The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-04
A KENTUCKY GIRL IN POLITICS.
John Young Brown Nominated for Gov
ernor by His Pretty Daughter.

New York Letter.
A pretty story goes with the nomination
of John Young Brown, to be the Demo-
cratic candidate for governor of Kentucky
in the coming campaign. The nominal
ton was made last week, and, according to
Kentucky man, who was at the Fifth
Avenue hotel today, the beginning of the
boom for Mr.. Brown was made by his
daughter. pretty girl of IS or 20 years.
This is the story:
Mr.. Brown was in politics in his earlier
life, and ably represented a district of the
Blue Grass state in congress. After serv-
ing with credit he declined to accept a re-
nomination and settled down to the prac-
tice of law.
He said at the time that he was done
with politics, for he could not afford to de-
vote the best years of his life to office-hold-
ing. For years he kept to his determina-
ton, and, although personally popular all
over the state and standing high in the
councils of his party, he would neither ask
nor accept any place within the gift of the
people. But he has daughter, who was
little girl when he was in congress, and
while he has been practicing law she has
been growing to be a woman and has
fallen desperately in love with her father
She is devoted to him and is very at
tractive, with all the spirit and beauty of
the traditional Kentucky girl. She was
ambitious, not alone for herself, although
the social prominence that would neces-
sarily come to the family of one who held
high office was to her liking. but she
wanted her father to shine among the
public men Of the state once more She
begged MIN to become a candidate either
for state Office or for congress, and
brought all her fine persuasive powers to
bear upon him in that direction She
waged an incessant campaign, but he put
her off, joking her upon her ambitions and
declaring at the sameitime that he had had
his day in politics when she was little
girl and he must stay at home now and
practice his profession.
But she gave him no peace, and each
morning at breakfast she bewitched him
with her arguments. At last he said he
could not resist her appeals, but he had
not the time to Work up a boom; he
would leave that to her. He told her to
outline the initial campaign and start him
on the road for any Office as to her seemed
best. Then he laughed at her and went
to his law office for the day. Next morn
ing at breakfast the fair campaigner
handed him sheet of delicate note paper.
on which she had written a note ready for
his signature. 1t was an announcement
that the undersigned was willing to be-
come candidate for governor. He
| laughed at her and signed the document.
He did not know just how serious the
| affair was getting, but he had promised his
| daughter and he kept his word like a true
| Kentucky man. That day the young lady
| took the note 10 Louisville, and with It
| went to the editorial rooms of the Courier
Journal and TO Mr.. Watterson's own office.
She showed him the note and explained
| that her father had promised to be can
didate, partially because she had asked IT,
| The letter bearing his signature was
| documentary evidence. Editor Watterson
| was charmed. He was the personal and
| political friend of Mr.. Brown, and If any,
! thing had been wanting TO insure his sup
part of his candidacy the young lady cap
| tured him. The romance of the affair
| pleased him. 'If John Young Brown saws
| he will be a candidate and you are his
| daughter, he will get the support of nv
| paper" said the editor, and the Young
lady went away happy.
She went nome the next morning and
| told her father that she had his CAMPAIGN
well started, and insisted, with laughing
| eyes. that he must not recede bit from
| the pledge he had made. She wanted him
| 10 be one of the men whom all Ken
| tuckians honor. and TO be in a position
| such as she knew he deserved. She did
| not tell MIN Just now sHe naQ started his
boom, but said it was in good condition.
and she would see that it was brought out
in proper time.
| kentuckians say that the backing of
| Watterson and his paper for any man for
! state Office before the convention is as good
/ as the nomination, and the norni-
nation by 8 Democratic convention
is as good as an election in that
state. The pretty politician knew
| this, apparently, for she told her
father with a serious look that she had
him already nominated. 4 few DAYS later
when Mr.. Watterson in an editorial an
nounced that Mr.. John Young Brown had
| consented 10 he candidate for governor.
| and that his nomination would be a wise
| one, all Kentucky Democrats took il as an
| official declaration. Mr. Watterson kent
his promise and supported Mr.. Brown.
| There is no evidence that the latter
/ showed any disposition to withdraw from
| his position. At any rate he did not do
| so. He accepted the situation. His
| daughter was as happy as the day is long,
and trusted to the natural course of events
| and her fathers popularity TO bring him
| his nomination. The Democrats of the
| convention did their part OF the story and
! secured good candidate for governor and
probably made one young LADY, hapnier
than she ever was in her life before. when
they nominated John Young Brown last
Friday afternoon.