New-York tribune., 1894-09-13
THE OPPOSITION DIVIDED
CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH FAVOR BRECK-
INRIDGE IN KENTUCKY.
MEssRs OWEN AND SETTLES CONTEST WASTES
The STRENGTH OF HIS ENEMIEs-THElR
" PERSONAL AND POLITICAL

trRoM srAEr COMPLEMENTARY or TEE 1nInuyE.l


immense personal and moral disadvantages undN
which Colonel Breckenridge has labored in Il"
effort TO extort denomination from his un-
willing constituents sccid ntal poitical c"hn'-
tions In this district seem all 10 have tended
with a curious persisency toward the success 'I
his extraordinary campaign Of "Vndicauoil
Fortune indeed has singularly favored the De-
spattered victim Of the Pollard scandal. both IN
the methods prescribed for obtaining The coveted
nominatio. and in the divisions which handicap
end enfeeble the candidates who are making the
race against him.
=, 1t has been said in an earlier letter that Inc
only serious obstacle to the success Of the anti
rBreckinridge movement lies in the unfortunate
and wastefu partition OF the strength ol 'he
opposition between two ambitious and discordant
candidates--each drawing his main support iIom
different section of the Congress district. l'h
+ the delegate or convention system OF nOniiha,
stion in vogue this division of the heId "ouu
make inevitabc the defea' OF the present licu
bent; for while his own strength Is wen us-
tributed over the whole Of ;he district ne coulu
not hope TO overcome his mo' vulnerabie oppo-
nent Mir. Settle, in the latters home countries III
the upper end" or TO wreSt f,om MS more loi-
midable rival. Mr. Owens, the control OF a ma
jority of the county delegations of the Blue Grass
region. In a district convention Coonel bIeVhlI-
ridges rejection would be ignOminous ana over
wheming But with the primary election svs-
TEN An force. by which only a bare pIuraii'y IN
reouired to nominate ,he fat ii impruder Ce or ns
break in the ranks Of the opposition becomes
apparent, plainly opening the way as II u9e9,
for the triumph Of compact minority cIiSl"5
40 ,,s dscredited and unsaVaiY candidate. over Il
distracted majority, hesitating between Two
equally available. but mutually destructive
rivals. go, ,... ..,s
But II the accidental vogue Of the primary sEs-
ten has give. Colonel BreckinridGe this impor-
tant advantage. he has been enabled 10 proHt 10
an equal degree by the very evident limitations,
nol:ticai and personal. of the two cahdludtes
about whom the deep reprgnance oil the uis.lIJ' S!
to his own denomination has finally cryS'diilHeu.
II immediately following the blasting dlsclosul'9
NJ the Pollard trial some conspicuous ana u'-
challenged representative of the best sentiment
and soundest traditions of Blue Grass pond3S' q
man of mature character ana proved ap!L'l' '.s'.
been induced to come forward as candlddte i
the Congressional nomination. the present ~
cumbent. with all his demonstrated enrohleiE'
would scarcely have venured 70 MAKE MS prs
emf offensive campaign Of "vindicsuon
Such candidate clearly W0uld nave 49,
the district from tie bitterness. the NulgaIllf'
and the humiliatiOns of the canvass Just ehuils'
put-wheiher because Of the Slackenng or poht-
cal interest. necessa lily entaied by the Holo,C-
nous rule # uncontested succession. or "a
docov Of public spirit consequent upon 'he III
craasinc diversion Of the hest talent anG lh'rH'V'
of the State to non-politcal pursuits OF IRON. nv
mere disnclinatiOn-no such caAdiudIe IL -,
e,1 the burden If the fight 10 dlspIace tnc uii~
worthy but defiant sitting MEMBER lcli HiidlIN'
by a sor; Of general acquieScence' on ue Sn.ui
ders Of the two youthful ambitious ana soheWH"1
mOnpl2ce 2SplraNlS Wilo nav H."
The o3position forces in the district into t"'
comparatively equal camps. ., .h,,
II was a prime necessity Of the SITUATION that
the real battle against Colonel Breckihridges
denomination should be fought II the iine' nch'
populOus and influential counties when IuIiii ~ tn
Rlue Grass end Of the Ashland Distrlc'' III lheSc
counties. by ten years OF coh,lhuoHS & ~, IN
formidable political machine had been pun up up u,
1he Rrcckinridge interest. With TINS dI-,li4i"'
organization maintained by the aid OF oo'h Siale
and Federal patronage. to contend agaih3', 'ne
cl-i,, lerpl a
ms In oiirce Of success lay. rot III atteMrtln6 ~
meet practical politics with practlcal pol'ics' -!
constructing a new machine necessarily ieeoie
and imperfect but in devOting all their eneTe!
