The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-09-18
GOV. BECKHAM|
Sounds the Keynote
OF the Democratic
State Campaign.
hlasteriy Speech by Kentucky's
Executive at Winchester,
September 5th.
The Following IL the Text Of Governor
Beekham's Opening Speech at Win.
CHESTER on Sa urday.
Confined from last week,

sn.s'eI ou Oh uTuny.
Continued from last week.)
.mA ras.fg heuuicAn PLATFORM unaer-
hkNs 10 cfltlclse mo for what IL terms
MY abuse OF the pardonlng power, Again
my nave performed a great service for
nle, Tor II calls forth an examination OF
my record ami a Comparison with mo
records nf some OF my predecessors
These records have been very carefully
eAshined. they are open 10 the public,
lnl ! am very proud OF the showing
which they make / snail gIyo The IN.
isticA from the records OF GOV hroWn
Gov iradloy and my own. In doing so
.htfe y not the slightest desire or nten-
uqn upon my part to reflect upon or
criticize the actions OF these two distin.
kulahed governors Tor belIeve thnt
they acted cOnselentiously In these mai,
Yrs and did what they thought was
bronfht up and an unlimited number OF
HhAfeprcHrntnuons and falsehaods have
pecn circulated about my pardon record
Ahu AZ, chort made 10 create the lmnres-
i9n mat ! nave used the power exces-
| nNely, must make comparisons aud let
ne people see how little truth there Il In
what has been said and published The
| Nsurcs SHOWN by the executive journaig
~ ihe prison records reveal the fact
mat have exercised executive clemency
Tar less than either OF those two predc-
SCISSORS and that with prison population
,S,n,,alutted ,,,, my percentage OF pRrdons
WI compare favoraby with any other
| thiet executive The mendacity Of cer-
/ tain republican newspapers about these
| matters ~ well as others In the last few
! hpnihs. has never been equnied The
republican organ at Louisville, edited and
| run by "A gang ot professional and ais
| reputable blAekmuilers, has tried ID ace
| now many falsehoods Il could publish
lhout these pardona. and never makes n
aoiroetion They have published ilbels,
! h.ey nave ,alsihed records. as evidenced
| " ~ Afldavit from one OF their own
employees. aud they have not hesitated
Al any Misrepresentation They have In
numerous instances wilfuiy published
statements which they knew 70 be false
ana by their representatives have admit
/ ted them TO be so. They give as their
| reaSon that ut Is politics., and that Is
| about as high conception as they have
] ot any moral principle. or course. so
4 inul a sheet ns this IL not deserving OF
] ima much notice. but as II claims 10 be
| lhe republican organ OF the state. and
seems 10 speak for that ticket, ! take
| Jhls occasion TO call attention to its in
| famous policies and methods. Now let
| US see what the records show, for facts
| ana figures are sufficient TO overcome
/ talsehoods, have been In Office little
| over three years ana seven months,
| which IL about Ave months less than a
| iull term. have therefore served al
| mosi "a long As each one OF my two
Z PREDECESSORS. The executive journals
4 show that In felony cases before and
after trial altogether. Gov Brown is
sued ~ pArdnns Gov. Bradley l2s. and
| Gov, Bcckham 225 The books Of the
| wardons OF the two prisons show that
there have zen released from those
| prisons the fdlowing number OF convicts:
| hy Coy, itrpwn 82 by Gov Bradley 3iq,
/ hy Gov Bcckham lA In cases Of muir
der where the prisoner was serving a
1 lie sotncnce ln the prison, Gov. Brown
| parionOd i5, Gov Bradley 70. Gov. Beck
ham IL Gov Brown also pardoned six
| other life conyiots two Of them for rape
and four scrviuE life sentence for
thlrg conviction GOV Bradley and I is-
sued no pardons N such instances Tay-
flur in his brief service issued pardona in
i y felony cases including those whom he
! Thought to be suspected OF numbering
Gov GoebeL II ! should serve out the
/ next term Of four years In addition TO
/ What have served In this term. | Will
! have becn In ofilco eight years lacking
/ nearly two months. aud II | keep UP the
same rate OF pardons that have hereto
! fore followed. | will not have pardoned
IN all that timo ~ nearly eight years as
! many cases as each one OF these two
| predecessors did In his four years term.
