Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-10-17

lfacLlON more lhdu pei 1ch1 Nit~
lowest fee paid by any state in the
Union for similar collections. Gov
Bradley knew OF the existence Of this
claim because he approved vouchers
for $575 90 for expenses for having It
Investigated. In a letter signed by
his assistant acknowledgement, whom
he appointed that official says Il
will state that in the year Of 1896
learned Of the decision in the New
York case. and I at once set about 10
enforce the collection OF the claim OF
Kentucky and for the purpose went
to Washington IN January 1897, and
collected data and decisions which
convinced me that Kentucky could re-
cover something near one hundred
thousand dollars. l came back to
Frankfort and laid the whole matter
before the governor and 1t seemed
little faith was placed by the state
administration IN the success OF pros
ecuting the claim and the governor
and auditor decided that they would
not advance expenses. etc. and the
matter was dropped as did not feel
justified in advancing my own money.
I had no doubt If had done so J
could have received contingent fee
of % per cent IL had taken the risk
Of collections"
II such contract had been made
by Gov. Bradley and the same amount
had been collected then the fee for
QQQ0
600 instead Of $71, 900. But nothing
further was done by that administra-
ton toward the collection of this
money, and when came into Office
l employed Capt Calhoun TO collect
it. After that employment the dis
tinguished ex-governor who had failed
in his duty in the matter as governor
sought to get employment with Capt.
Calhoun and secure a part of the fee.
He wrote the following letter to Cal
houn:
February 18th, 1902
Dear Captain:-I notice that bill
has been passed authorizing the en-
ployment of counsel in collection Of
Kentucky war claim.
Il write merely to suggest that !
might be of some assistance and will
thank you If you see fit to make
some suggestions concerning the mat
ter. Your friend,
(Signed) wv. o. BRADLEY"
Facts Speak for Themselves.
These facts speak for themselves,
and it is not necessary to aid anyone
in forming a sensible conclusion about
them. After his derehction of duty as
governor in regard to this important
matter he sought to make amends by
an attempt to divide the fee for COZ
lection with Capt. Calhoun. And get
he boasts of the many worthy things"
and the splendid financial achiev-
ments" of his administration! He I'M
dertakes to justify his action in the
election of 1S99-his use of the mill
tary then, and at other times-but his
tory has stamped with its vigorous
disapproval those acts Of his and his
umlrpations of power No excuse
whatever can be given for whathe
did. and time cannot wipe out the
disgraceful blot Of his unwsrranted
action in those matters. He says that
Goebel and the Democratic ticket were
not elected The general assembly
of the state said that they were. The
courts. from the circuit court of the
state to the supreme court Of thu
United States INDICATED that decision
of the general assembly. In the cleo
ton Of 1900 when was the candidate
of the Democratic party to fill Out
Gov Goebel's uneXpired term, the Re
publicans made that question an issue
in the campaign. They had a corrurr
ton f1nd. furnished b. the National
Republican Committee. of 100000 10
defeat the Democratic ticket, and yet
the people in that election indorsed
the decision OF their general assem-
bly, nv electing me with nearly 4,Go0
majority They further Endorsed that
action in the election Of 1909 by elect
ing our state ticket with nearly $4,000
majority. That question has been SET
tied nv every possible earthly tribunal,
settled in every instance in our favor
He has the hardihood to boast of his
action, in using the militia at the polls
in 1899, and yet he could not spend
his remaining years with better grace
than in the continual EFFORT to apollo
gise to the people for that crime
against free elections, and that blow
at civil liberty. He sDoils his argu-
ment by undertaking to refer to the
election of 1905 in the city of Louis
vile, which was declared void by the
court of appeals last spring. The his
tory OF that case shows that remedies
for fraudulent elections may be found
in our courts, and not by the use Of
military at the polls. His reference
to that case was most unfortunate for
there 1t was shown that a Democratic
court would remedy such evils even
where Democratic officials should lose
their places, and in the opinion of
the court in that case it was held
that Tho ,,ga ~ vv,gIlAa r,y ~ fha no1lo