The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-01-28
BRADLEY'S
GREAT SPEECH
Defends Kentucky Against
Newspaper SANDER.
Says Farmers Organization is
the Only Effort to Defeat
the Trust.

ing from the floor of the Senate to
a Recently published newspaper ard
Gle on night riding in Kentucky, It's
causes and results, Senator Bradley,
Of that State, today uttered vigor-
Gus protest against what he declared
was the injustice and the falsity of
the story.
He took exception to the assertion
IN the article that conditions in Ken
ucky today are as lamentable as he
himself acknowledged in his speech
shey were in 1907, and during
ID 1908.
During that period, he said, he
lad denounced the disgraceful con-
ditions, and there is no Kentuckian
who loves his State" he added, who
has condoned them"
The inspiration of the article, he
declared, is easily discovered. But
short time ago the so-called indie
pendent tobacco buyers met in this
city, their purpose being to relieve
themselves of legislation passed at
the last session of Congress, and the !
whole object of the attaot is to prcju- !
dice the mind of Congress, of the
President and the Department of |
tIstice against the tobacco societies |
81 Kentucky in order that the So
called Independents and lheir allies |
way cause, whether justly or not, /.
proceedings 20 be inauguratcd by The |
Government against these societies
under the Sherman antitrust law"
After giving some history of The
events leading to the passage by She
Kentucky Legislature Of the salute
allowing The farmers to pool their
crop, Mr. Bradley asserted that The
trusts and not the night riders are
responsible for all the crimes COM
miLted within the borders of the State
N connection with the tobacco
troubles"
The truth of history. however, de-
nands that the causes which led up 10
those conditions should be made equal
~ public rs the outragcs now 50
yiciously denounced by this Washing
ton newspaper.
Before Ire advent Of the great to-
bacco trust ard Rcgic PURCHASERS, the
farmer had enjoyed a good market for
his tobacco. There were various points
IN The Safe to which h. could ship
and find q large number of competitive
bidders.
But step by step the trust ac-
CURED by purchase or freezing out
process the plants of its manufacture
ing competitors until finally sub
santi9lly no purchaser could be found
save the representatives of foreign
eove rnmen,s and the trust.
Bremen had been to than time 1
a good market abroad, but our farm
ers shipping to that poiny on arrival
found he rust with IT'S Millions had
pre-, oded them ard was offering TO-
bacco for less than the COS, of raising
and curing.
This market having been closed I
ne trus. entered INFO combination {
with the Regia purchasers, and Ken
lucky was allotted into districts, even
by streams and roads. 50 that each {
was given absolute control of a C
particular territory and all of them q
having agreed on q fixed p"lce ii !
resulted thar the farmer WAS COM {
oelled to sell in many instances for /
less than the cost Of production and e
in every ins;ance q, 4 loss. G
In thir way not only were the farm /
RS materially injured ana in many
cases bankrupted but tens of thou
sands Of llborers, emOng them were
compelled to work for 4 pittance.
mny women nd children, We're COM
PEELED 70 work for pit-ance, and
poverty and want spread their dark
wings over the state.
Will stop TO inquire where was
this Washington power then? 1t had
no word or condemnation Tor the pow
full agencies that were grinding out
the lives of free people The farmers
in bankruptcy, the laborers with their
wives and children in poverty and
rags, almost without bread and SILVER
ing in the wintry blasts, failed TO
awaken It's sympathy or elicit Its con
demnation of wrong.
The sword that II now 50 gallant
ly draws 20 defend the so-called In
dependents then rested in IT, scab-
bord, the bitterness and slime that 1t
now pours out like somany Walls of
wrath were by reason, of being 50
long pent-up they have reached their
present poisonous condition.
when these terrible conditions de-