] ! have gone into these statistics not to
! Sfiuclse these two gentlemen, both OF
/ thcm men OF experience and distinguish
81 ability but simply 10 show that
nave not abused this great power and
| responsibility witch has been placed ~
4 my hnnda l desire full publication OF
the records In these matters which will
verify the figures | have used These
figures clearly show that have not been
/ In the least reckless In the use OF the
l pardoning power, and show TO some OK
tent how unjust have been the attacks
! upon me about H. In the Raleigh case,
about which 10 much has been said. and
/ Ahoui which there has been 80 much
talsehood, the circuit Judge prosecuting
attorneys, the father OF the girl who
was KILLED, and q large number OF OFF,
ci1ls and good citizens strongly recom-
Vonded the pardon My enemies have
| gone 50 far as to wilfully fabricato a
I story. IN orGer to reflect upOn me that
Raleigh hrod upon this girl while she
was heelng from him after he had Inn
| properly accosted her There never was
shadow ~ truth In this story and "a
I hasor falsehood was never uttered. The
rather Of the girl would never have ask
/ Cd FOR the pardon II such had been true.
The late J, Il. Marcum wrote a strong
I letter In the case asking for the pardon,
] aud stated that he did not believe that
Raleigh had fired the shot which killed
( the girl His statement certainly re-
lieNes The case Of any political coloring
merely citc this as an Illustration OF
the miserable character OF the fight on
/ me. ike all governors. In some few
/ cases | may have been Imposed upon
and made mistakes. but have never is
sued a pardon for political purpose. or
whore | did not conscientiously believe II
] 10 be right and Just to do so. The par
doniug power should be most carefully
used. and have tried the best could
/ to so use II, but governor must have
heart OF stone to resist all the pathetic
appeals from mothers. wives and chill
dren for the release OF a son, husband,
or n father II Is an awful responsible
ity and a trying ordeal that every gov
ornor OF Kentucky must undergo. In
most OF the cases where | have Issued
pnrdons, circuit Judges, prosecuting at
/ torneys. turies other prominent otiicials
and citizens have asked for the pardons.
My record In all these matters IL open TO
the Inspection OF every one, and there
has hardly been day In the last few
months ihat some representative OF my
enemies has not been In tho office, where
every opportunity has been a1orded hun
for examination and they have been un-
able TO make any capital out OF t, ex-
copt by Misrepresentation and falsihca-
ton Of tho records. The republicans
have sought TO make much political cap
ital out OF the recent troubles In Breath
itt county, and with their usual blunder-
ing characterizatlOns they have nttempt- |
ed to make II an Issue In the campaign |
| accept the challenge upon that, or
upon any other issue that may suit them
They can have their choice upon any one
or upon all, and we shall cheerfuly meet
them upon any subject they may choose
The only question upon which we must
draw the line and refuse to meet them
Is upon the momcntous problem Of Ser
Wan polhics. We must admit that they |
have monopoly there, and that we are |
really afraid to discuss with them the !
awful condition OF affairs In that be- !
nlghted country on the other side OF the
globo. We sincerely hope that they viii
carry Servia In this election as a COM
pcnsation for their losses In Kentucky. !
and we are willing TO 10 30 far rs TO /
give them letter OF recommendation 10 |
the SerNiana as n suitable crowd to run !
that government and keep things Inter |
eating by their superb markamanshlp |
and their ability TO change dynastlea at |
the crack Of rifle We would even ueo
our influence with the people over thcro
TO induce them TO Invest some OF our |
republican leaders with the noble nuf-
rs witch" Think OF ltl In o country I
where proud aovoroigna unually trace
their royal lineage back 70 some ancea. ,
trnl shotgun or dagger, what magnln-
cent ruler would BE- Tayloryitch or a
llolhnnpvltch' hut Wa must give up thiH
foreign territory TO thom and ask them
10 tnko up with ua tho nrcnthltt county
situation. about which we feel buttor ablo
10 meet them. That lhcre has been
uouhlf IN That county. nobody doillnai