The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-07-27

, ion. pays him deserved compll
ment in the following editorial:
"Retribution, that silent yet Ger
= tain Nemasis, camps ever upon tn,
:. trail of man. He who is lulled int,
the pleasing fancy that fragrant dis
regard of personal or politca, oblf
cations does not in time and Otter
: all too soon bring its reward, base
Ibis conclusions upon a foundation ol
, shifting sand.
zone has not to travel far from
local scenes and conditions to gair
} Ia telling Illustration of this fact
For instance. consider the work OF
the investigation board which saw I'll
to discharge three men from the
force Friday night for reasons ex.
Ipressed in its notification of dis
lcharge.
"Of these men II may be said. at
east. that after years of service for
the Democratic party they saw fit al
the the last municipal election TO
turn their back up the political con-
lvictions of their youth and in a
moment of utter disregard for party
obligation entered the ranks of the
party which in the end was victori-
lous."
This can mean nothing more than
THAT there never would have been
any investigation, II Mayor Smith
had not been elected; and, since the
same paper admits that this official
act has met general approval" the
Ipeople are to be congratulated on
Mayor Smiths election.
or course. we appreciate the polit-
lical significance of our contempor-
ary's lucubration; but that sheds
light on its own moral obliquy more
than on any possible transgression
OF Mayor James p. Smith. II our
contemporary had had case suffi-
GENTLY well in point TO warrant plain
speaking, 1t might have said Here
is a case, wherein three men who
were members of the Democratic
police force, voted the Republican
ticket. They retained their positions
when the Republicans won, but now
see how they are treated by tthe
man they supported. II is a fair
warning. That is the way the Re
publicans will treat you. II you de-
sert us" Interesting thus the rather
vague innuendo of the editorial in
Question, are we not justified in as
suming that our contemporary re-
CARDS loyalty to political friends
above loyalty to the people, and
that. II a Democrat were mayor, It
would throw the weight of its in
lfluence in favor of condoning any
offenses committed by his political
allies?
Our contemporary. although The
Sun tipped of the charges two days
in advance, never intimated in its
new columns that such an inquisi-
tion was on foot, and its account of
the proceedings, reflected on the
Democratic board. the Democratic
solicitor, the mayor and the wit
Inesses, more seriously than on the
accused. Yet that board is polite
has yet succeeded in securing the
Iappoint or discharge Of man on his
recommendation. No collision be-
tween the mayor and board was pos
sible.
| Then let us see wherein Mayor
Smith has sinned politically. assum-
ing our contemporaries assertion, to
be true, that the three accused men
did vote for Mayor Smith. To
whom did the mayor owe the deep
est obligation. the accused or the
people? Surprising that in recogni-
ton of their support at the election
| he kept them on the force, as long
as they did not transgress, and then
when he thought they committed
some infraetion Of the rules he pre-
ferred charges. Was he wrong?
| The point is well illustrated by
a recent incident. A man, whose
license was taken away from him,
introduced himself to Mayor Smith,
as "So-and-So. whose license you
took away from me. That's what |
lget for voting for you"
"Did you vote for me?" inquired
1.-THE mayor.
81 certainly did. and / worked for
lyou. too, and this is what / get"
well, when you asked people to
vote for me, did you tell item
would do my duty and enforce the
law, or did you tell them I would lot
you do anything you pleased?" per
SISTED his honor
81 said you would do your duty.
lall right" mumbled the confused
law breaker.
well. then. didn't ! do II in Your
case?" was the stunning retort, and
II indicated exactly the point OF view
lof Mayor Smith.
Whether or not the News-Demo-
crat thinks he is a political migrate,
because he doesn't conform TO is
ideals of loyalty, It can draw any
lesson It pleases from his conduct
We give fair warning to all people,
who are inclined to presume on
Mayor Smiths lenieney because thcy