Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-03-31
NO LAUGHING MATTER.

The Murray Ledger, edited by
John H. Keys. who aided in the de
feat of Judge Linn, hts home mar
and the Democratic Daminee for
Circuit Judge in 1895, is Judge
Cooks chief newspaper organ in
the district. The Ledger talks
| chilly about what Galloway is go
ing to do for cher worthy candi.
dat" this time, but the fact re-
mains that this writer, who is now
playing the role of leader, support
ed Judge Breathitt seven years ago.
In the account Of the joint discus
sion in Galloway, the Ledger says:
Judge Cook took the stand and
/ for about one hour held his audience
/ in breathless silence while he
/ poured hot shots into his opponent.
He showed the history of the dis
trict and how Galloway county was
taken from her old mooring, aud
put across the river in order to
make a Democratic district, includ-
ing Christian, and how little she
bad received for her Democratic
majority. But said it was not the
fault Of Christian county Demo
crazy, but of some of her politicians.
He referred to the matter of Dor
rowing money from John w. Kelly,
master commissioner, said his ne
cessities forced him to borrow 1t
and he did not believe that there
was anything morally wrong in
getting this money at g per cent,
instead of going to his opponents
bank in Hopkinsville ard paying
10 or II per cent. for it. Admitted,
however, that it was a mistake, but
showed that no harm had been done
to anyone, as the money and inter-
est had been repaid, and he, Cook,
thought it a very narrow platform
for big lawyer like his opponent
was claimed to be TO attempt to ride
into Office on. That il would he
much better for a man to make the
race on his own merits than on the
mistakes of other men.
There are two points in this some.
what rambling recital that deserve
notice. One is the complaiDt that
Galloway has received little for con-
her Democratic majority
to make a Democratic district. |
Christian county has helped to nom
mate two Galloway Democrats IN
the nine Years since the district /
was formed In 1895 Judge Linn S
vote IN Christian county was larger
than his majority in the district. In
other words, he was nominated by
Christian county votes, although
Mr. Keys voted for his Republican
opponent and helped to defeat
him. 10 1897 Judge Cook had no
more earnest supporters than those
who voted for him in Christian
county and made his nomination /
sure. For nine years Christian
county has helped Galloway men
and the unwrltten law of rotation
and alienation, make it but COM
mon fairness for Galloway to do as
much for Christian. Both Editor
Keys and Judge Cook, as Judge
Bush so aptly says, opposed an en-
dorsement for their home man after
one years service, and also op-
posed an endorsement of Judge
White, who had served a part of
one term on the Appellate bench,
at a time when he had 20 take his
life in his hands to do so. Why
should Judge Cook, who entertains
these ideas of endorsing public Of
hcials, be made an exception to his
own rule and perpetuated in office,
when county with more Demo
Gratis in it than any county in the
district, who have not been repre-
scented on the circuit bench since
1868 asks the privilege of having a
Judge one term in forty years?
The other point referred to in the
above extract, is the very fippant
style in which Judge Cooks trust
fund matter is disposed OF. There
is a growing disposition in Ken
lucky to take better care of the
trust funds OF the people. The
Dick Tate matter was a severe
blow to the State and there have
been other bitter experiences of the
| same kind in various counties of the