The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1912-10-11
COMPLIMENT ron HELm
From Florida Far a Good Turn Ne
Did the People There

Writing in the Nicholasville Jour-
nal, J. l.. McMurtry, of McMeekin,
Florida, says a high compliment to
Congressman Harvey Helm, of this
city, as follows:
Since the smoke Of the congress
sional battle has passed feel it my
duty to call the attention to the peo-
pic of the Eighth District of Ken
tucly to a political episode. or to be
palmer to an act of kindness that
Congressman Harvey Helm did for
the people of Florida, yea of the
south an act that should have given
HIM the nomination without opposi-
ton from the white people. 1t is
this to-wit: Prior to the taking of
the last u. S. census, the question
presented itself to the white people
of the south was whether white or
colOred enumerators would take the
individual census. The senator from
Florida, Hon. Duncan Fletcher, call
ed upon President Taft and inter-
viewed his excellency on this point.
After considerable discussion pro
and con, the President informed
Senator Fletcher that the colored
enumerators would only take the re-
port of the negroes. But for fear that
the supervisor who had the appoint
ment of enumeratOrs would fail to
adhere to that PROGRAM, Senator
Fletcher looked about in this State
and selected men for SUPERVISORS on
whom he could rely. Senator Flet-
cher had fight on his hands.
against him were Postmaster Gener-
al Hitchcock, Secretary Nagel, of
Interior Department. A negro
named 10 Lee, revenue collector for
Florida. and Henry Chubbs. regis
ter of the u. s. Land office, Gaines
vile, Fla. are the Republican bosses
in this state. In this (Second) dis
trict a Kentuckian was selected by
Senator Fletcher for Supervisor.
Against Senator Fletcher were ar
rayed State and National Republican
machines. Here is where Congress-
man Harvey Helm and A. o. Stanley
came in the fight. They heard that
Kentuckian away off in Florida
was in "a fight to the death. In
obedience to that characteristic so
peculiar to Kentuckians. some have
called it idiosyncrasy. but it is n
quality without which the Kentucky
character is incomplete, FASTENED to
Sen. F!ctcher's aid. No Drawer glad
iators ever drew a sword than Helm
and Stanley. Hardly had the shad-
ow of the stately form of Florida's
noble Senator disappeared ere the
bland but persistent Helm and the
bold and eloquent Stanley were seen
to enter the White House las Helm
called) ian heavenly MISSION" the
protection of the womanhOod of the
south from the intrusion of the ne
gro" Thence TO the Census office
and beseieed Durand. the boss. In
II word. the result. was the negro
was refused.
The prcconyention deal of Hitch
cock with the Southern delegations
triumphed only in part. Twice in
two weeks did Joe Lee and Henry
Chubbs go to Washington. called
there by Hitchcock. These boys
had gained the ear of the President
and it required all the influence of
Hitchcock and Nacle to get their
men appointed. hut then only after
they had been handicapped by posi-
tive instructions were given in re-
gard 70 the neero enumerators. This
was the first slip in the cog of the
machine in the south. When the
news came to MS that Harvey Helm
had been re-nominated the white
people reioiced for we knew we had
a friend on guard.