The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1905-1910, 1910-04-26

mated as the Democratic candidate for
governor since il became known that
Ben johnson is a candidate. Can any
one tell us why he is not as well fitted
for the office as any man that has been
named7 We would be pleased for those
who oppose him to come out from I'M
der cover and give a valid reason for
opposition to him. -Shelbyville Record.
Good friend Shinnick, in our hum
BILE estimation if the Democrats of
Kentucky are DESTROYS of enjoying
four more years of Republican rule
in the state after the administra-
ton headed by Gov. Wilson is end
ed. they can insure it in 10 more
certain way than by making Ben
johnson their nominee for Govern
or. There a number Of reasons, we
think, why this so, and we are 90
ing to give you a few of them frank
ly, since you have asked for them.
And if you had had the opportun-
ity, as we had, to meet with Demo-
Gratis from all over the state at
Frankfort during the recent legisla-
tive session. and to have heard the
views of great majority of them,
regarding Democracy's next candid
ate for Governor, we believe that
you would see where we are right.
In the first place, the vast major
ity Ct the Democrats of Kentucky
the country Democrats, who are
Democrats from principle and not
from hopes of political pef, as is
the case in many of the larger cit
ies-are not going TO accept with
open arms a candidate for governor
whose chief source of support is the
notorious boss from the Buckin9-
ham Theatre. in Louisville, Col. JnO,
H. Whallen. The country democrats
will doubt the sincerity and inten-
tons of any man who is known as
Whallen's candidate. Many will in
deed doubt the brand of his democ-
racy, for it is known to the world
that Whallen contributed $3.50 to
the Taft campaign fund in 1898 and
has fought Bryan from first to last.
A man who can so easily change
his political cloak, is hardly the one
to name the candidate of a great
party, atd especially when such a
boss rarely warmly espOuses the
cause of any candidate, who is not
entirely subservient to his master
mind Ben JOhnSon'S alliance with
Whallen and his crowd would cost
him thousands of votes in the rural
districts. The support of Whallen
may be necessary to carry Louis
vile, but this is not going to be the
sole consideration in the nomination
of the democratic candidate for gov
ernOr. The country democracy is
not going to permit Whallen to
name the candidate as the price of
his support of the ticket, Whallen
may bolt, if not given his own sweet
will--the Louisville brand of dem
ocracy frequently does that-but
with a man at the head of the ticket
upon whom the united party out in
the state has put the seal of its APP
proval, it really makes little differ
ence how Whallen feels about it.
And right here, it may be said
that the part Ben Johnson played in
alliance with the other henchmen
of Whallen, in drafting the notorious
gag rules in the last Kentucky Sen
ate, does not count in his favor.
johnson was in the private councils
of the leaders who wrote those rules
and suggested important parts in
them. Those rules were more Odi-
; GUS to lovers of fair play than the
iron-clad rules of Cannon How Mr
Johnson could reconcile his position
against the rules of Cannon in the
National House, and his suggestions
in the drafting of the rules of the
Kentucky Senate. would be rather
hard TO explain to the democrats of
Kentucky, il strikes us.
Again. 1t has been said time and
again, that one of the causes that
lent toward democratic disaster in
the last state campaign was the lack
Of ability and aegressiveness Of
Judge Hager as a stump speaker,
and his failure as a mixer" We
speak plainly. But the truth of this
is too well known; and Mr. johnson
does not excel Judge Hager as a
stump speaker, and further, is as
cold as a cucumber" in a crowd.
He is not the kind of a candidate
that warns up and can rally the
boys to the old flag or set them
cheering and fighting for the grand
old democratic party. He would
not dare meet Judge 0'Rear on the
stump. II would be a farce from
beginning TO end. We can get a
candidate who is a speaker; we must