The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-07-07

wholesalers under the effect OF the
prevailing panic. The situation had
become acute in Kentucky. Neishbor
was srrayed against neishboc IN ar
gufnent as to the utility and propri-
ETY. Of the owers'associations. The
trust was encouraging. with its
money, agents and arguments, these
disputes. its purpose being to destroy
the unity Of the growers. Nothing
was done In the meantime by the
government OF the state to relieve
the situation. Nothing was attempt
ed The dispute became more acri-
monious and continued to grow more
bitter. A quarrel over dog fight has
been known to produce feud run
ning through many years. How much
more, then. was II likely that so seri-
GUS cause Of quarrel among men as
this quarrel between tobacco trust
and the growers should result in bad
feeling an danger. and finally in acts
of violence? This situation, already
big with anger and bad feeling. burst
into acts OF unlawful violence.
The question then arose-what to
do with the situation, That the men
who had destroyed property end life
should be punished, the sober minded
judgment OF most people agreed. and
heartily agreed, as doubtless you
did That further outbreaks should
be prevented as far as lay within the
power of the officers of the law, was
equally imperative. Life and prop
erty and the peace Of the community
must be preserved at all hazards.
Still, there existed the cause Of this
trouble.
kentuckians Not Lawiess.
It is not true that the Kentuckians
are a lawless people. 1t is especially
not true that the farming class Of the
state are lawless in their purposes
and instincts. They are Of the con-
trary disposition. II must be apparent
then that when a quiet, orderly. easy
going people, such as these, are so
wrought up In their feelings that a
considerable number of them give
way to their passions and impulse of
violence, that there must be deep
seated and long-endured aggravation.
I then held to the opinion, and do
yet, that it was not only the province,
but the duty of the state government
to. as far as II lay lawfully in its
power, remove the cause, to the end
that the public peace might be pre-
served in the future, that our citizens
might be spared the fate of becom
ing felons that property might be
saved from destruction; and that
upon the restoration of normal condi- |
lions the great bulk of the people en-
gagged in the business of tobacco |
growing might pursue it with profit |
and contentment.
Was such an idea entertained on |
my part lawless idea? Did ii in the |
least squint at or connive with law
lessness? Did it in the least impor-
tune the violent to continue their vio- |
lence? Is it not always the legitimate |
end OF government and a wise pur-
pose of those entrusted with it to pro-
duce these conditions which will give
the greatest contentment and pros
perity? did then say in a public dec
laration which I made on an occasion !
which has become memorable in the |
history OF the state. just how that rem
edy was to be applied, and | am hap |
by to say to you now that I am con-
hrmed by the host of judicial and Off
OTTO in, ~ 81
there was enough force and power
and virtue in the law to cope with |
the situation. | declared then, and |
new repeat, that in the law, and un-
der the law, there was ample and just
correction of existing evils.
Upheld by Supreme Court.
Since last spoke to the public on
this subject the supreme court of the
United States has found judicially |
that the tobacco trust was OF itself a |
lawless combination. and has been |
throughout all these years of its OPP
preston; that Its purpose was to re-
strict trade in tobacco unreasonably.
and that therefore IL shosld be dis.
banded as an outlaw
And II was clearly within the law |
that the tobacco trust should be out.
lawed In Kentucky. because ii was In
tnath and in fact an outlaw, and that |
II should not only have been fined.
but until II ceased it's oppressive
il should be denied access 10
Kentucky at all; that Il should be re-
quired to deal fairly and squarely with
The tobacco growers Of Kentucky, or
It should be required TO, remove It's
presence from the state SO long as II
continued the aggravatins cause Of
aAd disorder.
The courts of kentucky have con-
sistently held that the farmers pool
was a lawful enterprise: that Il did
not violate the constitution of this
state OF OF the United states; that II
was founded on the experience OF man.
kind, authorized by the acts OF the
legislature OF Kentucky. and justified
by the press and pupit aud public
opinion. But the courts OF Kentucky
went further. preceding By some three
years the now epoeh-makfng opinion