The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-04-24
BRADLEY RE.
flutes CHARGES
That He Was Elected BY
Improper Alliance
Says Reason Some Republicans
Opposed Him is That He Wont
Favor Their Reapp0lntment

Senator-elect w. o. Bradley has is
sued the following statement refuting
charges that his election resulted from
improper alliance with Democrats.
The most disreputable methods have
been employed by some of the Tart
leaders to injure my standing as a
Republican and man. Not content
with sowing broadcast over the State
the editorials of Mr.. Sam j. Roberts,
the Collector of the Seventh District
in his paper the Lexington Leader, the
anonymous letter signed "Old Line
Republican" in handful form is being
mailed out with it. Certainly the fit
ness of companionship between the two
will be readily recognized. All the
batteries have been turned loose on
me because / dared to object to the
combination of Federal officeholders 70
dictate the Presidential nomination and
conscientiously expressed the opinion,
that by reason of the hostility of the
Labor Unions and the Negroes, Mr..
Taft was our weakest candidate. Be-
lieying this to be true, | would nave
been false TO my party as well as
myself had remained silent.
Mr.. Roberts knows full well that the
secret of all his opposition is that
he did not believe l would favor his
retention in office, where he has fat
tened at public expense for eleven
wears. His statement that he worked
for the ticket last fall is true; but
there never was a moment when his
motive was to assist me, for he did
not believe l had any substantial hope
and never had such hope himself, OF
my election as Senator. However
before the General Assembly conven-
ed having heard the publicly express
ed dissatisfaction of some Democratic
members and the leading Democratic
newspaper of Kentucky with Mr.. Beclo
ham the certainty that they, would
not support him: and seeing from the
public press that more than two-thirds
of the Republican members-elect had
declared themselves for me and be-
heving there was at least a possibility
that | might be elected he hasten
ed to publish an editorial in which
he advised the Republicans to make
no contest for a Senator, but to vote
"eyen for Mr.. Beckham," If thereby
the Republicans could obtain the pas
sage of a redistricting bill, etc. His
paper, with this editorial marked so as
to call especial attention to 1t was
sent to nearly If not all, of the Repub-
lican members.
He contends that all Of Governor
Wilson's effects to procure the legis-
lation mentioned were frustrated by
the Republican meeting hold at Frank
fort on the night preceding the lnau-
guration at which he says they bound
the party to vote as a unit on all
measures of a political character. No
such action was taken at that meet
ing. Those who were there declared
themselves as favoring my nomination
for the Senate and as in favor OF con-
ferring together on all questions that
might be brought before the Houses
That action did not and was mol
intended to bind anybody.
Again, Mr.. Roberts says: The
County Unit Bill was in fair way to
he shelved in the House until storm
of protest compelled a complete
change of program"
This statement is untrue; there new
er was any probability Of that meas
ure being "shelved" in the House be-
cause more than two-thirds OF the
members were in favor of 1t.
1t is openly charged in the public
press, and not denied so far as ! know
that Mr.. Beckham's friends proposed Il
the liquor people that If the boltint
members void elect him, no anti-whis
XIV legislation should pass the Senate
and that this proposition was refused
,whereupon the threat was made tina
the County Unit Bill would at onc'
be passed through the House and heie
over the heads Of those who had refu
sed to vote for Mr.. Beckham and Il
hey did not vote for him, would b'
rushed through the Senate. Preced
ing this. Mr.. Haswell, Republican
introduced County Unit Bill, but thu
opposition determined he should no
be allowed the credit of procuring IL
passage, and a copy of his bill was in
troduced by Mr.. Waggoner, referred Z
the Committee on Religion and Moral