Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1902-08-29
MORE ABOUT PRInARIEs.

is pleased to call government by
machine in Kentucky. There is
nobody clamoring for a primary
election in Kentucky excepting the
Office holders who seek. to perpet-
uate themselves in Office. This
coterie in their dire extremity have
seized upon our amiabie friend
Richardson, who can argue better
for camp meetings than he can for
primary elections, and have pushed
him into the breach to urge a dis
regard Of the organic law of the
Democratic party by its highest
governing authority in the State.
Editor Richardson is at his best
when leading a charge, a forlorn
hope as it were, but he is not the
man to sustain a protracted siege.
Holding as he does a State office, to
which he was not nominated by the
popular vote, or even by a state
convention, he is one of the last
men who ought to recommend a
sauce for the goose that is not good
for the old gander himself. But
consistency is not always a jewel
that adorns the shirtfront of the
politician. And so Bro. Richardson
threw himself into the conflict, ex-
posing himself in every direction. |
One broadside was enough to cause
an inglorious retreat Not until be
reached the shadow of the machine
did he make another stand. But
he is not the valiant Richardson |
who fit, bled and died month ago. !
He comes feebly to the front with |
his cherished platform scheme"
gone glimmering and IS, $50 added !
to his expense account.
He now suggests that a conven-
ton in the old way should be held
to formulate platform, a method
that ''has been followed by the
Democratic party in Kentucky for
hundred years" Nobly, said,
Sir James, we accept your sur
render, upon the condition that the
same convention nominatethe ticket |
to fit the platform.
On the question of law, however,
he does not yield so gracefully.
said the horse was sixteen
feet high, he intends to stick to his
figures,
The party law is too plainly ex-
pressed to admit of more than one
construction and there is absolute
ly no power vested in the State COM
mittee to call primary. The only
way out of It is to first call a State
convention to amend the party law.
Any strained construction in the
interest of machine candidates will
never do. We know the members
of the Executive Committee we'll
enough to doubt the boast of the
Times that at will be held and /
don't you forget it"
In discussing the statement that
the State convention intentionally
provided that State tickets be nom
mated only by conventions, Mr..
Richardson asserts that both State
and district conventions have been
disgraced by fraud, corruption
and boodleism.
This may be true, but we are
here to say that the opportunities
for fraud in the secret primary are
greater than in any convention.
The secret ballot itself is a vicious
Continuance, an unmanly method of
doing things under cover.
When placed in the hands of a
machine, It is impossible to obtain
honest results.
Has Mr.. Richardson forgotten
the primary election in Louisville
IN June 1899, when the frauds, the
intimidation and the corruption
were so fragrant that the committee
met while it was in progress and
declared it off?
Our contemporary asks if we be-
lieve "the great Democratic party
of Kentucky will descend to the In
famies Of the common boodler and
CRATER or lower itself to the level of
states and sharp politics.
No we do not, but there are those
who would have it do so, and that
is why we would have the committee
resist outside interference and con-
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