New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-04
FRIDAY,
OCTOBER 4, 1895.
THE FIGHT IN KENTUCKY.
NOVEL. EXPERIENCE FOR THE BoUH
BON DEMOCRACY
THE POLITICAL Structure or THIRTY YEARS
BUILDING IN DANGER OF ovERTHRo"-BE-
TWEEN THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA
FREE SILVER OR REPrB-
fJr,N GOVERNOR

FREE SILVER OR A REPrB
ricAN GOVERNOR
fyRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE rRfBuSAy
Huntsville Ky Oct 3.--It mus; seem little less
than amazing to the casual observer OF politics 70
find State like Kentucky. so inveterate!y Bous-
hon so immemorially Democratic. plunged sud"
denly this fall into all the excitements and un-
certainties OF doubtful political contest For
nearly thirty years the exhiaration OF genuine
political warfare has been practicahy unknown"
I'm Kentucky and the sluggish pulse Oh the s'a's
tas never in all that time been quickened by the
nrospect OF really serious struggle between ex"
istinr marty organizations for local supremacy.
Since the war indeed political life IN ths CON-
monwealth has been innexibly dominated by that
,,,,,a c,rc,e of reactionary influences which In
every Southern or Border state represented the
,sco, - local opinion from the effects OF the Re-
publican policy Of Reconstruction. In other por'
lions Of the South-virginia. West Virginia, tho
Carollnas and Tennessee-the force OF TINS reac-
.ionary sentiment has seemed from time to time
10 relax or wholly spend itself. But In KENTUCKY
the spirit and principles Of Bourbonism nave al
WAYS been maintained inyiolate and their con-
trolling power in the politics OF the state mas con-
tinued unchallenged and paramount.
Fitted intellectually for leadership among tina
Southern States. Kentucky has undoubtedly
through her representatives, in public HE, iett q
marked impress since war times on Southern ana
indirectly on Democratic, National policy. Yet
among all the Democratic states OF the union
her claim to political leadership is perhaps less
firmly est blshed than her title TO precedence TOT
consistent and unwaverng devotion to Bourbon
ideals The single State which on a fairly poiied
vote could give Mr. Cleveland larger plurality
for President IN 1888, year when all ponticai
conditions were adverse to his candidacy, than IN
either OF his favoring canvasses OF 1884 ana lssI
might well be credited with priority over all rivals
in Democratic zeal and Democratic steaofastness
From 1864 to 1892 indeed Kentucky's record In
State and National elections has been one OF unl-
form and sweeping Democratic triumphs Forth
fed by a fixed and rigid public sentiment whose
strength could be measured in annual majorities
~ 30 900 ard $4,000 its fortunes guided by an ex-
perienced and intelligent group of poiticians-the
so-called Frankfort Rlng-whose leadership had
descended through thirty years of uninterrupted
tenure at the State capital. confronting an oppo-
sition not only numerically feeble. but handi"
capped by popular prejudice the Democracy OF
Kentucky might well have considered Itself year
or two ago practically guaranteed an indefinite
lease of power. Nowhere North or South could
continued Democratic supremacy have seemed
more reasonably certain nowhere was the prose
pect of party failure apparently more distant
DEMOCRATIC CONFIDENCE SHAKEN.
Yet 80 swift is the whirligig Of politics thae
within the last twelve months the Democratic
leaders in Kentucky have seen their hold on tho
public confidence shaken, the formidable political
machine through which they 80 long controlled
the destinies Of the State hopelessy shattered
fol.r If
Democratic pollcy-work Of a generation of Bour-
bon MISUNDERSTANDING swiftly into ruin. As
sailed at once from without and broken by inter-
nal discords party disintegratio has been nevis
able and rapid and the discouraged and de-
moralized leaders now struggling. somewhat
confusedy. but with energy born of despair
TO prevent the defeat of their State ticket at the
polls next month"; disaster which threatens moo
only to sweep the dominant party from power at
the pita but also to revolutionze the political
conditions under which commercial and industrial
Kentucky has lain cramped and fettered since
the close of the
The dssensions which have disrupted the
Kentucky Democracy and now promise mora
and more 10 insure the election this fall or a
Republican Governor and a Republican United
States Senator the result OF radical ana
deep-seated antag onisms in Democratic policy.
face not so much by the acts of the local man.
ayers themselves by the urgorcies OF Demo~
cratic National politics. As is well known.
the immediate rock which the party
has split is the candidacy for the Cow
ernorship of p Wat Hardin. whose fixed at
tachment to the cause of free silver coinage
has led him 10 repudsts the so-called sound
money platform which he was nominated
last June in this city. Mr. Hardin's open ana
studied defiance Of the party platform and his
refusal 10 be governed in his canvass by the
authority OF the State Central Committee have
undoubtedly had the effect of precipitating the
revolt which now endangers the success of the
Democratic State ticket. and TO that extent he
is himself to be held responsible for the pres
ent party schism.
THE CAUSES OF DISRUPTION.
Yet the real causes Of the party's disruption
lie deeper. and involve irreconcilable differ
ences OF policy and opinion. Party schism in
Kentucky has been inevitable indeed. from tho
day that President Cleveland formulated his
sound money" policy and set out to impose
it az accepted Democratic doctrine on the party
rganizatlons In the Southern States. Between
the financial views of Mr.. Cleveland and the
teachings Of the Kentucky school founded by
Beck and continued by Carlisle the Breckin-
ridges Blackburn and Hardin no truce or COM
promise possible. Mr. Carlisle and others
had solved the contradiction by seeding openly
TO the sound money" ranks But Blackburn
and Hardin. backed by the Frankfort Ring and
followed by the great majority Of the Demo-
cratic voters clung to the Bourbon doctrines
and accepted the Administrations challenge TO
a trial of strength. The proceedings and re-
suits Of the Louisville convention last June are
too fresh in memory To need recalling. Aided
by the commanding talents and wide popu.
larity of his Secretary OF the Treasury. Mr..
Cleveland at least nominal victory by
securing a quasi Endorsement az the AdminS