The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-08-21
Kentucky.

The record of the democratic party
In Kentucky is very bad. 1t has beer
extravagant and corrupt. 1t has vast
ed the taxes collected from the people
and, instead of q surplus in the treas.
ury, a debt has been created aggregating
six million dollars. The democratic
state treasurer stole several hundred
thousand dollars aud disappeared. A
number of prominent politicians were
strongly suspected of having helped the
treasurer in the misuse Of the funds. II
turned out, too. that the bonds which
the treasurer had filed, and which were
supposed to be good, were worthless, 90
the people had to stand the entire loss.
The school funds were Incorporated,
aud in every respect the management
of state affairs was outrageously extrav'
agant and corrupt.
The time had come for political revo.
luton, as viewed from an ordinary po-
litical standpoint; and If the cores
ponding conditions existed In Ohio II
would not be difficult to foreshadow the
result. Kentucky. however, is proof
against progress. 1t stands firmly upon
the foundation OF Bourbon democracy.
1t makes but little difference what the
party leaders do, what the state officials
do. what the state legislature does, or
what the members Of congress advocate,
provided the appeal is made in their re.
curing campaigns and at the polls to
their old traditions. The democratic
party of Kentucky may be said to ride
with its back to the locomotive. 1t
disregards the future, and considers
only the past, and out of the latter grow
prejudices which are stronger than in
telligences, and which lead steadily in
the wrong direction.
Kentucky is a wonderfully rich state
in natural resources. There are few
states in the union more favored in this
respect, but nevertheless it clings to
theories and practices that are clearly
detrimental to its growth. In this way
the introduction of foreign capital is
discouraged. and state that should
favor protective tariff is virtually led
to the support of free-trade doctrines,
not because the people, IL guided by
their interests and a reasonable amount
of intelligence. could possibly favor
free trade, out because the democratic
party favors it, and the majority of the
people have not independence enough
to cut loose from that party and vote In
accordance with their real interests.
There is small increase from year
to year in the republican vote of the
state, but it is not sufficient to eucour-
age the hope that Kentucky will soon
turn its back upon the party which has
beena load upon it for quarter of a
century.
The conditions this year, as we have
encouraged the expectation
that the control of the state might be
taken from the democratic party. The
boasted OF its strength and was
even vain enough to predict a victory.
The republicans thought that the alli-
ance might sufficiently divide the dem
ocratic party to let them in, partially at
least; and it was thought that q suffi-
cient number of alliance candidates and
republican candidates might be elected
to destroy the democratic majority in
the legislature. But all this came to
naught. The constitution was adopted,
the democratic governor was elected,
large majority OF the legislature will
be democratic, and the democratic party
stands solid in the commonwealth OF
Kentucky.-C Commercial Gazette.