The evening times., 1899-07-28
FRIDAY, JULY 2S. 1899.
sfrnnre Antics i'm Kentucky.

1t is officially announced that a truce has
been declared in the latest feudal in
Kentucky An agent of Governor Brad
- ley has returned TO Frankfort from Clay
county and reported that since the Bakers.
Howards, Whites, and Philpots have con-
cluded to fight more at present, it is
unnecessary to either send troops to the
disturbed district to preserve order or to
order a special term of the circuit court TO
investigate the recent wholesale killing and
punish the guilty. 1T would be a mis-
take to again send troops to Clay county.
declares the governors agent. las their
presence would only result in arousing the
a. {" factions to indignation
This all sounds very strange. but it is
given out as news by the Kentucky
thorities with a solemnity as serious and
a satisfaction quite as joyful as that which
accompanied the announcement of the
signing OF the protocol which called a halt
on military operations in the Spanish
American war. The State government Of
Kentucky thus acknowledges a condition
OF belligerency among part Of its own
citizenship and confesses its inability to
correct a situation that is disgraceful alike
to the Bluegrass Commonwealth and a
leading nation OF the world. Apparently
--T- Italy is more helpless against Sicilian
feuds, or the mi-barbarous government
,. 20 of San Domingo against the conspracies of
80 the sans-culotte rabble than is the great
and enlightened State of Kentucky against
the murderous clans Of her mountains.
The dispatches which announce Cover
nor Bradley's abandonment of a partially
formed intention to call a special session
OF the legislature TO take action on an
tucky itself, bring the news that the
executive has about decided to order
the legislature to meet in extraordinary
term for the purpose of repeating an cleo
tion law under which il is feared one fac
ton of Bluegrass politicians will have an
advantage over another This reveals
spirit Of political cowardice and partisan
ship which probably explains the existence
of feudalism in Kentucky. The machinery
of State government is unequal to the
task of preventing murder. loot, and rapine
in one section of the Commonwealth, but il
is adequate to the purpose OF fixing cleo
ton laws to suit the desires of a party or
faction. 1t is a confession of political i'm
morality in the State which more than any
other cause. is responsible for the shame
full conditions of citizenship in the noun
LdlH SSCllOu-
II is obvious that what Kentucky needs
most is an executive at Frankfort who will
crush out murder and anarchy in the
mountain region. II is silly TO claim that
this cannot be done. 1t is insult to ma
tioaal intelligence and progress to ac-
knowledge that the law is unable to reach
assassins and thieves operating under any
guise What Governor Bradley should do
if he has sincere desire to do some
thing of a lasting benefit TO his State, is
TO send into Clay county and into every
other section of the Commonwealth SINH
larly afflicted determined force of mill
tia with instructions TO mercilessly hunt
down every participant in the local ven
dettas. He should have everyone shot
down who resists arrest, and those who
are captured alive should be sent before
courts that would not be hampered by To-
cal influences in rigidly upholding the let
ter and the spirit Of the law. Until Ken
tuckians elect governor who will do this
they cannot hope to see a new era of
prosperity and progress in their State.