The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1893-11-21
THE ADVOCATE.
AS to kentucky.

always been an affront to the CONNER
cial Gazette. Kentucky Democracy IL
of character 80 different from the
uncertain Ohio kind that its quality
puzzles while its steadiness initiates
the organs of the G.. o. P. The firm.
ness with which Kentucky stood her
ground in the recent election and
piled up her usual Democratic major
ity while other States were INDUCING
in ''off year" didos, moves the Com
mercial Gazette to the somewhat ill
natured observation that solid De-
mocracy is about all Kentucky has to
show in the way of greatness; that
the State has been at stand-still fol-
half a century that it has not had a
well-defined, progressive" political
idea since the days of Henry Clay,
and that those who dispute the SUI
premacy of "Bourbon Democracy" are
socially ostracised. The indictment is
summed up in this:
"We do not say that Kentucky De-
mocracy is objected to by its young
men who emigrate to other States, but
we do say that the condition which
makes possible the solidity of the
Democratic party in Kentucky is the
cause of the absence of the evidence
of prosperity in that State, a State
which possesses so much in the line of
wealth that is desirable, and increases
its population from the outside rather
than by natural growth within"
The Courier-J Journal is too thor
oughly and faithfully devoted TO the
interests of Kentucky to withhold can
did criticism when criticism is needed,
but to be valuable criticism must be
intelligent, and that of the CONNER
cial Gazette lacks this essential quail
ity. Kentucky is in some things less
progressive than many of its people
would have it, but the assumption
that Kentucky Democracy and an un-
progressive spirit are one and the
same thing, or that they spring from
the same social conditions, is wide of
the mark, and betrays an ignorance of
the social and political conditions of
the State.
Not Democracy, but Republican
ism, represents the unprogressive ele-
ment in Kentucky, so far as that ele-
mont may be identified with either
party more than with the other. AS
a matter of fact, politics has nothing
to do with it, but if politics is to be
considered as in any way associated
with progressiVeness, it is just as well
to bear in mind that the most back
ward sections in Kentucky are those
in which the Republicans have an
overwhelming majority. With scarce
ly an exception, the counties in Ken.
lucky which give steady and pro-
nounced Republican majorities are
pauper counties, drawing from the
State Treasury for their own support
more money than they pay in taxes.
The heaviest charge upon the State for
the support of pauper idiots and tor
the prosecution of criminals comes
from the counties Of big Republican
The emigration from
to the West is almost Who'll
ly from counties dominated by Re-
publicanism-from Clinton, Cumber-
land, Metcalfe and other counties
along the southern border of the State.
That vast section of Kentucky about
the Cumberland, the Kentucky, the
and the Big Sandy rivers,
the greater part of the I'M
developed mineral and timber wealth
Of the State, is overwhelmingly Re-
publican. The counties which have
stained the reputation of the State
with their feuds have, with one excep-
ion, been ruled by Republicans.
These things are not cited as any
'eproach to our Republican citizens.
But in any attempt to establish a con-
lection between progressiveness and
,)litics these facts are to be consid-
red. They are also not to be over
ooked in any effort to account for :
he steady Democratic majority in
Kentucky, If, indeed, any explanation
" that political condition be needed
,eyond the fact of an intelligent devo-
ion of the people to Democratic prin-
iples. Without reflection upon the
many worthy members of the Repub-
lean party, the people of Kentucky
lecline the rule of party which in {
heir own community they see chiefly
of mass of ignorant voters,
nd which. in Eastern Kentnckv | ,