The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-08-23

tribunal as evidence, showing or tend.
ing to show that Bradley OF anybody
else bribed any vote for him. In view
of these facts. was | not warranted In
stating that there Is no faint on tn
mans title as a Senator from ken
lucky? BY faint II is understood tho
use of corrupt means, such as bribers,
in obtaining his title. Now | want 90
20 one step further and say that /!
those who would accuse upon mere
suspicion and condemn by innrendo
have any knowledge of corruption IN
that election, they should state IL, ana
produce the evidence they should put
up or shut up. If they have such evil
dence, II MIR. Bradley was guilty OF
having obtained his election by briD-
ing any member Of the Legislature, or
II 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 I 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 a United States
Senator was bribed to do so, and there
is other evidence as to bribery as II
others. then the title of that Senator
was tainted, although the one vote
did not alone make his election possi-
bic, 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.
If 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 pc
litical ethics, then 1t must be submit
ted to the people whether that is eth
er logical or just. The only poin'
here at issue is my sincerity. Is my
sincerity to be tested by a different
standard from that applied to other
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 rs
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 a vacation. had no personal
knowledge of the affair. My differences
were drawn from the proceeding,
which have just described.
AS to my resignation: IN this / am
not being treated by that part of the
Democratic press which is crticizine
me as it has treated Democrats. This
objection is made that | am holding
one Office and running for another
Let us look at the usual course OF
such things. and he 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 urexpired. became a candi-
! Gate 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. Mavor Head, of Louisville
and Judge Feed. of Paducah, the lat.
| ter Circuit judge and gentleman
Of delicate sense Of honor and unblerl
ished reputation, became candidates
| for Governor. Neither resigned, nor
was it suggested that they should Mr.
Johnson, member of Congress, he.
came a candidate for Governor. He did
not resign. Mr. Ollie James. a member
of Congress. is now nominated for U.
| s. Senator, and is running for that of.
| flee. He has not resigned, and no
newspaper has suggested that he
should.
| have noticed but two instances
where nominees for higher offices 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
| hpPtdIS. re ltoiSiiSu IlC Was dlSb
| 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
iority of precedent is not to resign.
1t 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 rover and dignity, perhaps of some
profit also at times, which he is Meth
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
lies business before the court. The
only imposition involved will be that
Of 1itt1o mora loho. Co.. that tf,,o -,