10 an aggressive presentation IN the stump anu
through the press. Of the one pam anu sntpio tpi
issue. which they considered 'i'ai III ''e "'O'N
An appeal TO the pride. to the conscience, 10 ,h1
moral sense OF these five counties me ioWtl "'.u
nick socially and Intellectually or hehtuCH;' !.
,ehuke the insulting presumption ol 'oioie.
Breckinridges demand FOR !,, vlnuicdt'o,,
seemed 10 offer the true metnod OF Hee.ihe - 49,
overcoming the practical ADVANTAGES ehJoAcu g., p'
thejr enemies through apparently secure III
trenchment in political power For me ped prosecI-
tion Of this plan Of campaign as IL nap appIt
one of the candidates who had presented inhsen
y. tn' ,ta onnosition was quickly found to be sir,
cularly well adapted; and under his spiri'ed anu
congenial leadership an assault has pten JU
r,ucterl unop the moral character OF ms ta4iHs''
cnponcnt which has k>pi the Gls'!It, :" qu'''-
Of ex cjten.e nj for the last four 'non'I's. ,..
But however merited may be the conde'i'.a- ta
irstlv teen made its target, spch ekce'ie - -.
smiousnegs has not sroVNa entirely hecoiii.''s a.,
50 youthful and unseasoned moral CRUZ, "i'
thcra is some danger that MI overs III NuH'
cutting the scathing personal canvass Whc" i
no,itical eypediencv demanded has -'ossibly IN
crrred the imputation of pushing his oWr callui-
dacv not on its real merits bu solely on the
s,sors,s NJ his morally dilapdated competitor.
Mr Owens is however, and has Deeh from ."1
..art the head and front OF the reaI oPPosl,Uii'
in the district to Colonel Breckhriuge radit
,x-in he
cr the ..sver-tongued" orators overthrow; u
,bst inttrtant result be really acccinpnshcu ~
Saturdays primary. Ihose VINO WeIe W. ,ppr,1ir Va.
the extra ordinary sittings of the Democraut na-
ton.I convention of 1892 in the leaky ana s'oIi'-
beaten wigwam on the Chicago Lake liTh': niaS
remember Mr.. Owens as the te'npolalS S' nnd
~ tho conventional youthful. slghuy put anu
ou,,e conyentional-lOOking rising country I""Sci
and politician. whose local reputation ior ola-
tory Whispered abroad ~ Henry "at'e.SN,' "at'
mo; only the most moderate expectations W,i'H
mt Ia the test of actual performance prI'.
In, imp1tlen end veIy trying Anol'n'P; ~.
~ home in a region Hull If graceful speakers AT
the bsr and on the stump. even in the siauoW "i
- ranutafi1n as Imposing Colonel Breckin-
ridges Mr owens is still an orator OF not,.., note.
Under forty years Of age. unmafrieu cniN",Iu'
,.snioao, an1 Of excellent associations. the
lea6cr ct his party In neishoorIns c".,aS e., i
ex ex-Speaktr Of the House OF ReI,reschiiIHF3n y.
The Kertucky Legislature. Colonel Bi''Mllili"S
10 VIZ. +, "a energetic opponent has brought lntD
tbis contest qualities which nave edsIi! In"u
him the central figure in the moral uprising oi
,ha district against the inficton upon II OF an al
,,n,.,san ard liscrejitable Congressional cahdi-
date. Mr. owens is the candidate OF the Women Won n
~ the district, who have taken so acuNe 'II ~
,na,,nntial 2 part In he anu-Breckinridge move
n, lie has the support Of the clergy. OF the
,uss. end Of sll the mC RAJ and proHressNr ~
fuences in these Ave Blue Grass coultes ne ~ -
,ndca,iv and essentially the representative ol
the more rehned and orderly elements IN Inc Inc
Democratic party all over the district; ana , ms
success at the polls on SATURDAY won S,ai.ei.
ADMIT Of a doubt II the disturbing cdnd,iacy y
au'ther cst sten,ble opponent Of Colonel B'eckin-
,,,oe aid not threaten 10 involve the whoic anu
,,usy ,,,,s,,nr,dce noov,r ont In b,nRnC disaster
Mr. settle az has been said above, Is as
4nctively the candidate Of the Democracy OF .ne
upper end Of the Ashland Distric' whlcn ,nr nrS
nd ma representative in Congress In the memory
~ IT'S oldest inhabitant hut Tor the roIaIu