" he demanded. mo, MOI" shout
ed the convention.
| Mr.. Lyon referred to the dinner re-
Gently given to Mr.. ShouSe, chairman
of the Democratic executive committee
| in Washington. He said 1T was a
dinner given by local Washington or
! ganiZation that had few weeks after