The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-16
KENTUCKY'S MOSES
William O'COnnell Bradley,
ernOr-Elect. WRN
SMOOTH AND SILKY CHAP
Magnetic Politician Who Won on
His Merits-His Fetching Style OF
Oratory-Use of an Old Over
coat In a Campaign.

Louisville corr. Chicago Times-Herald.
william O'Connell Bradley-that s
the full name of the ambitious states
man OF the Bluegrass state-has here
tofore been mentioned for second place
on the presidential ticket. He will
doubtless continue to be so mentioned.
His claims are condensed in this state
ment. made to the Times-Herald COR
correspondent to-day by one of his old
time supporters:
I'm his run against Buckner he cut
the democratic majority in two. Now
he has completed the work and wiped
out the democratic majority He is
entitled TO recognition. But he Is
young and can wait. The second place
would satisfy him II he found the first
beyond his reach. He started out some
years ago to become governor OF Ken
lucky. He is an industrious man. not
easily disappointed. He accepted de-
feat with philosophy and relaid his
plans. He has decided to direct nation
al affairs to a large extent, and the
chances are he will do IL. He Is a de-
termined man."
Bradley is essentially a practical poll
tician. He turns everything to ac-
count. His overcoat In the campaign
was his strongest political document.
Where ne obtained 1t no one can say.
1t occurred without warning. 1t is the
InOSl SudfntltSS ANU bth-
jamin' that was ever Haunted and
fluttered In the fact of an electorate
to induce votes. 1t was evidently seal
brown once. but that was long ago.
Now, with the passing of seasons, the
driving of winds and rains and the
burning of suns. II Is as varied in shade
as a tobacco field. 1t is ripped and
mended: torn at the corners OF the
pocket; burned with cigars and spot
ted as with the drippings of many
lamps.
This plain. humble. unpretending
garment, whose origin Is a mystery
and whose line of descent unknown.
and for which -four bits''-a half dol
lar-would be an exorbitant price,
carried for Bradley many country pre-
cincts Sturdy mountaineers whose
freedom from guile is only equaled by
their unrelenting resentment Of Sights
TO their dignity or reflections upon
their social standing fell easy prey and
capture to the coat.
On his celebrated flying canvass of
the state on board his special train
the candidate. seated in the parlor end
of his private car. would climb into
mis- marvellous garment just before
reaching the next point for a speech.
With the coats collar turned up, the
buttons caught in the wrong holes and
every defence and absence OF virtue
recklessly manifest. Colonel Bradley
would step out on the rear platform,
remove his white hat. wait for the
cheering to subdue. and thus discuss
the political situation:
II have been attacked by a partisan
democratic press. and l have been
abused bv partisan orators because /
am. they say. an aristocrat." Then,
warming with his talk. he would drop
insensibly into the soft. picturesque
and comfortable accent Of the noun
taineer:
IF am an a'istocrat so are yo'-all.
! am a mountain boy myself, an 1t
does me good Ito look again in yo' hon
est faces. They say I'm an alStrocrat
because / ride in a special train; does
this look like the overcoat of a proud
an hauty man?"
Then he turns around, giving full
force and effect to each individual de-
feet and blemish:
THAT coat, neighbehs, is the only
coat l have. / ride on a special train
not because I'm proud an too high
toned to go on regular schedule time.
A boss or a mule makes plenty good
enough ridin' for me ordinary ways,
but this is different. Campaigns clos
in. election comm on an horses kain't
run fast enough an passenger trains
can't go often enough to do Bill Brad
They call me Bill Bradley down home.
II I'm an aistocrat why don't they call
me william? But / was sayin' bosses
nor regular trains don't do me any
good. / p'intedly feel as IL I've got to
look in the honest, kind faces OF yo'
all once again, an the only way 1 can
get TO do IL Is to hire train of my
own"
Here was the right kind of aristocra-
cy for the mountaineers, as the vote
in the back counties showed. Having
discussed these points, Colonel Brad
ley would proceed TO the financial Is
sues. and go far and away beyond the
platform expression of his party. He
started In the early days with state
ments OF moderate opinions. He ended
his campaign with repeated declara-
lions FOR sound money and no other.
He made the race and won II in a state
campaign on national issues. He broke
all kinds OF records, and turned a reg
istered democratic majority estimated
at 10000 votes into a republican plural
ity.
That Is why his friends claim great
things for him, and why he is not de-
nying them. 1t will be these first and
other arguments later that will be
heard in the next republican conven-
ton, when questions are asked for
naming candidate south OF the Ohio
river. Bradley is the first man in a legiti-
mate. open fight on the merits of a
Joined issue. who has made one of the
solid democratic southern states repub-
lican- Kentucky. the most conserva-
tive and NOSE hidebound of democrat
lie commonwealth. has been the first TO
turn In a state election on a fair argu-
ment.
Bradiey's standing at the Kentucky
bar has been referred to- He has fol-
lowed his profession longer than any
other man Of equal age in IL. He was
admitted 10 practice in his 10th year
by special act OF the legislature. His
father was one OF the celebrated real
estate or land-title lawyers of Ken
lucky. In early days men sometimes
took homesteads by the strong hand.
and in many sections OF the state few
farms were Of unclouded title. The e.
der Bradley gained much distinction
and not little money by repairing