Washington sentinel., 1899-08-26
All Eyes on Kentucky.

Kentucky, declared ex-senator
Blackburn, the other day, in dis
cussing conditions in his State and
the outlook for the future, is not
a Republican State. It's politics
have not been changed, as in the
case oil Maryland and West Vir-
ginia. for instance, by the influx
of a large r'anuiacturing element.
It's population is nearly all agri-
cultural. There is only one large
city in the State. So that the recent
Republican victories must be ex-
planned by some other reason than
the causes which have operated in
other b rider States. One explain
alton is that they were never hon
estlY obtained. The State was
stolen for Mckinley in 1896.
There were forty precincts IN
Louisville where Bryan was not
allowed a judge of election. fact
which IS coincident with the 5000
Republican majority returned from
the city. The returns from the
Eleventh Congressional district,
which is the Republican strong
hold, were not definitely known
until a week after election. They
were changed every day, and each
change was a Republican increase,
the figures rising from 5000 to
10000. When the election law,
which allowed the Republicans
full control, was changed to the
Goebel law Louisville returned a
Democratic majority OF 5000,
while the Republican majority in
the Eleventh district was cut down
to about 5000. which is its proper
figure.
"The first shot on the skirmish
line Of the great battle OF 1900 is to
be fred in Kentucky in November"
said the Ex-senator. "You
cannot overstatt the importance OF
the fight we are in today. 1t is not
simply a State contest. 1t is ma
tional as we'll as State. Every
plank OF our Louisville platform
that is not purely local will be
crystallized into the national plat
form next June. We are empha
sizing national issues. l am tell
ing my people that the tariff issue
is not dead; that the currency ques-
ton is not settled; that every
blessed line, s-ntence, word, and
syllable OF the Chicago platform
will be reaffirmed. | am opposing
in my speeches the policy Of the
Administration which proposes to
civilize the Philippine Islands with
the Gatling gun and tha Springfield
rife; l am showing that the Repub-
lican party is friendly to trusts and
corporations, and | insist that the
great army OF workingmen now
out on strikes-a larger number
than the army Napoleon took into !
Russia-is sign tnat prosperity
has not arrived. am also saying
that il the Democrats of Kentucky
want to see Bryan win next year,
they must not falter now. Bryan
will undoubtedly be our leader,
and l predict that he will get en-
million votes. Bryan is as much
a candidate Of the Louisville con-
vention as Mr.. Goebel or l, and
for this reason it is essential that
kentucky give Democratic ma
jorlty this year. 1t depends upon
US whether the 6rst note OF next
years campaign is one Of cheer or
Encouragement. We have had
great campaigns in this State before
but l honestly believe that never
in our history have such tremen-
dous results been dependent upon
an election as is the case just now.
/ believe that il Kentucky goes
Republican this year, none OF US
will live long enough to see il re-
turn to the Democratic column.
Ii is the realization oi this fact that
has wrought our people TO such an
unusual degree OF excitement.
The contest means everything to
US. II we lose this. we lose all.
It will be a political death from
which there will be no resurrec
tion."