Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-02-11
ApiEerent OK Is Gored.

L ne OOuIleI- JOuIuat III iOPlJ w
paragraph clipped from this paper
says.
"But when the expression of the
State convention is overridden by the
expression of subsequent legislative
caucus, where is the authority for
holding that the caucus is superior 70
the convenient Party organization
is, indeed, absolutely necessary, but
there can be no party organization
without recognition of the fact that
the convention is supreme, and that
its laws can not be amended or re-
pealed except by a succeeding con-
vention of equal or higher authority.
No caucus, be it composed of men in
dorsing the conventions action, or OF
men disappearing it, as are many OF
Blackburn's supporters, has the least
power to commit the party to any
course not in harmony with the act
ion Of the convention"
The caucus is held under the au-
thority of the same State Central
Committee that calls the State con-
vention and the action of one is as
binding as that of the other upon
members of the party. To deny the
authority of the caucus to nominate
any man who submits his claims to 1t
as a member of the party, is to rebel
against the most vital principle OF
party government. And yet this is
the remarkable position the Courier
Journal has taken in the face of facts
and precedents that condemn both
its lack Of loyalty and its want OF
consistency. The caucus last month
was called to nominate candidates for
Senator and Librarian. 1t YVES not
required to make platform. 1t was
not directed to ascertain the views of
Senatorial candidates on any question
upon which Democrats differ, any
more than it was required to force
the candidates for Librarian to take
a stand upon the question of wearing
bloomers. The caucus made Its
nominations and one of the nominees
has been elected. The other can be
if given the united support OF the
party and the organ whose editor al
lows the boilers to vote for him IN
the attempt to defeat the nominee.
But the Courier-Journal is inconsist-
ent as we'll as reoelllous and unfair.
Every Democratic platform adopted
in our State conventions for many
years prior to 1895 declared for the
free coinage of both gold and silver.
The last two were especially out
spoken for silver.
In 1891 the platform-which was ed
itorially approved and supported by
the Courier Journal-was framed by
the present Senatorial nominee and
was as strong for bi-metallism as
words could express an idea. Under
that platform written by Senator
Blackburn, caucus was held by
Democratic Legislature and VIM.
Lindsay was nominated and elected
Senator. The Courier-J Journal called
upon no Democrats to bolt his nomi-
nation. Judge Lindsay was either
against silver at that time, or his
views have been changed since his
election. If he was a single stand
ard candidate then, elected on a
double standard platform, we have
caucus precedent for "a course not in
harmony" that the Courier Journal
cannot dispute. If on the other
hand Judge Lindsay was then in har-
mony with the Blackburn platform
upon which he was elected, why did
not the Courier Journal urge the
Democrats-some of them the same
members-to defeat him for the same
reason that it now wants Blackburn
himself defeated.
But Lindsay was elected under
Blackburn's platform and it was sat-
isfsctory to the Courier Journal.
Now we have Blackburn nominated
under platform reported by Senator
Lindsay and the Courier J ournal re