The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1906-08-29

but do not intend that he shall win this
me- my friends and the Democratic Ad-
ministration of Kentucky.
The homer of my name as public ON
cal in The past is worth far more to me
than any hope of future preferment. The
good reputation before the people Of Ken
tucky of my administration OF theiI
State affairs is far more valuable to me
than would be seat in the United
Staes Senate for life without that repu-
tation.
Senator McCreary in this contest has
made his alliances and staked his nope
or success upon a general attack agalns'
q Democratic Administration in q Demo-
cratic primry He presided IN that re
cent Louisville conference, and il was
agreed by all, including himself thai
the present Attorney General should be
his ana their candidate for Governor IN
the primary. We have right, Therefore,
to presume that in making that alliance
with this candidate for Governor, ne IN
G0rses and approves the campaign which
the Attorney General has been making
and before 1 geI through | intend 70 snow
that The distinguished senator has adopt
ed a policy OF campaign SO monsrro1s
in its unfaiTneSS and absurdity, that IL
takes nothing but presentation OF pam
facts 10 overthrow il in the minds or
the honest and intelligent voters Of the
State
lis second issue 4 5he campaign is to
rally 90 his support and array against
me ~ Of those clements which are an
gered ~ me because Of my position IN en-
forcing The laws against the Dissertation
Of the &ab5brh. and NY efforts last win
ter in aiding 10 secure the passage of
the County / bit Bill which the General
Assembly did pass. and which is now
law Of the Commonwealth. For the last
two months he and MS friends have been
active in organizing these forces against
me, and / must admit that their work
has been successful A campaign from
this quarter has been well planned and
formed for the purpose Of accomplish
ing my defeat in order that 1t may be a
lesson and warning to all officials in
the future against their taking the stand
which l did in favor of reasonable tenn
perance legislation. and in insisting upon
the enforcement of the laws of the State
In reference to Sunday closing.
They would if they could exhibit my
political corpse as an example to future
. Governors and other officials, lest they
too. sensible to the obligations of their
under IL, might meet the same fate, II
they should take stand to enforce the
laws against the open-saloon on Sunday,
or should favor legislation that gives to
the people of a county the right to de-
eide in fair election whether or not
they want intoxicating liquors sold in
that county. Nothing could be more
Democratic than the principle that ma
jOrity should rule, and if a majority Of
people in a county want the opportunity
of expressing their wishes on the sub
ject, they are entitled 10 have ii. and /
favored and signed a bill passed by the
last General Assembly giving them that
right.
The next cause of offense to these al
lies Of my opponent was in using what
power mad as Governor in obeying the
Constitution of the State, which l had
taken an oath to uphold, and which in
Section 81 says: He the Governor) shall
take care that the laws be faithfully eX
ecuted If he expects TO make political
capital out of these things, (and MS
friends are actively at work TO gain it,
then the people Of Kentucky would like
to know whether he approves my posi-
ion in ard hon TiSlrN
just as he does through his candidate for
Governor every other act of my admins
tration
Let Us now take up the Senator's hos
tile attitude to the Democratic Admins
tration, and the policy he is pursuing in
assa.iing its record. He is very unfortu-
al astuteness IN making such a fight.
He, too, was Governor OF Kentucky for
four years beginning August 81, 1875, and
ending Sept amber 2, 1879. 1t is not my
il L can not win this nomination without
seeking to bring reproach upon Demo-
cratic administration in the State, even
though ii be that of my opponent, then
| do not want it, But as he has sought
to compare his administration with mine
TO my discredit, and boasts of the al
legged economy Of his and the alleged
extravaganza of mine, We shall look at
the facts and let them speak for us III
such controversy.
On July 70 ne opened his campaign at
Georgetown, and l have a published
, copy of his speech. In order to do him
justice l quote in his own language a
service as Governor: Il found a surplus
of money in the treasury when L went
into office. | have always believed III
economy in using the public money, and
/ | believe in saving the taxpayer all l
can. Then the tax on every SlVJ was .45
/ recommended the Legislature TO reduce
it 10 40 on the $1CO, which was done.
The. tax rate now is 80 cents Oh the
$780,"
What he says about finding "a surplus
in the treasury when he went into office
and a reduction OF the tax rate is true
but let us look at the condition OF Ihe
treasury and the affairs of the State
when he went out Of Office. He was sue
ceeded on September ,, 1879, by Governor
tne biggest-hearted Governor KenUuCEy
ever had. Gov. McCreary left the Imam
condition that he forced his successor TO
ask Tor q restoration of the Old rate in
order 10 maintain the credit of the Com
monwealth For nearly thirty years ne
has used that tax reduction as one OF his
chief political assets, but he has never
breathed a word about the unfortunate
results it brought 20 the state treasury.
l shall not tell II, but viii let his non
orable successor speak in my place.
About four months after Gov. Black
burn came into Office in September, 1913,
he sent his first message to the General
Assembly of Kentucky. and gave an ac-
count of the condition of the Common
wealth when he took charge. In the first
part of that message he says:
Most important legislation awaits and
will demand your attention, for reform Is
sadly needed in various departments of
the State government"
In another part Of that message he
says:
Il Respectfully recommend the restora-
tion of cents on each 500 Of taxable
property of the Commonwealth. In other
words. to make the taxes what they were
four years ago.
d In this he was compelled to ask rem
I edy for the blunder committed by his
predecessor. In another place and / want
10 call your attention TO these criticisms
! administered not by a rival candidate,
but by a successor in office of Gov. Nc
| creary, to his management of the States
! finances. Gov. Blackburn says:
lit can not be forgotten that on the
Sth day of August last, a short time
tabout one month";, before my advent into
office, the Auditor was compelled TO stop
the drawing of warrants on the treasury,
for the reason that the Treasurer was not
in funds to pay Them.
The Auditors report which will be
laid before you in due time, will show
that there was a surplus balance in the
treasury on the 10th day of October last
0S79), the close of the fiscal year, $685.
1891; but, unfortunately, this report is
totally and utterly delusive in this that
at the very time there was a large
amount of outstanding and lnaudited
claims against the treasury aggregating
very large sum, not less than several
hundred thousand dollars. 1t follows
| q l,2v Co.. L.