Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-13
WATTERSoN TALKS POLITICS.
Thinks Roosevelt and Bryan Are w.
ing for Favor of the Peonle.

Ing LUZ CdVOT Oh the 1eOpl0.
LEXINGTON. Ky. August 13-CoI
Henry Watterson made stirring speech
for Old Kentucky at the opening of the
Bluegrass fair here last night He said in
part:
We pride ourselves upon living under a
government Of public opinion. Would it not
be truer to say that we live under a gov
eminent OF party organism?
THE politicians of BOTH parties are an
pealing as never before to the people. Mr.
Roosevelt vies with Mr.. Bryan in the pro-
posal OF specifics more or less novel and
drastic. but each claiming to be curative
craftsmanship. yielding to the sentimental
and humane pressure of the times has
turned doctor. The chief aim of the lead
ers seems to be to take a short cut to the
millennium: and Just now it is race be-
tween two ambitious popular favorites
which of them will get there first.
Il protest against that religion which
sands the sugar and waters the milk be-
that morality which poses as a saint in
public, to do as it pleases in private AS
the old woman said of the old mans swear
ing. III there's anything l do hybominate
IL IS hyprocrisy. In my opinion that which
threatens Kentucky Is not the gentlemanly
vices OF the race course and the sideboard
but perfldy and phariseesm in public and in
private life.
nous. who put the brand of glory upon its
women. its horses and its vintage were
not ashamed to take a drink or to lay a
wager: though they paid their losses and
understood where to draw the line They
marked the distinction between moderation
and fntemperance. They did not need to be
told what honor is. They believed. as 1
believe. that there is such a thing as pre-
tending to more virtue than honest mortals
can hope to attain.
Il do not care to live In world that Is
too good to be genial. too ascetic to be hon.
est. too prOScrfptive to be happy | do not
believe that men can be legislated into
angelS-even red-nOsed angels. The blue
laws OF New England-dead letters for the
most paTt-did more harm to the people,
while they lasted than all other agencies
united. l would leave them in the cold
storage. to which the execration of some
and the neglect of all. consigned them long
ago. not embalm them and import them
to Kentucky TO poison the meat and drink
and character of the people | shall leave
my home life. my professional career and
my familiar associates to say whether
DO not place. and have not always placed
the Integrity of man. the purity of woman
and the sanctty of religion above all
earthly things: but 1 hope never to grow
too old to make merry with my friends
and forget for little that l am no longer
one and twenty,
When the time arrives for me to go to
my account l mean to go shouting; to go
with my flag flying and as never have
lied to the people of Kentucky. please God
1 never shall. l have told them great
many unpalatabe things. l have met their
disapproval full in the face. l have lived
TO see most of my admonition5 against this
that and the other vain hope indicated by
events.
Il want to live yet little longer still
to tell the truth and shame the devil but
If obscurity and adversely ana neglect shall
overake me it will be a comfort even in
the valley of the shadow of death that
from first to last l fought not for the
speckled gospels of the short-haired women
and the long haired men of Babylon but
for the simple manhood and lovely woman
mood OF old kentucky-never New Ken
lucky, but always and forever. Old ken
tucky-your birthrght and mine"