The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-07-21
Speech OF
ACCEPTANCE
Of Judge 0'Rear for Gov
ern0r.
Full Text Of Remarkable Ad-
dress to Republican State
Convention.

Amid the widest enthusiasm Ed
ward Clay ORear, of Montgomery
county, was nominated by the Re
publicans of Kentucky last week as
their standard bearer in the campaign
of 1911. Not a voice was raised in
protest and not a hand was lifted
to stem the tide that made the dis
tinguishad jurist his party's nOmi-
nee for Governor. The nomination
was made in an O'Rear convention,
a convention in which O'Rear alone
was supreme
The nomination for Governor was
made without the firing of a gun.
There was not even skirmish, or
anything that resembled one. Then
followed his speech of acceptance.
1t was just such a speech as one
would expect from a man like Judge
ORear. Hitting out from the should
er, the force of each blow resound-
ing through the hall, he called a
spade a spade, and he called the enc
mics OF the people the peoples enc
mics. He centered his fire ON the
"Third House." and the CRATER in
politics an his aim was unerring. Ev-
cry shot hit home and when he flay-
ed his enemies the big audience shout
ed with delight.
The utterances of the noted jurist
brought the convention to its feet
and caused more cheering than has
been heard in many day in the vi
cinity pf Phoenix Hill, where the
meeting was held.
His address in full was as fol-
lows:
JUDGE O'REARiS GREAT SPEECH.
1t is a great privilege to be received
in this manner by the representatives
of two hundred and thirty seven thou
sand Republicans of Kentucky and to
be introduced to this audience by my
friend, the Senator. who, in my judg-
ment, is the greatest living Kentuck-
ian. l am proud to say of him. fur
ther,mou,e, that despite the machina-
lions of the lobby here is one Senator
from Kentucky on whose title there is
no stain,a and on whose record there is
no blot
Had this nomination come alone
from this convention of representative
Kentuclcians, it would have been a
great honor, but my commission was
given last Saturday by the people. The
county conventions were remarkable
in that they Were most largely at
tended of any held by the Republican
party in Kentucky in its history.
1t is significant fact that i'm these
conventions the attendance was great
er in the aggregate than the total
Democratic vote cast in the State pri-
mary of that party ON the proceeding
Saturday. This Interest," of the people
evincAd the purpose to settle the ques-
lions of the pending campaign in Ken
lucky so far as they We're concerned
in such an emphatic manner that no
doubt could be left concerning their
purpose.
WHY HE BECAME A CANDIDATE.
Holding an office now of power and
dignity, conferred by the unanimous
voice OF a great constituency, l was
loath to enter the political arena. My
office was one that APPEALED peculiar
ly to my taste. There is yet left of
the present term about five and one
half years.
The insistenoe of the public that !
should become a candidate for the
office OF Governor was such that ] felt
that | could not honouably decline. it;
hence l became a candidate. i an
nounoed the policies upon which that
candidacy was pitched. and from that
time until now they havebeen pressed
upon public attention.
The response in the county conven-
tons Is significant in that 1t indicates
the popular interests as well as the
popular approval OF them. l declared
in the beginning of the canvass, and
repeat II nov. that would not run on
any kind of platform, but that the
platform must be one representing
progressive State policies, dealing
with the questions OF the day and tend
ing to cleaner and better State gov
ernmant.
!. indeed. am glad that the gentle