The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-09-26
DEMOCRATIC PAPER
Rakes the Machine and Its
Engineers Fore
and Aft.
Fan the Leopard Change lis
Spots?

Indictment OF the Democratic machine
In Kentucky. The fact that Messrs.
Hager and Beckham won in that pri-
mary does not change the force nor
the truthfulness OF the charges made
by the Monitor. II they were true
then, they are now. We submit the
Monitors article to the voters OF the
state that they may know what Dem
ocratic editor in the Gibraltar OF
Democracy" thinks OF the Democratic
machine and it's engineers. Messrs.
Beckham and Hager. And bear in
mind that these charges were not
made by Republican and that few
months has not in the least changed
the leopard's spots:
What the Fight ls.
The present campaign is not merely
fight between the "ins" and outs"
as the machine organs would have the
people believe.
IL is fight OF the people to dislodge
the Frankfort machine. a well organ
lied lot OF politicians. banded togeth-
err for the purpose OF controlling all
the Offices Of the state and nlllng
their capacious pockets from the state
treasury.
And It is a fight that is Of much
greater import TO the people than they
can at present realize because ma
chine politics in Kentucky as applied
TO the state, is comparatively a re-
cent thing. and Il is hard for the peo-
pie to understand its many evils and
the great danger attending is perpet-
uation.
Machineism represents all that is
bad in politics It is practical politics
gone TO seed The greatest graft to
the smallest number is the motto OF
the machine politician. Statesman
ship and patriotism are completely
eliminated from his creed. The peo-
plo are all "dumb-driven cattle" to
him. possessing neither private nor
political rights which he is bound TO
respect, and beyond the means they
afford for gratifying his greed for
graft and lust for power excite no in
terest in his uneonscionable soul.
The Frankfort machine is modern
In every respect The most up TO
date appliances for extracting money
from the peoples pockets and fooling
them into the belief that they are be-
ing robbed for their own good are
employed. Scientific experts. who
know all the ms and out OF machine
politics. are in charge and nothing
that will bring sheckles into the hands
for perpetuation is being neglected.
This is the machine which Beck
ham. Hager & Co. built. and for which
they are asking new lease OF life.
Il has already cost the state untold
thousands in extravaganza and mis-
feasance, and what II has cost is a
mere baga'elle TO what II will cost
II continued in power.
This is the machine which the peo-
pie are fighting and which they would
sweep from the face Of the earth II
they could realize half OF its rotten
ness.
This is the machine which Messrs.
Bsckham and Hager are expecting TO
put them In power and give one six
and the other four years more at the
public crib.
This is the machine which started
out to build state capitol for eight
huadred thousand dollars and asked
the legislature for two millions be-
fore the foundation was completed
This is the machine that paid s60,-
900 for capitol plans when they were
offered plans by reputable architect
for $4,000 and this same architect
offered TO give a bond 10 build the cap
itol for 1895 900.
This is the machine that paid SEA-
900 for printing. when under their
contract Il should not have cost 81
900; and a, another time gave away
s12. 900 or $1,000 In the same manner.
This is the same machine that paid
$4,000 for extra attorneys fees to
their pets in three years.
This is he machine that lowered
the rate OF taxation 2h cents on the
hundred and raised the value of prop
erty % per cent. making the tax much
higher than before.
This IL the machine that has taxed
everything in sight and levied back
taxes that II might have money to
meet it's wasteful and extravagant
practices.
This is the machine that put the
charitable institutions in the hands OF
Percy Haly, a Frankfort politician,
who learned craftsmanship in his
fathers saloon.
This is the machine under whose
management brutalities have been
practiced at the Lexington asylum
that have resulted In the death OF one
patient and perhaps more.
This is the machine that comes up
and whitewashes all such deviltry.
for fear II might hurt the administra-
ton and gel some OF its pets in prison.
This is the machine that makes poor
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