The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-05-09
The Aggressive Republicans


The Kentucky Republicans are
growing aggressive, and judging from
the long indictment made out against
the democratic management o.fthe State
they mean to make a determined fight
10 the gubernatorial contest of this
summer. They will not accomplish
much. In fact the Republican party
can never make much Roadway in
Kcntucky-it is weighted down by
history. But it is never WELT under
rate your adversary. If your adver-
sary points out a wrong, it is better
to put it right thar to be able to prove
twice as many wrongs ard twice as
gross ones against him.
Here are some OF their charges
against the Kentucky Democracy:
I'VE condemn in the strongest terms
the gross mismanagement of public affairs
in Kentucky by the Democratic party,
which has had entire control of the State
for the past fourteen years. 1t has failed
to foster common school system worthy
of the name, and has robbed the State.
1t has sacrificed the most important in
terests of the State in internal improve
ments, and while it makes a boast that
that the State has no debt, we have the
Notifying spectacle of a State with no
public works, or enterprises, and meager,
Anticipated and inadequate public institu :
tions. By useless and reckless extrava-
gance the current expenses of the State
are nearly three times as great as before
the war, while there is reason or ex-
cuse for their being any greater. BY con-
tInuOus appeals TO the lower passions or
the populace, and by constant laudatiou
and encouragement of that spirit of con-
tempt for constituted authority lately
rampant in rebellion, the people of the
State have been educated into diregard
of law and order until the good name of
Kentucky has been blasted in the estima-
tion of our sister States. The frequent
necessity to use the militia to suppress
disorder, and the lawless spirit which
stops short of no crime from the lynching
of obscure white and colored persons TO
the assassination of Judges of the bench
is the natural out growth Of the pernicious
teachings of the Democratic party.
They charge also that the Democrat
ic party discourages immigration to
the State, that it discourages a foster
Jog encouragement to internal i'm
provemeuts, and that its penitentiary
system is a digrace. These charges
will bring the facts to the front, aud
the Democracy can we'll challenge
close scrutiny. There are several
points IN these charges that are meas
urably true and the party ought to
right it as far as possible, but in the
main the purity, simplicity, and econo'
my of our State government chal-
lenges comparison with any State.
That a laxness has obtained 10 the
enforcement of the death penalty
against murderers is too true, and that
the State penitentiary has been badly
managed is also true. The RepubIi~
cans charge that the current expenses
Of the State are nearly three times as
great as before the ,oar. We have not
looked into this, but if true, it is
damaging charge.
1t is incontrovertible however, that
the Republicans left the State in debt,
and that the Democrats have paid it
out, and now have several hundred
thousand in treasury. 1t is also true
that the Internal improvement scheme
suggested by the Republicans would
enguiph the State in the burdens of
enCrmous debts and taxes, whereas
the simple rule of the Democracy,
while it does not hold up these great
enterprises, &C., yet it guards the ess
tabIished interest and earnings Of the
people against such exactions as would
be necesitated by such expenditures.
Our Democratic standard bearers
will court discussions on these ques
tons of State management, and the
policy will shine the more espleudent
because of thourough dicussion.