The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1903-09-08
remacy asa not disturb the dreams Of

our people.
The platforra adopted by the repub
liCans at their convention ia Louisville
last July is without doubt the most COM
plete combination of hypocrisy, fraud and
misrepresentation ever put together. Ii
is an insult to intelligence, contradic-
ton of truth, and a libel upon every
subject with which it pNrports to deal
1t has never been equa%ed in braZen Ell
frcntery since the republican conVentl03
three years ago deliberately indorsed w.
$. Taylor, after he had been indicted for
mS1rder and ANONYMOUSLY fled from the
state, for his patriotic and resol0te
course" The republican convention last
July cheered vociferously the name or the
diana did not pernait his attendance at n
convention in kentucky. Had ciJcum-
stances allowed him to be present, the
ovation accorded him would have exceed ;
led every other demonstration in that con-
vention. They yeearned to see him that
they might pay tribute to the man who
was the arch-cOnspirauor in the assassl-
nation of VIM. Gocbel and the cOwardly
murderer who will not face a Kentucky
jury on trial of his guilt. This was the
same convention which h0nored me
through its resolution and its speakers
by denouncing me and my administration.
/ glory in it's condemnation. rejoice that
those who applaud assassins have no
praise for me. If anything has happened
in brief career which should entitle my
name to honorable mention to posterity.
it is the fact that this convention con-
ferred upon me the coveted distinction OF
its miserable censure. My pride is exalt-
ed when I think that my conduct in Off
cial life has met with their cordial dis
approval. My administration of the af-
fairs of state is commended for all time
to come by the denunciatiOn OF those who
exulted in GoebeIs death and who love
to pay homage to his naurderers. My
position in the confidence and affection
of the good people of Kentucky is secure
SO long as can merit the condemnation
Of such a convention as this.
Men who believe in murder as a pOlit-
ical necessity have no right to criticise
the actions or conduct OF their opponents,
and are entitled to no credit or consider
alton from honest people.
In their platform they say they are OPP
posed to assassination whether in Ser
via or Kentucky" We hope they are
sincere in what they say about Servia,
for we know they are not about Ken
lucky. It depends entirely upon the ques-
ton as to what party the murdered king
of Servia belonged; if he was repub-
lican. they mean what they say; but If
more sincere than they are in what they
say about Kentucky. The republican
leaders of Kentucky should remove TO
Belgrade, where they would find a more
congenial climate for the use Of their
improved methods of political warfare
The present king of that country would
probably grant them the same immunity
from requisition as the present governor
If the king should find his throne in
danger from the claims Of some rival, he
could borrow a Marlin rife from some
prominent republican federal officeholder
in Kentucky, who would cheerfully lend
1t, on account of the increased value of
the gun after the deadly work had been
accomplished. The man who wrote that
platform about assassination in Servia
might be considered a humOrist if the
subject was not so CHASTITY. His cruel
nature. as he penned those lines, was full
of delight when he INDUCED in such mock
cry. and saw in his minds eye the form
of Kentucky's governor, struck with the
assassin's bullet and writing in agony
on the state house pavement. And yet
these are the people who denounce me!
This is the platform which says my ad-
ministration has been bad! In my fond
est dreams of popular favor / never eX-
pccted such a complete triumph and vim
dicatiOn as this. Mr.. Belknap, the NOM
inee of that convention, may lay the fiat
terinG JUNCTION to his soul that he was
the most honored man by the convention.
l dispute the claim with him, and assert
that L above every other man carried off
the honors of that assemblage. For,
while he received the nomination for
governor, I was the chief object of their
attacks and my brow was adorned with
the chaplet wreath of their enviable
abuse. No crusader of DID, when he knelt
before his sovereign to receive the order
of knighthOod in recognition of his cour-
age and valiancy, ever felt prouder than
did / when that remarkable convention
said that it saw nothing in my public
Now, let us look at that libelous doc
uEaent which they have put forth as
their platform of principles"
With a reckless disregard for truth it
fires 70 general broadside shot at the pres
ent democratic administration, and it
would have the people believe that we
are as bad, if possible, as the republican
organization in~thiS state. It denounces
democratic machine" now in control of
Kentucky. This must have been intended
as little piece of pleasantly to relieve
somewhat the monOtOny of the occasion
for it is said that when this humorous
part of the platform about political ma
chimes was read a broad smile swept over
the faces of all the delegates except
those who were for Judge Pratt or Mr.
Wilson for these latter delegates were
not in q frame of mind just then to fully
appreciate a joke of that kind. The idea
or that convention denouncing a ma
chine" was a bit of witticiSm most too
satanic tic be enjoyed by these gentlemen.
1t is indeed very gratifying to me that
the republicans have seen fit to attack
the present democratic administration
and thereby bring prominently before the
people the work and actions of this adj
ministratiOn, for l am convinced that the
more discussion and investigation we
have upon this subject, and the better
the people understand it, the more cred
liable it will be to u.s., and We will be
certainly Endorsed at.1he polls L do not
want to appear boastful or to assume
any credit to which l am not entitled
but I can say and prove beyond success
full contradiction that the administration
of affairs given by the present demo-
cratic officials for over three and a half
years will compare favorably with any
other administration in the history of the
state. am. especially so with the last
republican administration of four years.
The financial affairs of Kentucky arc
now in the best condition ever known
in the state When the present admins
trauon came into power in February,
1900 the debt of the state was $1.OOe, 600,
created in 1S97-during the republican ad-
ministration. In the last six months we
have paid off that debt before its ma
turity with the exception of $4,000, and
the only reason we have not paid that is
because We have not yet been able to
have those thirty-siX bonds presented for
payment. We have the money to buy
them with, and we hope by the first Of
the year to do SO. The state is, therefore,
practically out of debt-a distinction
which is enjoyed by only three other
states in the union. One-half of the debt
would have been due in 1905, the other
half In 1907. 1t has been paid out of some
of the money collected by this admins
traitor from the national government on
the fivil war claims.
These bonds were all bought at the
most advantageous rates for the state
and at prices which earned for the state
better investment than our money does
when placed at the regular interest In
the state repositories During the last
three years of the republican adminiStra-