The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-08-25

n both parties are machine ruled. then
II would matter little to the average
voter which prevailed, as one party ma
chine II as Objectionable when In
power as the other Party bosses,
lobbyists and corruptionlsts are all OF
a kind.
Urges Remedy To Deprive Machine Of
Power.
II then II be true that Kentucky Is
yet machine-ridden in the party that
claims to be the dominant party here,
what is the remedy? Surely not to set
up another machine-ridden party.
That might be swapping the devil for
a witch. But | maintain IL Is to so
regulate government as that neither
party can, II II attempts to, prevail by
q machine. In the past the effort has
been-and such was the advice OF Sen
ator Blackburn only six weeks ago-to
smash the machine. That is very good
as far as Il goes. But there is nothing
yet to prevent another machines being
Immediately got together, which would
be no better than its predecessor. My
idea is, to make the operations of the
machine more difficult, and to deprive
1t of the dangerous power under the
law It now uses and abuses. To do
this, first, urge the Statewide, man.
datory primary election law, held at
the public expense, In which all can
didates must be nominated at the same
time. the officers of the election being
public officials, not party appointees.
Let anybody become a candidate who
can muster enough support to repre-
|, sent 1000 voters on his petition (for
State office); let the printing OF bal
lots. as we'll as circulation of literature
setting forth each candidates propos-
ais and contemporaries be by pubic
authority, the candidates bearing only
actual cost Of printing and postage.
Prohibit campaign funds of larger size
than to defray such expenses and the
candidates travelling bills and adver-
, Using. Prohibit the gathering OF those
big funds that are so necessary and de-
Iectable to the committee Thus
: your machine would be shorn OF Its
. power for evil, and there would be no
, more machines calling for smash
, lngs." This, you will recall, Is one OF
, the planks Of our platform, and one
: In the platform on which | went before
: the people and because Of 1t in part
was selected by them.
. | "A HldCHlU6 Cdu hOb WI
, greasing. That Is true of political as
, well as other machines. The lubricant
, Of the political machineSis campaign
fund" That is the committees
power in final analysis. AS 1t Is most
frequently operated against the people,
IL has no chance of getting its funds
from that source. Special interests, or
: marty appointees in Office, are then the
sources of the supply. Take up the lat
ter first In Kentucky we have not a
civil service protection for the appoint
i've officials. They are at the mercy OF
their superjors in office. The body hav-
!, Ing the most places at its disposal Is
the Prison Commission. II is now
! elected by the Legislature In joint SEES
. sion. It must get its votes there.
Hence that Commission concerns itself
|, mainly with seeing that its friends are
elected to the Legislature. In order to
[, elect its friends It must have the
: means. local committees and campaign
!. fund These are supplied partly by
the appointees. the prison guards. who
. are not only assessed" numerically
!, but must see to II that local commit
: tees are right" The Prison Commits
!. sion having such intimate relations
4 with the Legislature, by RECIPROCITY
= methods. are also sought by other IN
: terests" as representatives" before
!, that body or It's committees. whether
: the Commissioners receive personal
: nav. or contributions to the cam
= naign fund" Is all one to the public
= The system fosters the machine Idea
. and in fact has been 80 employed III
!. Kentucky. The penal institutions OF
- the State are thereby made into a po
litical asset and managed accordingly
propose TO make these boards bi
- partisan-one party acting as kind
u of check to the political manipulation
a of the other, and preventing assess
!. ment of appointees, hoping to abolish
:, that feature entirely; then let them b.
=, appointed by the Governor. The!
:, would no longer have either the power
- or the incentive to NEEDLE In electini
- friendly Legislatures or tamperinl
la with that body after Its election. M!
~ proposal Is to take that Commission
:. out of politics, by making 1t non-polit
- ical as far as possible. and removing
:, both the opportunity and means TO
y its becoming a professional lobby a
=, the Capital. That Is one way u
20 smash a machine" by Withholding III
70 lubricant. You will find a plank Z
a. that effect In our platform.
ID Special Interests Need Attention.
l. Special interests have been much dis
~ cussed of late. We are learning more
n and more about their ends and ways
re They are of the tribe who would real
he where they have not sown; who wan
ct special immunities or favors whicl
he their competitors do not share. They
IL are essentially monopolists. In tina
ic they want to enjoy conditions iron
n which others are excluded. This the.
lie can do in this country only In one
RS two ways = either have Legislation
s. favorable to them, or have the lawi
lie executed partially in their behalf. TIT
IN former is much preferred by them
N therefore they are most active abou
AZ the halls of legislation everywhere
n. in Kentucky, New York, Ohio. Yves
Virginia, Missouri. Illinois. Colorado
y. California, and at Washington. Those
T. plying in Kentucky are such as eithel
d, want a kind of monopoly in buyint