The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-03-15
SAYS PRIMARY RIDICULOUS.

Mr.. Thos. Walker, Sec. of the Roose-
welt state Committee, addressed letter
to acting Chairman Welsh, of the Re
publican Central Committee requesting
that the State Committee be re-conven-
ed for the purpose of arranging to give
the Republicans of the State an oppor-
tunity to express their choice for
President through preferential primar-
les. On learning of this move, dispatche
from Washington quote Senator Brad
ley as follows:
"Buncombe'' was the term applied by
Senator Bradley to-day to the PROPOSE
ton of the Roosevelt leaders in Ken
lucky to hold a Statewide Presidential
primary.
1.-THE proposal is ridiculous" said the
Senator, hotly. "The same thing was
made to the State committee and re-
jected with only one dissenting vote. To
grant it now would be to necessitate
the changing of the date for holding
county, district and State conventions,
as thirty days notice would have to be
given. The people of Kentucky will
have ample opportunity of expressing
their preference on April 6, and no
body need doubt that"
We hope that Senator Bradley has
fnr hn ca,i16 M
object to the people having the widest
possible opportunity to express their
choice as between President Taft AMI
Col. Roosevelt. Especially could this
do no harm, if he is correctly quote'l,
in saying that the Roosevelt forces in
the State are led by men who have been
kicked out of office, or compelled to 70
sign from office, or who failed to get
an office. There was no reason why
there should not be ample time in as
much as the National Convention does
not meet until the 18th OF June. The
State convention has been called for
April 10th, the earliest time at which
any Republican State Convention in
the State was ever held to elect dele
gates. Last year the same people. who
have named this early convention, were
when the forces of Judge O'Rear desir-
ed an early one and it was fixed in
July by their votes in the meeting of
the State Central Committee. The State
ought not to have been held
earlier than May 10th anyway and that
would have given more than a month
time between that and the National
The first week in April is
a very busy one with the far
mers, mad it looks like an effort to pre-
vent them from attending the County
mass Conventions. The Senator says
that 1.-The people Of Kentucky will have
ample opportunity to express their
preference on April 9Th, and no body
need doubt that" but under the pres
ent arrangements will they have ample
What about the opportun-
Ity of the Republicans in Select, Cool
Springs, Rockport, Point Pleasant, Hef-
lin, Bartletts, Magyar and Shreve, to say
nothing Of other distant points in this
county to attend mass convention in
thirty miles away without
any railroad facilities, on the 9th day
Of April when the roads are always al
most impossible? These men, who are
just as good republicans, as those who
live near the county seat and who are
Just as much entitled to a voice in the
selection and instruction of delegates
10 the District and State conventions,
are practically disfranchised by the ac-
Lion Of the State Central Committee. II
The State Central Committee would ar
range for a poll in each precinct thous-
ands of good Kentucky Republicans
would secure a vote whose choice will
not be recorded under the present ar
No party can long survive
which will stifle the voice of the peo-
pie In this manner and the authorities
II the party had just as well know il.