Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-01
Political Hints From Kentucky.

II
The returns from Kentucky call for con-
sidsratiOI apart from the financial question
proper. Why should the democracy in the
Ilue grass state. which less than year
ago at Mr.. Carlisle's instance adopted
sound money platform. face about now and
rot only declare for free silver but reject
movement having for its object the present.
ing of Mr. Carlisles name for President at
Chicago? The silver question, in all essen
t&lS, Is, in its nature, the same now that
it was then. What is the explanation of
The change?
Politics. Everyday, practical politics.
Such is the reply that comes naturally in
response to thoughtful consideration of the
circuns tances of the case
When the democrats met in state conven-
ton last year the silver question was pre-
sented on its merits, and sound money car
RED the day by a vote of more than two to
ore Then followed the nomination of Gen.
eral Hardin, a free silver man, for gov
ernor, largely upon personal grounds, and
the campo gD began. General Hardin's
Speeches proved Objectionable to the sound
money men, and many of them-aIl warm
supporters of Mr.. Carlsle-announced that
they would not support him. 1t was stated
and generally believed throughout the COM
monwaalth. that Mr.. Carlisle himself would
not support the ticket. Still, the fact re-
T1ined that General Hardin was the
p2rty's nominee. ard as such he insisted
that he was entitled to the support of
every democrat in the state. But he was
cut at the polls, and. for the first time in
thirty years, the democracy was defeated.
Thus ended the first lesson
When the legislature met in January, the
democrats AID republicans broke even, and
two Dopu!.sts neId the balance of power.
The play therefore was to secure those two
votes. 1t required thirty-five votes 20 con-
troll the democratic caucus, and Mr. Black
burn po-lei th.rty-seyen and thereby Sc
cured the caucus nomination. He began
al once 70 MAJ play for the two populsts,
but was chechmated by the refusal of
several OF the sound money men to support
him. He complained of this, and argued
that, as the caucus nominee of the party,
ne was entitled to the support of every
democratic member of the assembly lie
vas sustained in this by many sound
money men. But the boilers continued to
hoId out Finally, an appeal was made to
MY carlisle 10 try and induce the bolters,
VINO We're his friends. to get into line. But
he declined 70 take any part in the con-
troversy- The boilers held out to the end,
ard Mr.. blackburn was not elected. Thus
erded the second lesson.
" hen the canvass this spring began It
was apparent that the silver men had the
sornI money men on the hip They had
what is de7oHiinated the politics of the
situation. and they used it for all that it
was worth. They pointed to the state Off
ces, all filled with republicans, to the
coming vacancy in the United States Sem
ate, and charged that but for bolting sound
IsrS,.,
have been possible. They proclaimed them
selves The regulars the Old guard'-the
supporters of the Organization" as against
men of the rule or ruin stripe. They as
serted that the boilers must be rebuked,
and at thu head of them they placed Mr..
Carlisle, for whose benefit, it was insisted,
both General Hardin and Mr.. Blackburn
had been turned down. Intense feeling was
aroused and it ran all the higher for the
Tact that Mr. Carlisle did not appear on the
scene u present his own side of the Gues-
ton. There was no man in the state capa-
TIE or taxing his place, and in his absence
ana under such disadvantages the sound
money cause ioundered ard went down.
But the silver men did not content them
selves with merely playing politics They
Kept up hot fire of charges that Mr. Car
Isle had once been a silver man himself.
ard they sOwed the state with copies of his
famous speech of 1873, with the choice
parts picked out with black letters. and the
whole introduced in a way to make it an
pear as -he most severe and comprehensive
Indictment of the gold policy ever drawn
l'y a democrat. Mr.. Carlisle has several
times explained the speech, and has insisted
that it does not carry the Interpretation
put upon it by the silver leaders of today
hut, nevertheless, the silver leaders hold
on to it and succeed in making very effec-
tive use of it in all the agricultural sec
tons. Mr.. Carl!sle's fate therefore Is re-
garded as not unlike that of the eagle
stretched upon the ground pierced by an
arrow feathered from it's own wing. He
has b@en brought down by shafts feathered
from his own letters and speeches.