The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1908-10-28
COL. v. 0. BRADLEY
AND VIM. h. TAFT
What the Colonel Said a
Few Months Ago.
REPUBLICAN PARTY DOOMED
If Federal 0ffice-HOlderS Sue
Ceeded in Nominating
War Secretary.
(From the Hartford Republican, March
6, 190S.)

6, 190S)
Senator-elect w. o. Bradley has
come out for Fairbanks for the Re-
publican Presidential nomination and
If there was ever any doubt about how
Kentucky would stand, it has been
dispelled. lie gives strong reasons fol-
his belief that the Indiana statesman
is the strongest candidate before
the people. He also shows up the
weakness Of the Taft candidacy
Following is the full text of his
statement:
During the contest for United
States Senator ! felt, as the nominee
of the Republican party, that 1 had
no right to endanger success by COM
plicating that race with my prefer
ence for the nominee for President.
Despite absolute silence in this matter
the active friends of Mr.. Taft, aside
from those in the General Assembly
and a few others, gave no aid or
comfort, some of them doing what
they were able to do to defeat me.
Now that the contest has been hap
PLY ended, / feel that the public has
the right to know my position. The
recent financial troubles, which. un-
happily, have not been wholly reliev-
ed, will, of course, whether justly or
not, be charged upon the Republican
party, just as the Homestead riots
were charged upon it in 1892. Not
withstanding Mr.. Harrison had CIV
en- one of the most superb admins
trations the country had ever exper-
fenced and that neither he nor his
party was responsible for these riots,
the Republican party went down to
defeat. We might as well appreciate
the fact now, that We shall have no
walkover in the coming Presidential
contest. 1t therefore behooves the
party to exercise great caution in the
selection Of a Presidential candidate
Judge Taft is a man of winning per-
sonality and signal ability, and would,
if elected, make a great President
But while this is true, it seems evil
dent that HIS ELECTION is BY NO
MEANS CERTAIN. With the La
Dor UNIONS and the NEGROES
against him, it is exceedingly doubt
full whether he could carry the State
Of OHIO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, NEW
JERSEY, NEW YORK and possibly
others. There can be no hope of car
rying KENTUCKY, West Virginia and
Maryland. SO far as the Central and
extreme Southern States are concern
ed, it is we'll known that not sin
gle electoral vote can be had for Mr..
Taft or any other Republican. Be
sides, it is plain that the last-men-
toned States are controlled alone by
Federal office-holders.
THE FEDERAL OFFICEHOLDERS
IN KENTUCKY HAVE NEVER FAIL
ED, WHEN CONTROLLING THE
PARTY IN THE STATE, TO AC-
COMPLISH A DEMOCRATIC sue
CESS.
In 1887, when there were no Repub-
lican Federal officeholders in the
State, tire Republicans reduced a
Democratic majority of more than 49,
0O0 in the previous gubernatoriall con-
test to less than 1900. In 1896, when
there we're no Republican Federal Of
ficeholders in Kentucky, the Repub-
Leans carried the State by a plurali-
ty OF nearly 5000. In 1896, when there
were no Republican Federal office
holders in the State, Kentucky gave
its electoral votes, with one eXcep-
ton, fer William Mckinley. Now
mark the difference.
When Bailey was nominated for
Clerk Of the Court Of Appeals in 1897
THROUGH THE IMAGINATION OF
THE FEDERAL OFFICEHOLDERS
IN THE STATE,the Republicans were
defeated by 1SOOO and Democratic
Legislature elected, which passed the
infamous -Goebel election law. In
1900, Notwithstanding the magnificent
record Of Mckinley and Roosevelt and
the splendid personality of Mr.. Yerkes
under the active leadership of Repub-
lican Federal officebolders, Kentucky
was again carried by the Democrats.
In 1903 the FEDERAL REPUBLICAN
OEEICEHOI. DERS hnoted and snnrr-