The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1895-08-08
BLACKBURN AS A CAMPAIGNER.
How lie Urges the Cause Of Silver on
Biblical Grounds.

Col. William Green Sterrett, the
humorist of Newspaper Row and we'll
known correspondent of the Galveston
News, was recently In Kentucky in.
vestigating the financial contest.
These are some of the impressions he
brought back:
"KentUcky is my native land, and |
like TO go back there occasionally and
talk over public and private affairs
with my old friends. Finance is now
the one engrossing topic, and the bat.
Tie between those gaints OF the forum,
Carlisle and Blackburn, engages every
eye and ear. Blackburn has brought
the discussion Of finance directly to
Biblical grounds, Blackburn says
that finance is Biblical question.
Kentucky, which is the most religious
State in the Union, comedies with
Blackburn in this view. Now every
politician is turning over the leaves OF
the Scripture. Today 10 Kentucky
the Bible is the campaign handbook.
Blackburn, ds you know, is u very elo.
quent map, | attended several OF
their meetings. He begins all his
speeches the same way. Blackburn
will get up and say!
"'Mr. chairman and fellow citizens,
your liberties are in danger
"Of course, every Kentuckian gets
excited at this. They are an ardent
people, Kentuckians are, and Sny aug.
gestion that thing they love, like
liberty, or distillery, or a horse, is in
danger, will throw them into fever.
Then Blackburn will proceed:
"'Yes, fellow citizens .yop are ground
beneath the heel Of the despot and led
in ohains before the throne OF the
tyrant gold.'
"Now," continued Col. Aterrett, "il
you want To garry Kentuckian to the
point OF frenzy, you have only to men
ton despot to him, Whenever you
want to see q row, or feel q yearnins
to witness trouble, Just point out .
tyrant to a Kentucklan. II there il
one thing the people OF Kentucky live
for, 1t is to do up despot, every tiat
they meet him. Nero, OF paIigpia
would not have stood as much show
as leather in Eehenna if they'd con-,
! to Kentucky. Blackburn knows thi,
and so he talks ltyrants' and 'despots
to them and riles them up, Blu
about the Bible and ito present plao,
in Kentucky politics.
"When Blackburn gets down Il
business in his speech he opens tn
! Scriptures and shows 'em that one o
: the patriarchs bought q COW and pai'
for it 10 silyer, -
+ "'There, says Blackburn, isn't tn
money of the Bible good enough TO
5 you? Are we to depart from the plai
+, precepts Of Christianity at the behest
: Of Wall street, That old father i
1 IsrWl bought land in Palestine an
paid for it in silver 1900 years ago an
I a m oney which would buy real estat
: in the Holy Land ought to be goo
enough to pay your interest wit to th
y money leeches Of the Bourse.'
l. "Atthis sort Of talk everyKentuckia
: yells like wolf. He is romantic an
\ sentimental, Q Kentuckian is fan {
mogs, and mockihg oitds,and religion
: enthusiasm, and BIackb1rn's allpsio
:, to the Bible feiches him every time.
u "After blackburn has EXHAUSTED tt
J, story of tho patriarch and the 90
y sale he comes down to Judas ar
y the thirty pieces OF silver.
a n "'I abhor Judas as you do Blac
n burn will say, but | ask you to no
that the transaction was on o silly
- bsais, II Iudaa In selling our savi
y could take silver FOR Him, it ought
y be good enough for The plutocrats al
N ten per centers, who are slowly eatil
A our hearts out with their extortiop
\ "It's a fact,9, Vsht op p9l. 6terre
z "Blapkpp{n bad Che goldbpgs on d
". run. They couldn't stand the pat
,dji a When he pulled the Bible on m,
- had them out on limb in momel
e, But along comes pretty smart go
ls bug, who's been searching the Scr
" lures, and he finds place where t