The bee., 1911-08-18

iuB W SuOW Jldl bIduiCJ VI any bOOg
else bribed any vote for him. In view
of these facts, was I not warranted in
stating that there Is no taint on this
mans title as a Senator from Ken
tucky? BY taint 1t is understood the
use of corrupt means, such as bribery
In obtaining his title. Now want 20
go one step further and say that y
those who would accuse upon mere
suspicion and condemn by innuendo
have any knowledge Of corruption in
that election, they should state 1t, and
produce the evidence; they should put
up or shut up. II they have such evi-
dence, II Mr.. Bradley was guilty of
having obtained his election by brib-
ing any member of the Legislature, o.
If the bribing was done by the liquor
interests in his behalf, then his title
would be tainted.
do not agree with Senators Brad
ley and Paynter on their vote in the
Lorimer case. They are both able
lawyers, and have no doubt acted
upon their oaths and consciences in
voting for Lorimer to retain his seat.
differ from them on the law Of that
matter. If the evidence shows any
member voting for United States
Senator was bribed to do so, and there
Is other evidence as TO bribery as to
others, then the title of that Senator
was tainted, although the one vote
did not alone make his election possi-
BILE, and he should have been expelled.
bitterly oppose corruption in cleo
tions, and am In favor of making 1t
useless to the corruptors by depriving
them of its fruits. draw no distinc-
ton in favor of party. All corruption
lists look alike to me.
II my critics mean to hold that what
would be a virtuous or permissible
course for Mr.. McCreary would be a
corrupt one for Mr.. Bradley, then
dissent from their view. If the two
acting precisely alike, are to be held
to different standards of moral and po
litical ethics, then 1t must be submit
ted to the people whether that Is eth
er logical OF Just. The only poin,
here at issue is my sincerity. Is my
sincerity to be tested by a different
standard from that applied to othe.
people? Have | not the right, and do
not rest under the duty, to employ
the commonly accepted standards of
judging? If ] was mistaken as to the
nature Of Senator Bradley's title,
was led into the mistake by the course
of the press, Legislature, grand jury
and party action of Democrats as
stated. was not at Frankfort for
two or three weeks before Senator
Bradley's election, nor for two weeks
after. / was then absent In Florida
on vacation. l had no personal
knowledge of the affair. My inferences
were drawn from the proceedings
which have Just described.
AS to my resignation: In this I am
not being treated by that part Of the
Democratic press which is criticizing
me as 1t has treated Democrats. The
objection is made that l am holding
one office and running for another.
Let us look at the usual course of
such things, and be governed accord
ingly. There are four Democratic
members of the Court Of Appeals who
were elected while holding other Of
fees, none having resigned their for.
mer offices before their election to the
latter. They were justly not criti.
cized for their course. Senator Payn-
ter while a member of the Court of
Appeals, having about five years of
his term unexpired, became a candi-
date for U. s. Senator. He was nom
mated and elected, and did not resign
as Judge until about FIVE months after
his election. He was not criticized
for that. Mayor Head, of Louisville,
and Judge Reed, of Paducah, the lat
ter a Circuit Judge and a gentleman
OF delicate sense of honor and unblem-
ished reputation, became candidates
for Governor. Neither resigned, nor
M tnA Aok oh
Johnson, member of Congress, be-
not resign. Mr.. Ollie James, a member
OF Congress, is now nominated for u
s. Senator, and is running for that Of
fee. He has not resigned, and no
newspaper has suggested that he
should.
have noticed but two instances
where nominees for higher of1ces re-
signed the ones they held when nom
mated, In order to prosecute their can
vases free from the imputation OF
greediness implied in the criticism |
am noticing. One was Judge Robert
Riddell, who, while Circuit Judge, was
nominated for Judge of the Court of
Appeals He resigned. He was also
defeated. The other was Judge Alton
B. Parker. of the Court of Appeals of
New York. nominated for President.
He resigned as Judge, and was like
wise defeated for President. The ma
jority Of precedent is not to resign.
II also appears to be unlucky. Besides.
the criticism in this instance does not
strike me as being sincere. MY distin-
guished opponent also holds an Office
OF power and dignity, perhaps of some
profit also at times, which he is neith-
er requested nor expected to resign.
This election will terminate my career
as Judge of the Court of Appeals of
Kentucky. You need have no fear of
that. The only question is who should
appoint my successor until the people
can elect one. The court will not con
vene again until the latter part of
September. 1t is now up with its
docket. My absence for FIVE or six
weeks will not interfere with the pub
Hes business before the court. The
only imposition involved will be that
OF q little more labor for that time on