Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1910-12-03
Was Given a Great Rec option
On Monday at Bowling
Green.
Prominent Men From AlIOyer
State Pledge Their
Support.
WILL MAKE CLEAN CAMPAIGN

rOf some time past every DOOy mas
known that Hon. Ben Johnson, Con-
gresham from the Fourth district,
a man of unquestioned integrity and
ability, would be candidate for the
Democratic nomination for Cover
nor of Kentucky. Altogether there
are already five announced candi-
dates and the race will be an inter-
esting one. Just now Johnson s
friends feel confident and are elated
over his prospects, knowing that he
will make clean campaign and one
that will disappoint the enemies of
the Democratic party. Congressman
johnson opened his campaign Mon
day at Bowling Green, referring to
which the Louisville Herald had
this to say:
Ben Johnson will fire the open
ing gun of his campaign for the
Democratic nomination for Governor
at Bowling Green today. That
speech will mark the formal opening
of campaign, which for intense
feeling and bitterness, for invective
and venom, vituperation and bill
lingsgate, will equal, II not surpass,
the memorable contest waged by the
late William Goebel, p. Watt Hardin
and Capt. w. ]. Stone in 1899. Even
at this early period, before the cam
paign Is well under way, person.
alities have been INDUCED in, base
attacks made on the various candi-
dates and scurrilous and slanderous
circulars have been distributed all
over the State"
How much our contemporary and
the Republicans were disappointed
can be Imagined from the following
account of the meeting in its issue
of the next day:
"If thorough-going, out-for-
business demonstration, such as that
held here tonight Is indicative of
how the Gubernatorial boom of Ben
Johnson is going to end, it is a safe
assertion that certain other Demo-
cratic Gubernatorial aspirants have
some hard boeing ahead to beat him
in the primaries. Mr.. Johnson took
the city by storm, and preceded by a
parade of $500 voters he fired the
opening gum in the battle for the
nomination. The Opera House was
crowded to its capacity, and in the
course of his speech Mr.. Johnson
was cheered Justify. Mr.. Johnson
spoke for an hour and half, and
was followed by a number of influ-
entail politicians of the district, who
urged the Nelson county mans can
didacy."
The Bowling Green correspondent
of the Courier-Journal sent the fol-
lowing account, which was greatly
pleasing to the friends of the man
from Bardstown, who expressed
himself as highly gratifled with his
visit and reception:
"The formal announcement of
Ben Johnson as candidate for the
Democratic nomination for Governor
was made in the Opera House this
afternoon before crowd that filled
the spacious amphitheater. During
the forenoon mis- room at the hotel
was filled with visitors, among them
being DIR. Mccormack, Harry Laz-
arus, John B. Gaines, G. u. McElroy,
]. c. Sims, d. w. Wright, ]. H.
Wilkerson and other prominent poll
ticians, all of whom pledged him
their support in his race. The Hon.
Clarence U. McElroy introduced the
speaker. Mr.. Johnson devoted a
few minutes of his speech to ma
tional issues and then launched into
the advocacy of his claims to the
Governorship. He said he would
not in this campaign say anything
about any opponent which could be
used as campaign material by the
Republicans in case any of them
should win the nomination over
him. With their political record he
said he felt he had a right to deal.
In answer to the charge that the
Republicans of his Congressional
district had let his election by such
an enormous majority go by default,
MIR. Johnson read an article from
the Louisville Herald, which said
that DR.. Gaddie. his Republican OPP
ponent, had made a gum-shoe cam
paign of the district, organizing Nc
| Creary clubs in every precinct i'm the
hope of defeating him or so reducing
his majority as 10 eliminate him as
factor in the Governors race.
"He said Senator McCreary had
been appraised of this movement
three weeks before the election, as
he had sent Mr.. McCreary marked
copies by registered mail. He said
he had heard nothing from Mr.. Nc
Creary regarding the matter until
Friday before the election. He as
serted that IL the situation had been
reversed and Senator McCreary had
been a candidate for Congress he
wonld have dropped everything else
and gone to his district and would
have prevented any such a move
ment. He charged Senator McCreary
with acquiescenoe In the plot to
encompass the defeat Of former Gov.
Beckham to the United States SEN
ate after he had become the Demo-
cratic nominee. Concerning his own
attitude In this matter. he read a