The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-07-24
The Senatorial situation In the Sec
ond District.


ond District.
denton Tribune-Democrat.)
Realizing that there is no Demo-
cratic nominee for state senator in
this district, there are hundreds,
yes, thousands of the best Democrats
in the four counties, who are de-
handing that some Democrat whom
they can support, declare himself as
a candidate for that important office.
1t is true that w. V. Eaton, of Pa
dueah, poses as the Democratic nom
inee, but before we close this article.
we feel sure, that we shall make it
clear as day that he has no right,
whatever, to that title.
When the senatorial committee
composed of the chairman of the
four counties, met in Paducah to
name the time, place and manner of
naming a Democrat nominee the
four counties were represented by
their respective chairmen, but J. NJ.
Moore, the chairman of Ballard
county, being a candidate. the ques-
ton was raised, as to his right to
act, as our party law provides that
when any committeeman becomes a
candidate for any office, over which
that committee has control, his Office
as committeeman is vacated. But the
balance of the committee decided to
allow him to act, which, in the
course of the proceedings, brought
about tie as to time and place of
holding the delegate convention. to
make the nomination. Benton and
Arlington were the two places put
in nomination, and the first of April
and first of August were the differ
ent dates proposed. The committee
divided evenly on these two PROPOSE
tions. Bradshaw and Fisher voting
for Benton as the place and the first
of April as the time; owen and
Moore voting for Arlington as the
place and August as the time for
the convention. The committee ad-
journed without reaching any agree
ment. These questions were sub
mitted to Judge w. A. Berry. state
central committeeman for this con-
gressional district, as the party law
directs, in such cases.
First, the question of the right of
John NJ. Moore to act on said COM
mittee, he being candidate for the
senate himself; second, the place.
and third, the time to hold said con-
ven ton.
AS to the first question submitted,
that of Mr.. Moore's right to partici-
pate in the meeting. he decided that
as Moore was a candidate he had no
right whatever, to participate in this
meeting, and that the office of chair
man of the Ballard county commit
tee was vacant. There is no doubt
in the mind of anyone, conyersant
with the latest Democratic law, but
what that decision was correct; and
when that question was decided. ii
left no other question for him to
decide, for that left Benton with
two votes and Arlington one; the
first of April two votes, and August
one. as to time and place. But right
here is where our state central COM
mitteeman lost sight of his duty to
his party, and in his zeal as legal
representative, for his clients, the
whiskey interests of Paducah, he
prostituted the trust reposed in him
by the Democrats of the First con-
gressional district and assumed au
thority that his position did not
warrant. He ignored tn. senatorial
committee and set time and desig-
mated a place. that had not been con-
sidered by the committee at ALL His
duty in the matter, under the party
law, was only to deal with such
questions as were submitted to him
for decision. But the interests of his
clients demanded that the convention
should be held in Paducah, where
the farce, called a convention, was
pulled off. and there is no other
point in the district. where such a
farce would have been possible. The
whole thing. from the time Judge
w. A. Berry ignored the committee
and took charge of the matter, was
illegal and perfect farce as Dem
ocratic convention. In a Democratic
convention or primary, the voice OF
the people is presumed to govern,
but in this instance. Judge w. A.
Berry was the whole thing In fact he