The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1899-08-22


copies OF newspapers lhaJ 1t has sub.
sidized, containing every assault upon
the Democratic party and its candi-
dates that malignity and mendacity
| can invent.
| Indeed, this year the people of Ken
lucky are plainly told by the president
| of the Louisville and Nashville Rail-
road company, Mr.. Milon II. Smith, in
an open letter that that corporation Is
| engaged in the effort to defeat the
| Democratic party and its candidates;
| and, Furthermore, that it will desist
| from this effort only when a pledge is
! given not to do anything to which
| those who control the affairs of that
! corporation object.
'In other words, the owners of this
corporation. which the people of Ken
! lucky created by act of their general
| assembly, assume to decide for the
people of the commonwealth what
| laws shall and what laws shall not, be
enacted, and what laws shall and what
| laws shall not be enforced.
There is. therefore, distinctly and
unequivocally presented to the people
of kentucky the question whether
their laws shall be made and executed
by themselves, through their. duly
chosen servants. or whether the eX-
ercise of the sovereign powers of gov
~
most powerful corporation in the COM
monwealtl.
81 do not believe that the people of
Kentucky are ready to abandon gov
eminent of, by and for the people, and
to substitute therefor government by
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
company, for the benefit of the Roths-
childs and the Belmonts. But that
question must be determined in this
ngt i A ny |
"There is no fact better established
than that during the canvass preced-
ing the recent Democratic state con-
vention, and during that convention
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
company left undone nothing within
its power to control the action of that
convention. That that attempt failed
is sufficiently attested by the platform
adopted and the ticket nominated by
the convention and the open letter of
Mr. Milton VI. Smith. And when this
corporation failed to control the Dem
ocratiC state convention, then its
agents attempted to break up that
convention, in order to prevent the
nomination of candidates upon the
platform had been adopted.
Pending the Democratic canvass the
Republican state newspaper organ, the
Louisville Commercial, on March "a,
concerning the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad company and its at
tempt to control the Democratic state
convention:
A Republican View.
at appears, therefore, that at least
one railway corporation in Kentucky
is in politics up to its neck, and the
fact is of great interest and concern
to the people of this state. That it is
a menace to the public welfare is not
open to a doubt That it is a fragrant
violation Of prCpriety for a corpora
tiOn which is q common carrier and
which enjoys the use of a valuable
public franchise to thus invade the do
main Of politics is equally clear. That |
1t fOTebOdes consequences to the bust |
ness interests OF Kentucky of the |
gravest significance will not be de- |
MED by any citizen who will reflect |
upon the existing situation and note |
how similar it is to that which has |
prevailed in other states just preced |
ing their domination by the railway |
interests.
IF a railroad corporation may
boldly set about to nominate a candi- |
date for governor without indignant |
and overwhelming protest from the |
people, it will Of course not stop at so !
=
political power. If it needs a governor !
to do its VIII, it needs also legisla- |
ture, and railroad commissioners, and |
an attorney general. and a complete |
staff Of subs1rViCnt state officials. And /
if it may have and own a governor, it |
may have and own all the others. 1t |
need not step ha.f way in its determi- .
nation to control the making and the .
execution o. ,he laws, and of course .
it viii not. For, If it may control in
legislation and then in executive diTec-
ton, it may ultimately fix by law its
own rates for the carriage of freights .
and passengers, and compel every bus
mess Interest in Kentucky to pay trib-
ute to its iHsatiate greed.
The Commercial utters this note
Of warning to the people of Kentucky,
and it admonishes the great railway
company which appears to be chiefly
concerned that it is entering upon a
dangerous campaign. 1t may nomi-
nate for governor, but it will subse-
quently face an Infatuated people at
the polls. 1t will not be permitted to
govern this state. 1t would better not
undertake the job
When that editorial was published
the Republican party leaders feared
that the Louisville and Nashville Rail
road company, if it controlled the
Democratic state convention, would
desert the Republican party, and fail
to support it with the sinews of war
n the approaching election, because if
hat corporation could control the
Democratic convention, dictate its
platform and nominate its candidates,
It would have no need of the Repub-
lean party in Kentucky.
Notwithstanding this warning Of
he Republican state organ, tbs Louis
Vile and Nashville Railroad company
has undertaken the job of electing a
governor and other state officers; but
{ is attempting to elect, not the Dem
,cratic, but the Republican candidates.
This attempt is a menace to the
public welfare;' the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad company will face
IN Infatuated people at the polls and
it will not be permitted to govern the
;tate'-althoug it has undertaken
he job. T. pplause.l
SILVER AN ISSUE.
Democratic Platform FaV-