Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-04-18
NOT QUITE PLAIN ENOUGH.


take Kentucky out of the presiden
tial market i'll 1900. He said HI
would not stand in the way of the
will of the people. This, if Gen
Hardin is correctly reported, means
that he would not use the veto pow
er to protect the people from bad
bills that might be lobbied or traded
through the Legislature. This pc,
sition cannot be satisfactory to his
most ardent supporters. We need
Governor who will use his veto
power without fear or favor. Gov.
Browns courageous course in this
direction made him for a time un-
popular with thu politicians, but
the people stood by him and the
courts in the end indicated the
wisdom displayed in killing many
of the bad bills he refused to sign.
If Gen. Hardin intended to say that
he would sign any party measure
approved by a Democratic caucus,
then his position is all that any
good Democrat could ask. The
election bill is a distinctly party
measure, adopted in caucus and
passed over the Governor veto.
AS state law it is more binding
upon Democrats than the declara-
ton in favor of free silver in the
National platform, which has not
yet become a law of the land upheld |
by the courts and ratified by the
people at the polls. 1t should be !
from the statute books only |
by the power that placed it there.
II Gen. Hardin means to pledge
himself to uphold the law as Dem
ocratic principle until repealed by
he Democrats themselves. then no
ault can be found with the stand
lie takes. But the danger to the
aw lies in the fact that the hand
III of Democrats who bolted the ,
aucus in 1898 may unite with the ;
and pass a bill re- |
,eallnp the law that insures an 2
onest count next year. thus plac- +
ny Kentucky on the auction block n
gain in 1900. Let Gen. Hardin :
atisfy his friends and supporters
Y pledging himself to kill with
is veto such bill DIS that Y
nd his nomination will be r
'regone conclusion. Now that he W
as attempted to define his position, II
2 owes it to himself and his friends "
make it so plain that ''he who o
ms may read" If he would sign
bill passed by Republican votes,
whole or in part. rather than t.
wart the will of 1.-THE people, a
en- thousands of his supporters, W
any of them here in Christian st
unity. want to know it in time. II
he election law is a necessity in fo
Opkinsville and Christian county.
supremacy in the city
as saved in 1897 by only three votes n
nd with more packed election b
oards as we had that year, there d
Guild be no hope for white rule to c.
: longer maintained in Hopkins n
lie. The same fusiouists that OPP
osed the Democratic party in 1897
,uld count themselves in in 1899,
the city and take the :,
ty forever out of the control of +
lose who pay the taxes. With an o.
)nest election, with floaters driven .
ON the polls, with a fair count
nd the Democrats assured in adj
lnce that they can win by proper
Tort, Christian county itself can /
nd will be redeemed in 1901. The =
Dnormal Republican majority of
800 was largely reduced in 1898
nd it will disappear altogether
hen the confidence of the Demo- :,
ats is restored and they have the =
cart to go to the polls and vote. :.
Te hope to see Gen. Hardin tell the !
eoplc in plain language how he
,ands on this vital question. The
eople have a right to know. If he
in favor of the law and will de- Il
nd it on the stump and protect it u
ON its enemies with thevetopower y
necessary, then it ceases to be an
sue between Democrats, for all of
,e candidates for Governor will