The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-02-07

Frankfort, KY, Feb. 6.-Not since
the session of 1904, when Gov. Beck
ham was in complete control of the
\ legislature and was able to put
through anything he wanted, has a
governor been so completely the mas
ter jof the legislature situation as is
Co... James b. McCreary at the present
session of the general assembly. He
occupies the position for various rea-
sons, some of them political, but his
greatest strength lies in the fact that
the Democratic party stands commit
I ted to certain things and those things
are what the governor recommended
for enactment into law.
That the governor and his friends
are able to pass any bill on which they
set their hearts, is generally conceded
passed in both houses. It was conceded
that the county unit bill would be the
hardest knot to unravel, and If that
bill could be passed with so much ease
1t is believed that the administration
now will be able to get through every
measure which is on the program.
And it was not simple program that
the governor set out tot perform. He
laid out for himself hard task when
he recommended the passage of some
of the measures which were in his
message to the general assembly.
In,spite of this, there was racing and
chasing on last Wednesday when the
oh 20 toI, ha
( bill providing for the election of prison
commissioners by districts, rather
than have them appointed by the gov
ernor. The Administrations plan is to
have the governor make the appoint
ments and it is really the governors
pet measure. He is out after the
scalp of Eli II. Brown, chairman of
the commission and it looks like he
may be able to get it, However, on
this Wednesday, judging from the
agitation displayed by the administra-
tion forces, the voters were in doub.
on the prison bill Senator Graham
has a bill providing for the election
of the prison commissioners. Without
warning he asked that the bill be call
ed from the hands of the committee
and considered. Evidently the admin
istration was not ready for vote
on the bill that day. for a filibuster
was started and everybody grew excit-
ed. Another bill. the Eaton primary
act. had been set as a special order
for eleven o'clock that day and the ad-
ministration forces began to talk so
as to use up the time until the special
order arrived They succeeded.
But this has started speculation as
to how the senators will line up. The
bipartisan board plan for the manage
ment of the prisons does not appeal
very strongly to the Democrats, even
some of those who are favorable to
the administration BILL and 1t is going
to take some work to line up enough
voters in the senate to put through the
plan of having two Democrats and
two Republicans on the commission.
Conflicting statements are made by
the leaders on the two sides. The ad-
ministration men say they will be able
to pass the bipartisan board bill when
ever 1t comes to test. They say that
they have enough votes now. and are
ready for the issue at any time. The
other side say that no bipartisan
board bill will be passed; that the bill
most likely to go through is a bill
giving the governor the power to name
three commissioners, without any re-
striction regarding party. This bill
probably will be the one on which the
friends Of the present prison commits
sion will agree.
The lobby of the Capitol hotel is
the place where everything happens
and where the informal caucuses are
held by the members. 1t is where the
lobbyists" work. too, as they have
been excluded from the floor of the
two houses. Judge Robert l.. Stout,
of this judicial district was standing
in the lobby the other day when
member asked him II certain person
had been seen there in the last few
minutes. Judge Stout replied:
81 have not seen that particular per-
son, but believe he is the only man
in Frankfort | have not seen here
this afternoon. | am also confident
that II | stayed here long enough, !
could seen him and everybody else,
not only In Frankfort, but in the
state"
Kentucky Is going to have the nomi-
nees OF both political parties, in state.
county and city races. selected at pri-
maries. the expenses to be born by
the state. so that the poor man will
have a. good chance a. the rich man.
% far as entrance fees are concerned.
Ehs old time convention Is TO be q