The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-03-17
WHISKEY
ACCUSED
KENTUCKY's STRANGE RECORD
OF REPUBLICAN, SENATOR NAM
ED BY DEMOCRAT LEGISLATURE

ED BY DEMOCRAT LEGISLATURE
WASHINGTON. Feb. 2g.-Whisllv is
said to have been the medium through
which the new Senator from Kentucky
former Governor William O'Conneu
Bradley swan to success. The charge
is made by disgruntled and disappoint-
ed Democrats i'm Congress. II is main
tanned that the four Democrats who
elected the former Governor by chang
ing their votes at the final ballot and
refusing to entertain overtures for
compromise were ordered to do So bv
the anti-prohibition interests of Louis
vile. One report from Kentucky to-
day is to the effect that a majority of
these four are engaged in the business
themselves.
As a result of this there is now UNI
der way a movement Co incorporate in
the next Democratic national platform
a plank which will advance the sfrue-
gle Of the States for complete prohi1i-
| ton. This action will probably not be
taken unless the bills now before Com
gress fails of passage. The election OF
/ Bradley has solidifed the Democratic
vote for these measures. and if they
get out of committee where they are
said 10 be slowly strangliug their pas
/ sage is considered certain.
In addition to the resentment caused
| by the reports from Kentucky. the
/ Democrats feel the effect OF the cleo
ton in another way The naming Of
/ Bradley is regarded as a body blow
for the direct primary, for which the
/ Democratic party has been contending
/ for many years. Beckham won with
out question in the primary advocating
/ prohibition for Kentucky. and was as
much the nominee for the SenatOrship
as he was the primary chosen candi-
/ date for Governor.
It is history that the Democratic
/ nominee for Governor was slaughter
ed at the polls The charge was made
at that time that the means used were
furnished by the liquor interests. an
the defeat Of Beckham the Democrats
of Kentucky in Congress affect to see
( the same master hand
There is now pending before the
judiciary Committee a bill which pro-
hibits the shipment of liquors into pro-
hibition States. The measures IS be-
ing fought bitterly on the ground that
it will undermine the interstate COM
merce law I'm the first place. and. sec
ondly that ii is unconstitutional for
the reason that It abridges the rights
Of the individual to govern himself. II
is openly acknowledged that the liquor
interests are making the battle
Another temperance measure is be-
ing discussed, especially among the
representatives in Congress from those
States that have gone dry" which
will repeal the issuance Of Federal IL
censes in such State as have voted FOR
prohibition. In those States the Fed
eral license is easy Of requirement. No
questions are asked and the Federal
Government. through such action.
practically declines to lend aid or en-
couragement to prohibition commune
ties. For this reason the enforcement
Of the prohibition law is difficult.
Only short time ago Senator Clay.
of Georgia, a State which has gone
dry" caught in the bill for the revi-
sion Of the penal code provision that
would have permitted liquor to be sent
through the mail and had It amended
1t was openly charged at that time that
the liquor interests were behind this
legislation This charge merely shows
to what length the interests are driven
to protect their business.
AS for a comprehensive plank in the
Democratic platform, Democrats here
declare that Bryan, while not a prohi-
bitionist, is for temperance and will
not oppose it, Beckham is a fighter
and little doubt is expressed that he
will organize the delegates to the Den
yer convention and that the delegation
will carry with It open hostility to the
liquor interests. As Kentucky IS now
a pivotal State in that it IS wayerinR
between the two parties. the demands
of the delegation will carry weight
AS for the election I'm Itself. aside
from the means by which It was
achieved, Congress believes # is the
gamer by the naming Of Bradley to the
Senate. The new Senator is a man O.
parts He is a tried debater and an
eloquent orator. In the matter Of po-
litical astuteness, he is far and away
S@=SzsSSz =zSz=Sz=SsSz