The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-08
THE KENTUCKY CONTEST.

According to the reports from the Ken
lucky Republican Convention, the dele
gates were called upon to vote oftener in
nominating candidates than all delegates
to previous Republican conventions in that
State have voted in this generation. There
was a contest for every Office. More than
one hundred candidates appeared for the
various positions, and so ardent were the
friends of each that the ballotings were
frequently interrupted by confusion in the
hall. There were no signs of discord or
party divisions, however. The platform
was adopted unanimously, and every nom
inee will receive the cordial support of his
late opponents.
There is no mistaking the significance of
these facts. Hitherto Republican conven-
tons in Kentucky have been only perfume
tory gatherings. No one cared much about
any nomination such convention could
give, for it was well known that it would
be little more than an empty honor. Here
and there some Republican might obtain a
victory at the polls, but where this occurred
it was generally recognized as being per-
sonal rather than party triumph. AS a
consequence no great ardor was shown in
the Republican State conventions. The
delegates met, adopted platform, named
for the various State Offices such men OF
prominence as were willing TO lead for
lorn hope for the sake of keeping the party
together and then adjourned without any
thought of making a vigorous campaign
or any hope of electing the ticket if they
did
All this has now been changed. Two
years of uncontrolled Democratic ascend
ency in the Nation has not only disguised
independent voters but has hopelessly di-
vided the Democratic party itself In
Kentucky there are two sharply defined
and widely divided Democratic factions
one led by Senator Blackburn demanding
the free coinage OF silver, the other by Sec
rotary Carlisle insisting upon the mainte-
nance of the gold standard. Thus in that
State, as in every other, the Democrats
urged on by extremists among their leaders
have gone to extremes, leaving the safe
conservative middle ground to the Republi,
cans. This condition of affairs, taken in
connection with the opposition to free
trade and the popular discomfort with the
| Encouragement of National affairs by the
Democratic administration, has given the
Republicans hopes OF victory, and 1t mus
be conceded these hopes are not i'll founded
If Kentucky should go Republican thit
year the effect upon National polite.
| would be very great and far-reaching. i
would be sure to lead to important conse
quences in 1886, and might possibly prove
the forerunner of an entirely new arrange
ment of political parties. The Republican
victories in the South last year were re
| gardei as abnormal and few people ex
pected them to have permanent results. A
State victory, however. in Kentucky thi
year would be regarded more seriously.
wouIo afford proof that Democracy hal
gone to pieces in the very stronghold of it
power and would lead the Republicans t.
make in 1895 a vigorous effort to shatter i
altogether, leaving the political battles O
the future to be fought out by the con
sentative elements of the country unde
the name of Republicans and the extrem
| lists under the banner of Populism.