The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-03-19

column next November by sending out
professional organizers among the ne
groes to incite them against Secretary
Taft by denunciatory speeches, the re-
fsult of which is sure TO be more or
less disaffection among the colored
voters and possibly a sufficient falling
of in the Republican vote TO change
the result in the state"
This is not the one or only offense
of certain Fairbanks leaders. the sec
rotary of state, while assistant United
States marshal under Marshal Long,
roamed the whole territory, from Dor
der TO border, in an effort, by his
Ciceronian eloquence, to array the
state against Mr.. Taft. Now he is
blatant in his denunciation of federal
ofiicebolders because they will not fol-
low two ex-federal officeholders-
Bruner and Thatcher.
Mr.. Bruner Thursday night began
his address by censuring the governor,
declaring that II he (Bruner) was
governor-imagine 1.-THE would
pardon Powers in 1orty-eight hours.
Governor Wilson has been governor
for more than three months, and he
has wisely refrained from pardoning
Powers.
After Mr.. Bruner had made mince-
meat of the governor he turned upon
the president and denounced him for
the course he was following.
Bruner and Thatcher can do more
mischief in twenty-four hours thai
the sober-minded, intelligent, saga
cious leaders of the Republican party
can undo in a week. There is no
more reason for federal officers main
tanning perpetual silence than there
is for state officers. Men fit for either
position have respect for themselves,
for their fellow-citizens, for their as
sociates and for their opponents.
There is no law on either statute book
forbidding a postmaster or a collector
or a secretary of state or an inspector
from taking the stump for any candi-
date, but there are certain utterances
that in the mouths of these officers
become the height of impropriety.
which is often a greater offense than
a direct violation of the letter of the
law. Such speeches as were made in
Louisville on Thursday by Messrs.
Thatcher and Bruner are character
istic of their anti-Taft campaign. II
their relation to the party was thor
oughly shown to the public they
would have no i'll effect. but these
gentlemen find publicity through the
Democratic newspapers, which, to
give Importance to such rambling ut
terances, impute to the Republican
party the malice of these two gentle
men.
Neither one of them speaks for
any considerable number of Republf-
cans or for any purpose, of the Re-
publican leaders. II Is too much to
impute design to such speakers, but
If there were any possible design, it
would be to ALLEVIATE all Independent
elements and to reduce the party to
the condition it was under the "old
line" leaders when 1t marched Sc
renely to defeat at the polls, confident
Of reward from the federal appoint
ing powers. When Bruner UNDER
takes to discipline Marshal Bulhtt, to
censure the governor and to impeach
the president he is unconscious of the
absurd position he occupies.
Fortunately the Republicans are
not following men of this stamp. They
have more serious work before them,
both in state and national politics.
There are numbers of Republicans
who believe that Mr.. Fairbanks is a
fit man for the present emergency,
and there are others who prefer Mr..
but these gentlemen are not
to prevent accessions to the
Republican party; they are seeking to
put the party in position under lead,
ers that they believe will retain for Il
the confidence of the controlling vote
which gave Kentucky TO the Republi-
cans last November. Such efforts at
eloquence" as were INDUCED in By
Bruner and Thatcher Thursday night,
If approved by any considerable num-
Der Of party men, will turn the state
over to the Democrats by big ma
jority.