The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-10-06

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about 40 per cent of the strength
OF the party in the State. Where the
votes we're nearly evenly divided be-
tween two or more candidates for the
same Office the nominee can felicitate
himself that he was the choice of from
1917 to loA per cent of the Demo
crate voters in the State. Originally
the Democrats had no purpose to have
platform; in fact, had no purpose
but to secure the Offices; but later
Judge O'Rear's announcement and the
Republican convention had occasioned
division among the Democrats as
to the advisability Of convention
and platform. There was demand
for and a protest against platform.
The Democratic State Committee were
finally Induced to permit the party to
make a platform and called State
Democratic Convention Limited"
When the convention met the scope
OF their privilege. was restricted and
outlined; for whilst they we're author
lied by the committee to adopt plat
form, they were prohibited from
changing this self-perpetuating COM
mittee Notwithstanding that the party
law is mandatory on this point.
When the convention met, it is suf
ficiently descriptive to say that no
such one ever convened even in the
city of Louisville. There was present
every type of man who affiliated with
the party, representing every shade OF
opinion. Some of them emphasizing
the statement that mo Democrat
could be a Prohibitionist," which was
often questioned, others declaring
that mo Prohibitionist could be a
Democrat which was generally adj
mitted. Some opposed any character
of platform. preferring each candidate
should be a "free lance so that he
could advocate one thing in one place
TO one set of men and another and a
different thing in different place to
different set of men. Some for doing
nothing. Some wanted to carry water
on both shoulders, some wanted to
carry water on one shoulder and whis-
key on the other; some were uncon-
cerned about the method of carrying
water, but would not agree that the
shoulder" was the proper part of the
anatomy on which to carry whiskey.
About the paragraph relating to local
option, there was a contention and
division, 663 voted for and 5l4 voting
against. From surface indications the
convention, if labeled by Pure Drug
expert, would read, 663 parts water,
5l4 parts whiskey; but the impression
is that the delegates were more con-
cerned about influencing the voter in
this election than they we're about in
fluencing the legislation of the next
Assembly. 1t is also claimed, that
this vote did not represent the real
views of the convention, for the rea-
son that there was a larger per cent OF
the oo3 who voted for water and
wanted whiskey than there were OF
514 who voted for whiskey and wanted
water. There was a division of opin-
ion as to whether the Constitution
was ever a law to the Legislature;
on the question of Local Option"
they were nearly evenly divided,
but upon the question of fairly re-
districting the State they were silent
and nonrcommittal; without the au-
dacity to defend, but ignoring with
evident approval the repeated refusal
of democratic legislatures to redistrict
the State with some semblance of fair
ness. 1t was not to them a matter
worthy of consideration that the Dem
ocratic county of Meade, with popu-
lation of less than 10000, now has one
representative in the Legislature;
whilst jointly the Republican counties
of Bell, Harlan, Perry and Leslie,
with population Of over $4,000 now
have only one representative; and that
IN SMlceH Quiet uiStilStS WHICH are
Democratic, with an aggregate popu-
lation of less than 10000 now have
sixteen representatives in the Legis-
latLre, while sixteen other districts
which are Republican, with popula-
ton of more than 100000 now have
only sixteen representatives. Such alb
solute unfairness by numerous legis-
latures is inexcusable; and the failure |
of the Democratic party in conven-
ton to urge an equitable redistricting |
of the State is indefensible. 1t is diff
cult to believe that such conditions
exist in a State claiming to have a
representative government; and it is
doubly surprising when done with the
approval of the party whose name
implies the rule of the people. 1t is
true that there is an implied promise
that they will hereafter recognize the
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