The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1901-05-18
FUTURE OF KENTUCKY.

cade, have rapidly lost rank.
Not alone from a moral stand
point, but politically and COM
merciaI!y. In this age of advance
ment, marked as it is on every
side by broad and liberal views,
there is no place for those whose
leading characteristic is content
ment with old ideas and meas
ures, or prejudice against all that
is new and up to date. Ken
tuckians made rapid strides in in
tellect, culture and wealth from
the days of Daniel Boone and
Simon Kenton down to the days
of Henry Clay and John G. Brock
inridge. During that period the
welfare of the State and the coun-
try at large was the chief aim of
all legislation, State and national.
The advancement of the indi.
vidual was a matter of secondaro
Importance.
Since the close of the civil war
the welfare of the State, with the
numerous rights pertaining there
to, has been ignored, and the ag-
grandizement of the nation first,
and of q select few afterwards,
seems to be the aim of our states
men. Kentucky fought CALAMITY
in the field of politics to maintain
the doctrine of States rights, and
her Supreme Court aided Judi
cially, but the Federal Courts
gradually encroached upon the
rights of all States, until the old
doctrine is but the shadow of
itself. The State is to be COM
mended for clinging to it's
''rights, old as the doctrine was,
but it clings to many other Gus
toms, traditions and prejudices
that should have been discarded
long ago, provided she desired to
keep pace with her sister States
in the line of progress and
abreast of the times. Bowie
knives and brandy, revolvers and
race horses, are no longer neces-
sary elements to the development
of the State, socially or fnan-
cially. Their possession no longer
commends the respect or admira-
tion of any one. Their use no
longer indicates bravery or man
hood.
Physical courage is an attribute
common TO the citizens of all
States. Kentucky no longer has
monopoly of that commodity.
One Kentuckian can no longer
whip three Yankees, but one
Yankee, in a business transaction,
can make it very interesting for
three Kentuckians.
Times and conditions have
changed, and the old Common
wealth must change with them.
Politicians and statesmen who
expect to become famous by de-
nouncing corporate wealth and
damning the views of the opposite
party, must be relegated to the
rear. The resources of the State
must be developed, her hidden
wealth must have an outlet.
Capital must be encouraged to
locate here. The wealth that is
already here must be induced to
remain. Corporations must be
treated as fairly and equitably as
individuals. Their usefulness must
not be crippled by double taxation
or excessive charges of any kind.
They should not be subject to the
control of inquisltors any more
than an individual. In fact, all
such legislation is prompted by
short-sighted politicians, who are
posing as the friends of the COM
mon people, or are trying to make
soft places for some political fol-
lowers, and the result too often
kills the goose that lays the
golden egg"
All great movements in the
commercial world have been ac-
complished by combined wealth,
either in the hands of corpora
tions or of governments, govern
ments themselves being the great
est of all corporations. The most
prosperous countries and States
are those whose legislation is the
most favorable toward combina-
tions of capital. History gives