Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1900-09-28
Prohibition Paper to be Sup.
pressed by POstOfiiCe
Authorities.
Editor Likins Cited TO Answer
Before to Department---Mr
Likins Talks.

party, which is published in Owens
bore. is about to have his paper
suppressed by the postoffice de-
partment. at Washington. For
months Mr.. Likins paper has been
full of startling revelations of the
doiugs of the American army in the
Philippines, and has been de-
nouncing President Mckinley We
hemently for his drinking at public
banquets and endorsing the canteen
in the army. 1t has proven a high
est corruption in the Philippine
island and big land slide from the
Republicans is evident.
The administration, it seems, in
order to check this landslide from
their party, set in to suppress a
few prohibition papers. The New
Voice Leaflets, of Chicago, paper
of 1000 bona ide subscribers, was
the first to come under this, what
the Prohibitionists call highland
ed Imperialism, and the depart
ment compels its publishers to pay
third-class rates.
A Messenger reporter heard of
this decision of the postoffice de-
partment relative to Mr.. Likins
paper, and went to interview him,
and the following Is substantially
his revelation:
II am not surprised at the de-
cision made by the administration
at Washington relative to my pa
per- would not be surprised AT
any decision they might make.
Their plea is that my paper is be-
ing circulated free and by this free
circulation is barred from a
second-class rate consideration,
which l have been paying con
stantly, the same as other papers.
They have only given me
thirteen days from this notification
to get up the proof they ask for Of
course l can get it up, as l have
over two thousand bona fide sub
scribers and fifteen hundred short
timers.
1t comes with pretty poor grace
'0r such a decision as this to emai
from au administration that
s~a,ra 7g the postofice all over
=. .o,,ntrr 10 th literature at free
.a+es ~ 70 millions o. people. Just a
ew weeks ago RepuC. ''dn Cam
oaign paper was started id P"enS-
ooro, the Record, designed for free
among the negroes.
There is, doubtless, not single
bona fide subscriber to this paper,
and it issues two thousand each
week, yet that paper has second
class rates. But you see tits Re
publican paper.
1.-The Republican headquarters
for this county are next door to my
office and this is where, in my es-
timation, the whole thing was
hatched out. They have been |
spies in to see me, trying
to pump things from me and beg
nv papers, which, had there not
been some dirty work, they would
have come in themselves and got
ten.
1.-The Republicans this year have
given the prohibitionists an issue
and they are mad because we are
using it. They know their record
in the Philippine islands is as black
as hell itself, and it is a crime with
them il we tell it.
This is, or ought to be, a free
country, where every man can
speak his sentiments, but it seems
that the administration is eXercis-
ing a censorship and suppressing
the free press.
'In my estimation, and l believe
they will, the people should regard
less of party, arise and condemn
this high-handed decision as being
unworthy any government. The
like has never been known in
America and already 1t is reacting
and will cost the Republican party,
in Kentucky alone, anywhere from
ten to fifty thousand votes.
The reporter asked Mr.. Likins
if he thought there was any likeli'
lhood of the department reversing
it's decision, to which he replied
~ don't know, l hope they will