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AL SMITH: THE HAPPY WARRIOR

© John S. Cooper

In 1928, the Democrats nominated Al Smith of New York for President. Al Smith was the son of Irish immigrants and a self-made man. Al's first job came when he was eleven years old selling newspapers. After his father's death when he was thirteen, he took on a series of jobs including chaser for a trucker, oil worker, and three years working at the Fulton Fish Market. His days at the fish market began as early as 3:00 in the morning, when he would unload, clean and sell the fish. Also in his teens, he became fascinated by the theater, and began acting in plays. He also got involved in politics.

Politics in Smith's Fourth Ward, which included the East Side tenements, meant jobs and power to the people who lived there. Smith became friendly with Tom Foley and Henry Campbell, up and coming leaders in the Tammany organization. In 1895, he was given a job as a subpoena server with a salary of over a thousand dollars a year, good money for a poor boy from the East Side. When Foley and Campbell challenged the Tammany leaders and won, Smith moved up with them. In 1903, he was elected to the state legislature where he remained until 1915. During this time, he became recognized as one of the most knowledgeable authorities on state government. For his last three years, Smith was Speaker.

In 1911, a fire broke out on the eighth floor of a New York building. The employers had locked the doors to prevent workers from leaving early or stealing materials. The locked doors caused the death of 143 workers. Smith became a member of the committee of the legislature that investigated not only this fire, but also industrial work conditions in general. This had a great effect upon Smith, and his career. Smith, already associated as a machine politician, also became identified with leading the movement to improve conditions for the working men and women. Both identifications would help his later career.

In 1915, Smith was a delegate to the state constitutional convention, where his knowledge of state government and its needs impressed members of both parties. Charles Evans Hughes, republican leader and later presidential candidate and Secretary of State said, "Of all the men in the convention, Mr. Smith is the best informed on the business of the state of New York."

In order to groom Smith for higher office, Tammany ran him for Sheriff of New York County. According to an old fee structure, Smith was able to earn a huge-for-its-day sum

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