The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-02-28
Beckham's Manly Reply to Brad
ley's Answer to His Letter.
Frankfort. KY, Feb. oath, 1908.
Governor W. o. Bradley.
frankfort. XIV.


Of the 2lst to you, proposing definite
plan by which the pending County Unit
bill might receive prompt cOnsidera-
tion, you fail to respond directly to
my suggestion, and evade it by a
! lengthy and ill-tempered discussion of
matters not relevant to it.
Your first complaint is that | did
not make it a personal communica-
ton, and that gave it to the press a
/ half hour before you got it, thus dem
oastrating, you say. beyond all ques-
| ton that it was your (my) purpose to
make grand stand play to the public
"YOu are incorrect. | sent you the
original letter by special messenger
before giving out copies TO the news
/ papers, ami those copies were not TO be
published until the following morning,
affording you ample opportunity to
answer in the same issue of the papers.
But this grievance of yours seems to
1 trivial; shall dismiss it without COM
ment.
Neither is your statement about my
making a grand stand play 20 the
public deserving of mention. for every
one here we'll understands the reasons
! for your unwillingness to take the
public into your confidence about
these matters, and it is not difficult to
account for your attitude on this tenn
perance measure is publicly discussed.
( "You say: Frankly, | have heard OF
no expressed doubt as IN my position
| cannot answer for what the people
generally out in the State may think
about your position, AS SO many vicious
Misrepresentation about the situa-
ton here have been sent out to them
by some of the newspapers, but l must
admit that you are to an extent cor
rect in your statement, for there is not
an intelligent man on the ground here
who has doubt about your position
or who does not believe that you
made deliberate deal with the liquor
people whereby you were to deliver 40
Republican votes to delay or defeat the
County Unit bill in exchange for
enough boiling Democratic votes to
unSeat two Democratic members Of
the House, regardless of the merits Of
the cases, ana to elect you to the Unit
ed States Senate.
1T was openly charged in some of
the morning papers of February 18th
that you ha" made the deal. You have
not denied it, your friends have not
denied it; no one has denied 1t. On
that same day, when Representative
Wilson, a Democratic leader in the
House, made motion TO advance the
bill for consideration, large major
ity of the Democratic members voted
with him and forty-One Republicans
voted against 1t.
According to this report you had
promised only forty in your contract,
and whatever may be said about the
infamy of such a nefariOus bargain
we must at least accord you credit for
giving good measure. BY reason of
this alleged deal the consideration of
the bill was again deferred.
You complain that on the following
day the House adjourned early TO avoid
taking up the contest cases. | APP
plaud taking up the contest cases. l
applaud the members and Speaker for
doing so their purpose was TO block
the consumnation of this undenied and
dishonOrable transaction.
ION February 10th Mr.. Wilson
again made an effort to bring up the
bill, and bysRepublican members under
your control it was again delayed.
You disclaim any influence over your
members TO carry out my proposition
Co you, and yet it is notorious fact
that on all these occasions, when this
matter was up, you were on the floor
of the House actively at work with
them urging them to oppose the con-
sideration of it.
at is well known that majority Of
the Republican members, as well as a
majority of the Democratic members,
of the House, favor the passage of
this bill, and would promptly vote for
it if left free to vote their real senti-
ments.
Il do not wish to criticise the Re-
publican members in this, except to
say that think they owe too much to
their party platform and to the de-
mands of the people to allow them
selves to be traded in such a way for
your personal interest. szM
"Your position shows you are willing
that the most solemn promise made in
your platform and campaign last year
may be bartered away in order that
you may sit for six years as a Senator
from Kentucky in the Federal Con-
gress. Is the honor Of such position
/ equal to the dishonOr of such a method
to secure it?
1.-The contents of your letter show
! that you are most Interested in the
! seating Of two Republicans in the place
of Democrats in the House, that they
may vote for you, than you are in any
: legislation before the General Assem-
bly,, and especially the County Unit
bill, which your party so positively
promised in the campaign last fail.
THAT | may not misrepresent you let
me quote exactly paragraph in your
( letter to me. You say: In order
that the Unit bill may reach a prompt
decision allow me TO suggest that the
contents be brought to an immediate
conclusion, after which the report of
the Committee on Public Morals may
be made and immediate action taken
! thereon
That is the only tangible response
you make to my definite proposition to
You.
Il am surprised, my dear Governor,
that politician so shrewd and astute
as you should make such bold and
indefensiDle proposal. In other words