Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-31
IN OLE kAINTUCK,
The Situation Badly Split Up and the
Result Uncertain.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star
LOUISVILLE, August o. 1896.
Every KentLckian is a politician now,
and nothing but politics is discussed in
the workshops. on the farms and in the
business houses.
The biggest vote in years was polled last
November when there We're exactly So, ST.
votes cast in the gubernatorial election,
but from all indications this vote will be
eclipsed this year. Never before in the
history Of the commonwealth has SO much
| interest been manifested, and a trip
| through the state would lead one to The
opinion that each one of the 3d., Sal voters
OF last year was a politician. OF course,
the main topic is the currency question,
and while every man eSpouSeS side OF
the other, there is a general desire to be-
como better informed on the issue which
has forced its way to the front in national
affairs. L. is this unusual activity on the
part of the people, this restleSsness and
feverishi.ess Oh the part OF the great mass
or the voters. that is causing the party
bosses So much worry. They are at loss
10 know what Will eventually become of II,
and they are fairly swept off their feet by
the resistless demand for facts-not the
| usual campaign chaff-but cold, hard facts
abou. the currency question. And nothing
else will do them. The oldest and most ex-
perieEced leaders are unable to place Ken
tCcky to their own satisfaction at the COM
ing election. The money question has
party lines have been, in a measure, done
away with, and the fight is no longer be-
tween the democrats and republicans, as it
has beer in the past, but the issue in Ken
lucky now is between free silver and gold,
and this issue has brought about general
realignment Of the old parties. Added to
| this, the advent Of the third party, or the
national democracy, has made the Situa-
tion even more bewildering than before.
The democrats are lighting desperately.
They admit that if the republicans capture
| the state this time 1t will be years be-
fore it is again anchored in the democratic
column, and they are making The struggle
| of their lives. Besides. Kentucky Is con-
sidered part of the solid south, and its
thirteen electoral votes will be needed to
elect Bryan. 1t is looked upon. with In
| diana, as a pivotal state. and for this rea-
| sen the coming of Bryan two weeks hence
| is looked forward to eagerly by the advo-
Gates of FIRE silver. 1t has been definitely
settled that Bryan will speak here about
| the 10th 18th. and in Lexington the fol-
| lowing day, and arrangements are in pro-
| 81 ess to give him royal welcome. He is
| expected to turn the tide In favor of free
| silver and to give the cause such a boost
| that the republicans and sound money dem
ocrats will never be able to overcome it.
| This is evidenced by the fact that he will
| speak in the two congressional districts
| that are most in doubt, and that he will
| leave alone those points where there is
| either no hope or where silver has an easy
| victory.
l Col. breck1nrt0Ee again.
In this, the fifth congressional district.
the democrats have nominated ex-Gov.
| John Young Brown for Congress against
| Walter Evans, the republican member now.
| The gold democrats have also announced
their determination to put out candidate,
| and, from all indications, he will be Judge
| Alex P. Humphrey, one Of the most repre-
| sentative, we'll as one of the strongest.
men in the district. With three candidates
la le HI l.,,%
that Col Evans, will be- returned to Con-
| gress and that et-Gov. Brown will go down
| in defeat With the exception of the old
| Ashland distrct-the "bloody seventh
| the gold democrats will make no other eff
forts to send a man to Congress In the
Ashland district w. c. P. Breckenridge has
| bolted the action of the Chicago conven-
| ton and has come out for Congress on the
| iEdependent gold ticket. His great personal
| following, added to the disaffection that ex-
! lists among the democrats in that section,
| nakes him dangerous competitor. and
the famous old district never had SO ex-
citing q campaign as the one which Is just
| ahead.
Col Breckinridge is already actively at
/ work stumping the district and announces
that he will make the race red hot from
| start to finish. The republicans may make
| a nominal ton, and If they do they will Sc
| lect in all probability Judge George Denny.
| who contested the seat of w. c. Owens
| (dem) in the last Congress. But it is
| vaguely limited that they will not make a
nomination, and that they will fuse with
| the sound money democrats in an effort
| to defeat the free silver candidate, who will
| in all proba Utility be Charles J. Bronston of
Lexington. Bronston is heartily disliked
| by the republicans on account of his bull
| doing tactics in the late legislature and
believing that they have no chance to elect
1 a man themselves they will repay a debt
which they owe to Col Breckenridge by
supporting kim. 1t will be remembered that
| Col. Breckenridge and his friends gave all
| the support that they could to Judge Denny
| IN his race against Owens two years ago.
| after the former had been defeated by
| Owens in one of the hottest primaries that
| the district ever knew, and for this the re-
putlicans feel that they should repay the
| favor. especially II the defeat Of the DEM
| ocratic nominee can be encompassed
thereby. John d. Carroll. Evan Settle.
ChaGlie Bronston and w. c. Owens are the