Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-01-02
QUITS in DISGUST.
Judge Black Declines to Run for
Governor.
Not - Common With Machine
Politics, Such as Seems to OBJ
tain in These Times.

Democrats of Kentucky; Severa
months ago ] made known TO many
of you my then intention to ask yor
to make me your party candidate
for governor, to be voted for at the
November, 1908, election. Since
then conditions which did not fore
see have arisen and somewhat
changed my plans as well as my
wishes. This section Of the State
has recently been given stimulus
which pressages the immediate and
continuing development Of its i'm.
mense natural wealth. To d pro
fession which ! have followed for
years, and which has not been to
me uncongenial, not entirely uDre-
munerative, there have been, by
reason Of the conditions referred to,
added may be pardoned for say
ing-increased opportunities and
prospects to myself. The abandon.
ment of these at this time, for the
more, to say, uncongenial and I'M
certain pursuit of politics, would be
a sacrifice greater than l feel
should make. Because of these
conditions and the additional faci
that l had become disguised with
the methods Of modern politics,
more than two months ago, deter
mined to announce to you my disin
clination to enter any contest fol
the nomination. This fact / at this
time made known to few Of my in
innate friends and neighbors, l ha.
determined to take this course be
fore the State primary had beef
called, and when ! believed a pri
mary would not be called. Their,
has not been a moment when
would have preferred a convention
to primary. | am not one OF thos
who have been the benefciaries Q
'sdark lantern methods in politics
or out Of politics. have neve
known or tried to learn or engag
in such questionable tactics. AM
the recent disparagement of thes
methods by some who may no
have been entirely exempt fror
their employment in the past may
let us hope, furnish some evidenc
that the people demand, for the fu
ture, Purer politics than they hav
been given in the past. l have al
ways felt that if was not the pee
pies choice for any position I nigh
seek, would willingly submit. j
a free government the decision c
the majority should be accepte'
and acouiesced in by all. hav
never doubted the plain people
But they, like myself, have neve
had much in common with machin
politics, such as seem to obtain
these times.
Had gone through a contest 70
the nomination do not great
doubt the result. if the untrammele
will of the plain people had bee
fairly recorded. But / have neve
believed my candidacy for the non
inatioz for Governor would be fair
lily treated, whether in conyentio
or primary. And this is not s
much because of prejudice again'
me as an individual citizen an
| Democrat as antipathy against tn
people, including myself, in thi
section of the State, upon the pal
Of certain elements of our popul;
| ton elsewhere. For many who al
no better by nature or in practic
than the people here have, in the
own arrogance, already outlawe
us. The Democrats of this sectio
have never received recognition
the hands Of the party elsewhere
the State except when we have wit
all our power been engaged IN cleo
ing candidates who CHANGED TO r
side elsewhere. Andr because
this outlawry any Democrat be-
has a hard road to travel to reae
Endorsement by his party fellow
ia the State.
The past and the present ALL
&Eprove that a Democrat u the gle
leDtb Congressional DISTRICT b;
even a poor ehapee to gathei
e<t.s 81 AZ. ~