The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-12-02
Report Circulated that He Has
Made Deal With Democrats
and Faction to Get Rid of
Robert Hicks.

OF the general council Is interesting
his constituents, particularly the Re
publicans. No deal can be put over
without the concurrence of the
mayors appointees from the First
and Fourth wards, and people are
wondering whether the mayor, who
has heretofore consistently refrained
from playing politics and has shown
the same consideration to one party
as another, has delivered his political
soul into the keeping of a faction,
which refuses to help the regular Or
ganizatiou on election day and makes
deals with Democrats to divide the
spois The mayor has been criti-
cized by partisans in his own party
for showing consideration to Demo-
Gratis; but on the theory that he was
holding aloof from political entangle-
ments his friends stood by him, de-
Tending his course until now.
But now his two appointments will
give the Republicans a majority on
Joint ballot in the general council,
and TO the protest Of partisans. who
believe that to the victor belongs the
spoils, has been added the warning
.Of more conservative Republicans,
who fear the mayor, not only Is TAX
ing part in a deal. but is taking
part as the tool of a faction.
It is being said since the crea-
ton of the Office of city buyer at
the instance of Mayor Smith and the
appointment of Ed Miller. that Miller
has usurped the prerogatives of the
mayor, dictated to the mayor the ap-
pointment of councilmen satisfactory
to him, and then the others have
fixed up slate, which includes
a lot of Democrats and friends of
Miller's faction, to be in handy places
for the fray whom the next conven-
ton comes.
No one believes that Mayor Smith
has taken command of the faction
because he does not take sufficient
interest in mere politics to play the
game: but his friends are getting
nervous for fear he is Playing less
than a mans part, IL he obeys these
.insidious commands AMI puts tn,
cards in others hands TO play in the
council meeting.
1t is the mayors very lack OF po-
itical knowledge that makes him
easy prey to those c,ose to him. As
The astute politicians see IL, the
mayor can't expect to have any Dem
ocratic defenders, and if he delivers
seven of the ten Offices to the Demo
Gratis I'M order TO give an insignificant
faction some comfort. he will sacri-
fee that respect. which conservative
Republicans accorded his apparent
non-partisan sincerity, incur their
contempt for his puerile part in the
game, ana disgust them by the loss
.of offices, which politically belong to
the party organization.
The Mayors Responsibility.
II is impossible to see how tn,
mayor can avoid criticism. if he fol
,ows out his instructions laid down
by the slate makers. II is known
that the mayor did not name a singl,
man on the slate. He desired Wade
Brown for license inspector. The
first split came. when IL was proposed
that Dr. Harry Williamson was to be
cast aside in a Republican caucus foi
DR. w. ]. Bass, an officer OF the
Bryan club in the last campaign
Then this slate was fixed up and the
mayor, who was not permitted TO
name man on II, was delegated by
those. who assume to direct his con
duct, to name councilmen. who will
do as they are told in the matter OF
the voting.
The mayors real friends hope that
the reports are not true. They feel
that IL he is going to take part in 1.
caucus it should be a Republican
caucus. not a Democratic caucus,
with a few crumbs doled out to a
minority faction of Republicans, who
would sell their party for 500 a
year. They hope If he has walked
into any such trap, that he will ex-
tricate himself in the bold manner
he usually evinces when cornered,
and not be led protesting, like bull
with a ring in his nose.
How Deal Was Made.
Those, who cain to be on the in
side, say that the minority faction OF
Republicans refused to abide by the
majority of the caucus. and rather
than submit in order that all the
offices should go to Republicans, they
caucused with Democrats and traded
DR.. Harry Williamson for DR.. Bass.
They refused to swallow Wade
Brown, but in order to get Mayor
Smith into the deal and appoint the
councilmen they wanted, the Demo
Gratis had to agree to the defeat of
Robert Hicks. who is personally Of
fensiye to Mayor Smith. Had II not
been for the mayors protest against
Hicks. II is said that even that Office
would have gone to the Democrats.
Such disloyaity on the part OF Re