The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-06-21

NLD Kentucky is aflame with en-
thuslasm in expectation of her
" "home coming festival in June.
She Is aflame with something
else-to wit, the battle royal now In the
beginning for the senatorial seat occu-
pied by James Bennett McCreary.
Young Governor Beckham Graves Nc
Creary's toga, and James Bennett is
loath to be parted from it; hence Ken
tucky is simmering and will SOON be
boiling from the Big Sandy to the Mis-
sissippi and from the Ohio to the Ten
nessee line. 1t will be a memorable
contest in which oratory will play a
small part and strategy large part,
for, while both Governor Beckhain and
Senator McCreary are effective speak
ers, neither can claim to be an orator.
Both are tactlcians and diplomats of q
high order. Beckham has a machine
and McCreary is not to be sneezed at
| as manipulation of men. Neither has
ever been defeated. McCreary was u
colonel in Morgans cavalry before
Beckham was born, and all the evil
dence goes to show that he was su-
| perb fighter in war as he is in politics.
He was a member and speaker of the
Kentucky legislature and in 1875 he
was promoted to the governorship,
which he held four years. Subsequent
| ly he served twelve years in the house
of representatives,, four of which he
was chairman of the great committee
on foreign affairs. He was one of the
| commissioners of the United States to
| the Brussels monetary congress. 1t
was under his skillful generalship as
| chairman of the state committee that
Beckham was elected governor to fill
out the uneXpired term of William Goe-
bel who was removed from earthly,
activity by the foulest political assassi-
nation in our history. With such rec
ord, his chances of winning ought to be
tip top, but Beckham comes of race
of politicians and is the grandson of a
governor. He is a living Illustration of
the truth of the old saying that lit is
better to be born lucky than rich" In
1899 he was comparatively unknown
and by reason of loyal service to Goe-
bel was placed on the ticket as candi-
date for lieutenant governor. Goebel
was murdered as he began his term
and Beckham became governor almost
before his beard was grown. He has
been governor ever since and is gov.
ernor now He built himself strong
machine, the first fruits of which were
the defeat of Joe Blackburn by Judge
Paynter for the senatorship. 1t is said
that Governor Beckham could havefhad
the Blackburn tOga but for the fact
that the lieutenant governor who would
have succeeded him was very unpopu-
lar by reason of having been too free
with the pardoning power to suit the hoi
pollOi when he was acting governor in
Beckham's absence. Consequently the
judge was put forward to take Black
burns scalp. In that contest Black
burn and McCreary, never very friend
ly before, fought in pairs by reason of
a common danger. Blackburn's defeat
seems Ominous for McCreary, provided
the Beckham machine continues in
good running order; but some cog or
wheel or chain or rope or pulley may
give way, and if so it will be all up
with Beckham. AT any rate, the fight
will attract universal attention.
Judge Rucker Worries the Republicans.
On Saturday, May 26, Judge w. w.
Rucker of Missouri worried the Repub-
licans in the house into u rage and
gave them one of the most uncomfort-
able half hours they have experienced
during this session. His theme was
Legislation as to Publicity of Cam
paign Contributions" He began to
state In plain, luminous way the his
tory of the efforts of the friends of re-
form to secure the effective legisla-
tiOn. Clearly the judge thought that
the Republican members of tine com
mittee on election of president, vice
president and members OF congress, of |
which he also is a member, are not |
sufficiently Jealous in the reform move |
ment and he was proceeding to give |
the record votes In the committee ON |
the bills. That was regular bomb
shell among the Republicans. They did |
not want that Information TO go into |
the record; consequently Mr.. Olmsted |
of Pennsylvania, one of the Republic
an leaders, raised the point of order
that II was contrary to the rule to re-
fer to what happens In n committee of /
tie house. General GrOsvenor of Ohio
indorsed what Mr.. Olmsted said and
claimed that not only what Rucker
said after the point was raised should
be stricken from the record, but also
the words uttered by him to which
Olmsted objected. Mr. Curtis OF Kan
sas, who WAS presiding, at first sus-
tanned both 0lmsted and GrOsyenor In
toto, though he arterward so modified
his ruling as to leave in the record
the words uttered by .Rucker before
0lmsted interrupted him. Now, query:
Does anybody suppose that the rule
would have been invoked against Ruck-
er II he had not been giving facts go
Ing to show that the Republicans are
not enthusiastic in favor OF publicity
legislation?
After the 0lmsted- GrosyenOr episode
Mr.. Hay OF Virginia moved that Judge
hucker be permitted to proceed In or
der, which was carried Rucker then
started In again and had not gone far
when lion. Serene H. Payne, chairman
Of the ways sud means committee and
* Ofielo Republican floor leader.