Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-24
KENTUCKY poll TICS
Haldeman's Senatorial Can
didacy a Sensation.
FOR PARTY HARMONY
BELIEF THAT HE CAN UNITE
FACTIONS.
Fight Between Gov. Beckham and
Senator Blackburn is wrecking
the Democratic Control.
Special Correspondence of The star.

10 G. s. Blackburn.
1t was political bombshell of the high
est order, the full force of which, how
ever, is only beginning to be realized.
Those who keep in close touch with things
political openly express the opinion that
Mr.. Haldeman has done the right thing at
the right time, in that through him there
is the one hope of the democratic party
getting together in some such manner as it
was ten years ago, assuring democratic
success in national and state affairs. At
present the party is torn by internal dis
sensons which have crystallized into two
powerful factions, one headed by Gov.
Beckham and the other by 10 Blackburn.
In the last presidential election the demo-
Gratis barely carried the state. United
States Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Yerkes has promised President Roosevelt
to deliver the state over to the republicans
at the next general election. basing his
promise on the present intestinal fight in
democratic ranks.
For Party Harmony.
1t is to avoid this or even the possibility
of it, that Mr.. Haldeman finally consented
to allow the use of his name And paren-
thetically it may be said that the editor of
the Times is far too clever a politician and
too acute an observer of events to have in
jected himself into a losing fight. He Is
not new Moses, but he is for party har-
mony, and from the assurances he has re-
.ceived it is believed by him that he can
bring order out Of chaos and thus restore
to full power the democratic party.
Immediately following the election OF
November the campaign committee hav-
ing in charge the candidacy Of Judge
Thomas H. Paynter made formal an
nouncement to the effect that out of 40
democratic members in the next legisla-
ture 81 representatives and senators had
pledged themselves to Paynter. They even
went so far as to say that the name Of 10
Blackburn would not be presented to the
caucus. Meanwhile Senator Blackburn
simply sawed wood, contenting himself
with the simple statement that he was
satisfied with the situation. Perhaps he
was, for it now develops that he is really
about as strong as Paynter.
Early last week there was a secret meet
ing of the Louisville and Jefferson county
delegation. There was also present at the
meeting Mayor-elect Paul c. Barth, Mayor
Charles F. Granger, John W. Vreeland,
Henry Bell and Col. Bennett II. Young.
The Louisville and Jenerson county delega-
ton is ten strong and have always been,
and always will be, powerful body in Ken
lucky politics.
something had to be done, and that at once,
IL the democratic party was to be saved
from itself-that Is. the wreckage that
would follow a continuance Of the bitter
machine administration fight against
Joe Blackburn.
Mr. Haldeman was consulted, and then
with his friends went over the entire
ground. 1t was made plain that the situa-
ton was critical, and Mr.. Haldeman owed
it to his party to make the race. MIR. Halde-
man consented to thrust himself in the
breech, and his action Is the political SEN
sation OF the hour as it is the interlude to
the most remarkable three-cornered sena-
torial fight that ever occurred in the state
OF Kentucky.
Legislative Conditions.
n
next, will be composed of 100 representa-
tives and thirty-eight senators, the COM
plexion being 105 democrats and thirty
three republicans
Your correspondent is In a position to say
that OF these representatives and senators
Judge Paynter has as followers thirty-five,
and Senator Blackburn a similar number,
leaving about thirty-five senators and rep
resentatives. In this thirty-fve are included
the ten votes of Louisville and Jefferson
county which have been pledged to Mr.
Haldeman. From over the state he has
received assurances, or rather straightout
promises, of ten other votes, making his
actual strength in the caucus twenty votes,
leaving a residue of fifteen senators and
representatives as yet unpledged to any
candidate.
AS the democratic caucus will be COM
posed of 105 members 1t will be necessary
for the successful candidate to receive fifty
three votes, or eighteen or twenty more
than is now pledged to either Paynter or
Blackburn. Even if either man should OBJ
tain the fifteen votes remaining unpledged
he would still be shy of nominati ton by just
three votes
1t Is plain therefore, that the action of
the Louisville and Jefferson county dele
cation in pledging sloidly for Mr.. Halde-
man, together with the ten votes he has
secured from over the state, gives him not
ha hal IF h,Ift
absolute master of the situation.
One other factor which enters largely
into the successful candidacy of Mr.. Halde-
man is the fact that Governor Beckham
who controls the Paynter string, is the po-
litical enemy of Joe Blackburn, and this an
tagonism Is even carried into their personal
lives. On the other hand. Mr.. Haldeman
is the personal friend of Governor Beck
has differed with them politically, and he
has also been their stanch champion.
There is no possibility of a combination be-
tween Paynter, otherwise Beckham, and the
Blackburn forces.
And the causes that led up to this unique
situation go back, or rather begins, with
the occupancy of the governors chair by
Beckham. Blackburn had been the strong
friend and political adviser of Governor
Goebel. When the latter was assassinated
Beckham, then lieutenant governor, be-
came the states chief executive. He was
ambitious and he began to weave around
himself aNstrong clientele, result of which
was to make of the administration the
one power in the state, and the hoped-for
effect of which would be the relegation OF
Blackburn to the background. In dozen
little ways the governor and Senator Black
burn thwarted each other. 1t became an
open secret that 1t was the ambition of
the governor to succeed to the senatorial
toga Of the Blue Grass statesman.
The first test of strength between the
two came two years ago. at the state con-
Hention called to nominate delegates 10
the st. Louis convention. The Beckham
machine whipped Blackburn to a fragile,
giving him the first real defeat he had
ever experienced. At that convention
Blackburn denounced the governor, and
from the same platform Judge Paynter.
now the machine candidate for United
States senator. did the very same thing.
At that time Beckham was a candidate
to succeed Blackburn, but 1t appears that
he was wise enough to discover that he
was not then the man to make the race,
and for reasons best known to himself
Then 1t was that the old saw of politics
making strange bedfellows received another
demonstration. Months ago the admits
tration began to cast about for q man capa-
BILE of beating Joe Blackburn. There ap-s
peared to be but one man In the state equal
to the task: that was Judge Paynter of
the ninth congressional district. At that
time Paynter was as bitter against the ma
chine a was Blackburn. but friends brought
fffrr 4,a}xx a