Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1902-02-25
TOO HONEST OFFICIALS.

- There is a very evident dIspos
ton on the part of the Legislator
to give the Beckham administra
e ton rope and let it hang itself S,
If high that there will be no serious
t obstacles in the way Of a new anC
e clean deal in State politics nexs
year Gov. Beckham has already
made a record for pardoning gam
blers and mountain murderers before
trial and has shown such a de.
cided preference for crap-shooters
and poker-players for Asylum off
Gals that the Senate-or rather a
majority of the Senators consented
to have the administration repre-
sented in the Western Asylum by a
bunch OF confessed gamblers.
AS the people of Kentucky, the
christian, law-abiding people, will
not endorse by their votes the con-
version of the insane Asylums of
the State into gambling bells, the
only conclusion is that the Cover
nors's enemies have joined with his
friends in the Senate to fasten his
record upon him and emphasize
this bold defiance of public senti-
ment. 1t had been hope that the
Senators as individuals would have
opposed the confirmation of these
law-breakers and thus have spared
the Democratic party the shame of
having to make a defensive cam
paign next year.
The Senate Committee on Chart
table Institutions has taken still
another step in it's desire to place
the entire responsibility of Asylum
mismanagement upon the admins
tration. The Board of Commits
sioners hold Office for six years and
cannot be removed under the law
except by impeachment proceedings
begun in the House and tried in the !
Senate. 1t is perpetual body, |
that laps from one administration
to another, no Governor appointing
more than six of the nine members. /
Gov. Beckham has appointed six OF
the present Board, two in 1900 and
four but recently, one of his three
first appointees having resigned.
Messrs. knight, Breathitt and
Shryer have two years more to
serve. The Governor now desires
to get rid of these three commission
ers and Messrs. Ware and Walker
whom he appointed himself two
years ago, In the recent attempts
to corrupt the morals and squan-
der the funds of the Asylum, these
FIVE commissioners and their four
associates who have retired, were
as one man in unfolding the law
and protecting as best they could
the interests of the State. There
are now many bills Of questionable
character hung up in he Board,
that have been disallowed because
the Board dill not believe they
were just and because the expenses
OF the Asylum have been increased
about $4,000 over 1899 and it was
necessary to call a halt IN the
waste of the public money, for
which the Board is held response
Bile.
The commissioners who have
proved themselves too honest and
TOO mindful of their oaths, are men
Of the highest character. represent
ing both political parties and their
proposed impeachment and remova al
ny the GeneralAssembly is regarded
as a matter so farcical in its very
nature that it is difficult to treat it
as a serious proposition. There
are few enough public officials in
these degenerate times who perform
their duties faithfully aud the prop
ositiou to degrade men Of the high
est personal character for a sim
pie performance Of their sworn du
ties, is as bold as it is ridiculous.
South Trimble has announced his