Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1911-08-24

candidate for Governor. opened tn,
campaign at EliZabethtown. Ky. OF
Monday. August Ia, before an immense
crowd. which gave him the closest at
tention He sounded the keynote OF
this campaign as being whether the
people or the interests should control
the States politics. and then discussed
the County Unit question. the Bradley
election and the question OF his own
resignation from the Court OF Appeals
pending his candidacy for Governor
The demonstration in approval OF
Judge O'Rear's speech was gratifying
To him and his friends. He spoke as
follows:
The principal issue in this cam.
/ paign is. Shall Kentucky cleanse the
politics OF the State? Kentucky is
not exceptional in having the political
boss. the corrupting lobbyist. and the
/ triumph OF intrigue in her legislative
department Such has been the lot Of
all the States Kentucky would be
exceptional II her condition had been
/ different from that Of the other States
But she is not. She will be exceptional
only II she makes no attempt 10 throw
OF the domination OF the unclean ele-
ments In politics.
When we call for more popular gov
eminent for restoring 10 the people
the misused powers OF government IL
IS because We believe that In the peo-
PIE only Is the requisite virtue and
strength 10 rid the politics OF the State
OF its alien and demoralizlng infu.
ences. The slogan therefore should be,
Shall the people OF Kentucky rule
Kentucky? And the aim OF the cam.
paign should be 20 produce clean poll.
tics in order that We may have cleaner
and therefore more efficient govern.
ment. IL is my purpose TO center the
campaign there.
There never was an issue in this
country whether clean or unclean
politics should prevail. That Is 10 say.
when unclean politics did prevail. and
an attempt was made TO purify con.
ditions. no party ever Joined the issue
end declared In opposition that un.
clean politics was better for the State
and should consequently be continued
The fight has many times been made.
IL has never been made without justif-
cation in the conditions. Whether q,
has succeeded depended always on
whether the people got their eyes
open 10 and kept them upon the actual
conditions and the real issue. The
opposition always denies the existence
OF unclean conditions or n they are so
obvious as 20 De beyond denial, then
the attempt has invariably been TO de.
hect the public attention from the real
ssue; 20 introduce collateral or i'm
material or irrelevant issues: 20 at
tempt 10 draw the public away from
the main night. and have the battle
pitched on side questions. In Ken I
lucky this year the attempt has been.
and Will continue to be. TO withdraw
the main question from the peoples
and 10 allure them TO .
grounds less vulnerable. or presenting
a better chance for success. The op-
position in Kentucky will try TO have
you believe that something else is OF
more Importance to you than a debate
Of and the eradication OF the evils
which enthraIl. control and bind Ken
lucky TO a course damaging 10 her
standing abroad and TO her growth and
power at home.
That the State has been boss-rfdden,
and lobby controlled,
TO the public detriment and shame is
the first question OF fact TO be settled.
The next question will be the remedy.
Dominated BY Party Machine.
Four years ago. TO go no further
back, II was asserted, and upon full
discussion was found TO be true. that
Kentucky was dominated by a party
Senator McCreary declared
upon the stump In his campaign
against Governor Beckham for the SEN
that such was the fact At
that time Governor Beckham was in
for the only time In his admin
stration OF the machine OF his party
In the State. His Auditor. Mr.. Hager,
was nominated by that machine for
Governor, and his Treasurer. Mr. Bos-
worth. was likewise nominated for
he was himself nominated
FOR Senator; he had but recently sue
seeded by II In electlng Senator Plyn-
ter and retiring Senator Blackburn.
Mr.. McCreary then believed and said
that the machine OF Governor Beck
ham, presided over by his competent
friend, General Haley. his member OF
the Board Of Control. and his other
friend, Mr.. Ell Brown. Chairman OF
the Prison Commission. was a menace
10 good government in the State and
was a corrupting influence, Attorney
General Hays made the same fight in
his race for the nomination against
Mr.. Hager. Both Hays and McCreary
lost in that fight In the party because
Of the overmastering power o! the
political machine. The issue was car
ried on into the general election. The
verdict OF the people was guilty"
Attorney General Hays then left the
State. Mr. McCreary stayed. Whether
he thought II was better to run away
from the fight. to stay and keep up the
fight, or to surrender. Is a matter you
may feel called upon TO decide now.
Certain II is, he neither left nor kept
up the fight Did the machine go out
Of existence? Mr. Ben Johnson started
out to run for Governor. He found
the old machine at work. He said so.
He found It too strong for him. SO he
quit. Mr.. Stanley, undaunted by the
power Of the gigantic steel
trust, looked in on the machine He
found II too strong for even his cour-
age and popularity. Judge Reed looked
In also. At close quarters II showed