The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1911-05-31

that great army OF men who I'LL the
soil the farmers OF Kentucky. because
II has been said by some who are sup
porting other candidates that some OF
the farmers OF Kentucky would vote
against me because OF what | said
about the Night Riders In a speech |
delivered at Hopkinsville in 1908.
do not hold to the belief that Repub-
lican farmers are against me on that
account or any other account | was
reared on farm. I have helped the
farmers, my neighbors, TO build their
homes, roll their logs. grow their to-
bacco. thresh their wheat, make up
their molasses-in fact, | have done
some of every kind of work known to
the farming fraternity in this state.
! have mixed and mingled with them
all my life. I know the farmers Of
Kentucky, who they are and what they
stand for. and I am proud that so
many Of them know me, as am proud
TO know them.
In that speech at Hopkinsville
stated that II were a farmer ! would
belong to all OF their organizations
that sought In a lawful way to en-.
nance the price of farm products.
believe the farmers have a right to
organize for self-protection. and !
would be glad to see every farmer In
the land take a greater interest in the
welfare of every other farmer. /
know the hardshlps through which
the farmer passes each year as he tolls
to make an honest living for himself
and those dependent upon him. eating
two meals day by lampllght the year
round taking chances with the ele-
ments. to have his crop destroyed
by drouth or flood, and, should he es-
cape both and gather abundantly at
harvest time. to have great combina-
lions Of wealth to sit in judgment on
the prices. forcing them down some
times below the cost of production
This is the common lot of the farmer
in Kentucky. know these things are
hard. and they should be remedied at
once-but who is to do It? The Dem
ocratic party will not do Il. because
II has controlled legislation In Ken
lucky since 1865 without a break. ex-
cept at one time the Republicans had
the House. but the Democrats con-
trolled the Senate. IF there is no law
In Kentucky to punish great combina-
tions of wealth, formed and used to
Cypress the people. 1t is the fault Of
the Democratic party and not the fault
of the Republican party. | promise, II
elected Governor, to enforce impartial
ly, without fear or favor, such existing
laws as may be invoked against the
employment of capital in a manner
oppressive to the people, and to use
all the power that may be at my com
mand to secure the passage of laws
that will effectually break up these
wrongful operations of capital. That
is the remedy and the only remedy.
But" one will say, 1--WE can not get
our officers to enforce the law" Then
you should elect men who will enforce
the law. But for Gods sake, for the
sake of your State, your home and
your family. do not undertake to Sc
cure redress through the mob. A mob
never settled anything except to bring
disgrace upon the community, and for
ever damn those who engaged in the
mob. 1t is an insult to any honest
farmer to sag that he pin get mad at
you for derouncinC MODS MobS are
in nearly every instance composed OF
cotcdrds and of the lotcer elements in
the community and for any man to
become incenSed Whet you denounce a
mob UiH naturally cause the public to
think that he todS either in the mob
or ,ods in sympathy Nth IT, And {
man that is in sympathy with the mob
and does not join 1t If he has the op
portunity, is greater coward than
these who do join. and that Is the rea'
son ne does not join
Assails Judge O'Rear on Mob Rule.
Judge O'Rear had something to say
about mobs in his speech at Hopkins.
vile, a part of which endorse and a
part of which | do not endorse He
said in sDeaking of the attitude Of
Governor Wilson toward him:
"The, Governor knew my views on
the situation. for at his ms ance had
several conferences with him on the
subject ! said in the speech (the
Frankfort SPECIFY that the Governor
was to be- commended for his efforts
to restore peace and protect life and
property as well as to bring to pun
ishment the violators of the law"
If Judge O'Rear had stopped there
the world would have said: well
done. good and faithful servant" But
listen to what he said next. which
spoiled all that had gone before:
But | further said that in my opin
ion the disorders were symptomatic;
that they reflected the feeling of re-
sentiment of many growers that they
had suffered long oppression. and tina.
the law had not afforded them any
remedy; that the surest way to pre-
vent similar outbreaks was to remove
the cause Of them; that the growers
could not be convinced that they were
not being outrageously oppressed by
threats of punishment; that you could
not push an idea through an Anglo
Saxon's head with bayonet."
What does Judge ORear mean by
that? Does he mean to say that the
Governor ought not to have called
out soldiers TO prevent murder. arson
and intimidation? He says;
"The farmers were being depressed
by threats. The disorders were symp
tomato"
Which no one denies, but we differ
as to the .spnedy. Does he mean by
that that tie right way to settle the
troubles was through the mob. the
taroh apH tho urhippfno naot9 Why