Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-10-06
NY Old Kentucky Home.

While lecturing in Old Kaintuck re-
Gently 1 took note of the political stu
alton somewhat and found that a red
hot campaign is on for United States
senatorship between Joe Blackburn and
Judge sPaynter of the supreme court,
who, prior to going on the bench,
served two or three terms in congress.
Once upon time one Of my most val
ued constituents, Judge Samuel 7.
Weeks, in introducing me to an audi
ence, said inter ALA, mo man is re-
ally popular until people call him by
his Christian name, without any handle
or prefix" If the judge was correct
In that remark, then Joe Blackburn is
by long odds the most popular man in
Kentucky. His real name is Joseph
G. s. Blackburn. He is serving his
third term in the senate. He was a
captain in the Confederate army, but
nobody in Kentucky ever called him
senator, captain, mister or Joseph. 1t
is always Joe and generally, "Hur-
rah for Joe!' Even the children talk
about Joe Blackburn as glibly as
though he were a boy in knee breeches
instead of being hoary headed grand
father. Judge Paynter is unquestion-
ably man of ability, but he will find
the title of Judge handicap In buck
ing against Joe. Stephen A. Doug
las always declared that his title Of
Judge had been hindrance rather
than help, as he expected it would
be when he secured it by appointment
"a the supreme bench of Suckerdom
e,,,,.+ -A..rs his beard was sprouted,
to the amazement OF LIZ. 80.
Joe appeals to hoi polloi. The luz,
is backed by the Beckham state ma
chine-a valuable adjunct surely. The
Blackburn cohorts declare that the am
bilious young governor is after the
scalps Of both Joe Blackburn and Sen
ator James Bennett McCreary. Not be-
Ing ready tosrun for the senate himself
now, he puts forward Judge Paynter
to seize Blackburn's toga, intending to
go after McCreary's himself two years
hence. The inevitable consequence is
that Blackburn and McCreary, who
have never hitherto pulled together,
have been driven into an alliance often
sive and defensive on the principle
that self preservation is the first law
Of nature, and anybody who knows
anything about Kentucky politics
knows what valuable partner Nc
Creary is. Search the state over, and
two Kentuckians more unlike than
Blackburn and McCreary could not be
found. They were born the same year
and are unlike in everything except
that both We're Confederate soldiers,
both members Of the legislature and
both representatives in congress and
that both are lifelong Democrats and
both are senators of the United States.
McCreary Is one of the coolest Of NOR
tails, Blackburn one Of the most impul-
siye. McCreary never expresses an
opinion until it is thoroughly consider
ed and then expresses 1t most diplo-
matically. Blackburn blurts out what
ever pops into his head and does it in
language SO plain that the wayfaring
man cannot fail to comprehend it.
That McCreary will have joint forces
thoroughly organized there can be no
doubt, and that Blackburn will whoop
the boys up in great shape is equally
clear. These two old boys are making
the fight Of their lives, and they will
make 1t hot in the Blue Grass and the
Pennyrile.
II Paynter would resign from the
bench and go hotfoot after Blackburn
on the stump his chances would be %
per cent better, but he shows no sign
Of so doing.
Others may get into the fight, but at
present it seems that Blackburn and
Paynter will be left clear field.