Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-05
Republicans Working Hard, With
Hopes of Success.
EFFECT OF TEE DEMOCRATIC SPLIT
Senator BLACKBURN Stronger Than
His Faction.
PUSHING JOHN W. YERKES
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LOUISVILLE, KY, August 3, 1885,
The Kentucky democracy Is In the mid
die of the deep blue sea and seems unable
to swim. With sound money plank in
the state platform and General r. Wat.
Hardin. candidate for governor, an out and
out free silver man, the party Is vir-
| tually without leader and grave fears
are entertained by the leaders for the out
come Of the campaign for state offices.
The Kentucky republicans seem har-
moniously united in their intent to elect
William o. Bradley governor and are
| working with a vim in every county In the
state to elect republicans to the legisla-
ture in hopes of sending John w. Yerkes
to the Senate to succeed Senator Black
burn.
Since the memorable state convention.
held in this city by the democrats IN the
last week in June, matters have become
mere and more tangled, and the free silver
movement, which was SO overwhelmingly
defeated in the convention, has again come
to the front and is the all-absorbing topic OF
the politicians. Senator Blackburn. though
defeated for a position on the committee
on resolutions in his own district, main
tairs that the sound money plank does not
muzzle him, CONSTITUTES the platform TO suit
himself, and he is prosecuting his cam
pa;gn for the Senate on free silver basis,
and making speeches all over the state ad-
vocating the free and unlimited coinage of
the white metal at any ratio, Just SO 1t be
free and unlimited. General Hardin was
Mr.. Blackburn's co-worker in this cause
until his nomination for governor, but is
now absolutely silent
Not SO with the senior Senator He Is
making the fight of his life for return
to the Senate and refuses to allow any
dictation from the state central committee.
AS a result the party is badly split. Cen
eral Hardn's free silver friends are wait
ing for an expression from him favorable
to their views, and the sound money people
are watching to see that the platform is
not ignored by the candidate. The state
ments for a series of twelve joint. debates
between Mr.. Hardin and Mr.. Bradley, and
1t is asserted by the republicans that they
will force an expression from Mr.. Hardin
when he meets Bradley.
The PopuIist Candidate.
Another complication that arises is the
nomination of Thos. P. Petit, wealthy
farmer. by the populists on wide-open
free silver platform. Petit is from the
"Pennyrile,' a section Of the state that
is overwhelmingly for free silver, and he
is expected to gain a great number of the
free silver democrats of that section. thus
enhancing the chances of Mr. Bradley, the
republican nominee for the governorship.
The country press of the state is gener-
ally unfolding Senator, Blackburn. while
the metropolitan press of Louisville is de-
voting column after column daily, roast
ing him for his course. calling him
pop" and endeayor.ng to drive him out
Of the democratic party. How we'll they
will succeed will be shown by the returns
in November, but the belief Is general that
he will be returned to the Senate by safe
majority. There Dis a feeling that he Is
being mistreated and the countrymen are
rallylng to his support. crying: Don't hit
a man when he is down." There is no
doubt that their sympathes are with the
Senator. and that he will gain many votes
by the attacks of the city papers.
Senator Blpckburn's Rivals.
Opposing Mr.. Blackburn for the Senator
ship are James B. McCreary, Congressman
from the eighth district. who advocates
an international agreement upon the
money question, and wants 100000 of
silver purchased and coined each month;
and Ex-Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner,
the Hero of Glen Lily" who stands
stanchly upon the single gold standard.
In the nominations already made for the
legislature it seems that Mr.. Blackburn
has much the best Of his competitors. and
If the democratic nominees are elected he
will undoubtedly have control Of the DEM
cratic caucus There Is great likelihood of
many Of the democrats being turned down,
sending John W. Yerkes, brilliant young
lawyer Of Danvflle. KY, 20 Washington to
succeed Mr.. Blackburn, and are making the
1 most act active campaign ever known for
squarely on the sound money platform
adopted by the republican convention in
Louisville. and, added to this, Is popular
alike with all parties. He may draw some
sound money democrats to his support who
would enjoy the downfall of free silver
and Blackburn, even at the cost of demo-
cratic senatorship.
How the Fight Stands.
OF the eleven 'hold-over'' senators six
are counted upon as for Blackburn, and CT
the thirty-fve nominees for the legislature
be has twenty, with Buckner two and Nc
Creary four, the non-committal gentlemen
being generally opposed to Blackburn and
undecided between McCreary and Buckner.
Six nominations have been made for the
senate. and Senator Blackburn Is credited
with four of the six candidates. Buckler
with one and one non-committal
One of the most peculiar features of the
political situation is the support Senator
Blackburn Is receiving from sound money
men. who from their admiration for the
man have sunk the money question into
oblivion, and are for TO-" as they love to
call him. first. last and all the time.
In Mr.. ,Blackburn's county of Woodford
Senator Martin is sound money man. hut
will vote for Blackburn; Charles Bronst0h,
in Fayette, is classed as Blackburn sup
porter, but IL known to be a strong Cleye-
land man and to favor sound money.
Such a list could be stretched out indefi-
nitely, but these two instances are suff1-
cient to show the influences that are at
work tending toward the return of the
present senior Senator from Kentucky.
During the past few days the situation
has grown a little brighter for democracy.
but all of the old-time sanguineness is
gone, and If the party is to again triumph
some unforeseen influences must be
brought into play.
LEATHER VS.. RUBBER.