The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-08-19
THE FACTS TOLD


Republican in its current issue, pub
fishes lengthy editorial reply 10
the criticism of the financial policy
of the present Republican administra-
ton, and its predecessors under
Bradley and Taylor. made by former
Gov. Beckham. editor of the Ken
lucky State Journal.
The controversy began by the pub
Gle approving the conduct of affairs
under Gov Wilson. and referring par
ticularly to the economy and wisdom
that had been practiced in the ex-
penditure of the public revenues. Mr..
Beckham, in a later issue of his pa
per, took occasion to point odt what
he alleged to be flaws in the Repub-
LEANS argument. and reverted to
ancient history in order to demon
strate to his own satisfaction that
the virtue of economy lay wholly
with the Democrats.
BECKHAM'S ADRoIT EVASION.
Mr.. Beckham accepted the state
ment of the Harrodsburg editor, in
which figures we're quoted from the
report OF Auditor Stone, who held
office under Bradley. to show that the
end OF his regime he left I'm the
treasury to pay the bonded indebt-
ness of the State, the balance amount
ing to $1,000. 425.OS. but TO the
charge made by the Republican two
months later the Democratic auditor
found a net Indebtedness OF 81, 200, 900.
and that this indicated extraordinary
extravaganza in brief space Of
time on the part OF the new Beck
ham administration, he replied with
the counter charge that Auditor
Stone turned over the balance from
his administration. not to the De-
mocratic treasurer. but to the Re
publican official who served during
the few weeks OF the Inflated Taylor
regime.
The inference, while not directly
drawn by Mr. Beckham. appears to
be that the leakage occurred in this
brief interval between Bradley and
himself.
THE REPUBLICANS ANSWER.
In order to meet this adroit shift
ing of responsibility the Harrods-
burg editor alleging that he omitted
reference to the Taylor regime in
his original article for the purpose
OF drawing out Mr.. Beckham. shows
that Auditor Golfer. who was Gov
Beckhams colleague. in a report to
the Legislature dated December l,
1901. was able to discover only one
Item for criticism In the accounts of
the Taylor administration. that being
the expenditure OF s29. 926.l3 for the
maintenance OF the State militia at
Frankfort during the critical period
In which the conflict for office was
proceeding. This expenditure Mr.
Golfer referred to as a mlsappropria-
ton.
The Republican editor argues that
since Auditor Golfer was naturally
preiudiced against the Taylor regime,
the fact that his critical scrutiny
could find no other item for condem-
nation than this is high tribute to
the honesty with which affairs were
conducted In the three troubled
months of Republican rule
DEMOCRATIC EXTRAvAGANCE.
Quoting from Golfers report again.
the Harrodsburg man shows that on
the formers own admission 1864 M
81 was turned over by w. r. Day,
Treasurer under Taylor. to s. W. Ha-
ger. Treas. under Beckham. In spite
OF the fact that the Beckham adj
ministration collected 1925. 900 from
the Federal Government, and mulcte0
the people for s1,OOO,OOO more in taxes
every year than they had ever been
required to. pay before. within two
months a deficit of $1,700, 900 had APP