The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1905-12-27
RcTOA,s REASONS
For Changing Bis Vote from Black.
burn to PaYntVr.

| udtC Aot ObotC OCHoe'i AAOh' ehAof
the 2Sth Senatorial district, about
eighteen months ago, expressed in
public card which was published
in all the pagers in my district,
myself as favorILg the election of
Senator Black burn TO succeed him
self in the United States Senate.
believed at the time he was in
accord with the Democratic party
in the State and that majority
of the Democrats in this senatorial
district would favor his reelection.
l felt, too, aIpersonal intrest in him
because of the fact both he and my
self had served ia the Confederate
army. 1t was my intention at the
time of announcing myself, and it
is my intention now, in voting for
United States Senator, to reflect as
far as can see, the sentiment of a
majority and best part t the Dem
ocrats ofthe district which l am to
re resent, and at the same time do
that which l consider to be the best
interest of my party and my State.
l wish TO be frank and honest with
my fellow citizens and l expect to
do so now, for l wish it to be thor
oughly understood how l stand in
this contest for the election of a
United States Senator, which
through Senator Blackburn's con-
duct alone has been made so bitter
as to even threaten the welfare of
the Democratic party of the State
and | do not intend ever TO lend my
hand to any unrighteous and mali
cious effort of Blackburn or any
one else to tear down or destroy
the most successful and popular
| Democratic organization ever had
in Kentucky. The ambition of no
man, not even Senator Blackburn s
is worth so much, and it is the
duty of every Democrat who loves
his party to resent to the utmost
such an inexcusable and unmanly
attempt to disrupt the very party
which has honored him for the last
thirty years, and our Democratic
party in this State, as see it, has
committed no offence, unless it be
the splendid victories it has won
in the past years over the Republic
can party, and in the excellent adj
ministration of State affairs it has
given us. Why should he, a man
of his age, with the honors that
have been heaped upon him, and
seemingly without a single cause,
try to destroy the young Governor
of his State, together with his corps
of most worthy and excellent State
officials against none of whom has
any man ever charged dishonesty
or negligence of duty, unless it be
to further his own selfish ambition.
At the time expressed myself as
favoring Senator Blackburn, he had
not disclosed to the public the pol
icy of the campaign he would per-
sue in his race for reelection. did
not then know, and probably not a
dozen men in the district suspected
that he would pitch that campaign
upon an unjust, unwaranted and
malicious attack upon the Demo
cratic administration and organl-
cation of his State, and thereby
furnish from Democratic authority
campaign material to the Republi-
can party. His attacks have been
so vicious and his charges so groun
dless that they have recoiled upon
him and produced revolution In
the sentiment of the people who had
formerly been for him. / am convin.
ced now that the majority of the
Democrats in the district are oppos-
ed to him, and are in favor of the
election o. Judge Paynter, whose
dignified and manly campaign has
commended him to ell good and
reasonable Democrats through the
the State. / desire to add further
, that the primary election last May,
in which | was nominated, my only
, opponent had short while before
the primary declared himself as
absolutely for Senator Blackburn,
and that Notwithstanding | had at
the very beginning of my canvass
openly announced myself for Sena-
tor Blackburn, Senator Blackburn s
principal leaders, and the so called
anti -administration leaders, active=
lily and theoretically espoused the
the cause of my opponent. Their
leading paper came out strongly
in favor of my opponent and called