The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1913-10-07

sinners who have been selling their
votes for years will have TO be reformed
against their wills if we are to save their
children and children's children from
sinking 10 the same degradation. -.
Do your full duty towards these men
and your county will never again be
troubled by this question.
have been hearing from people from
all over the country and could read you
scores of letters that would show YOU
that people everywhere recognize that
this is the most important question that
confronts US. A prominent banker OF
Mt. Sterling writes me: "Our county
has suffered much from the evil of traf-
fic in votes, and the siandardof our NOR
ais is lower today than it was previous to
the late primary. 1t has been estimated
that about S25, 900 was used in that prl-
mary debaching the votes" A leading
lawyer of the State, living at Frankfort,
writes: THAT the greatest curse that
can affect free people-bribery in cleo
tions-is rapidly on the increase in this
State, have not the slightest doubt. l
heard bank officer say that he was in
position TO know and that not less than
$50, OOO was spent in the recent primary
in our county of Franklin"
You and very well know that if a
man will sell his vote for five dollars,
the man who bought his vote can per-
suade him to burn house, swear lie
in court, or kill his neighbOr from am
bush. The trouble is, that in the ardor
of a campaign, the average election
worker does not stop to think of this, or
he would shrink from thus aiding the
friend"
suggestion in theway of criticism
has appeared in one of our local papers
that these election offenders should be
given the full letter of the law. That is
alright in theory, but believe that bet
ter results will be secured in another
way. My greatest concern is to put an
end to corrupt elections and intend to
take the course that in my judgment
will most certainly accomplish that pur-
pose. | have announced, and | repeat
it here, that for the first term of the
court if these men who have violated
the law will come with eontrite spirit
confess their wrong, acknowledge the
guilt, think the law can afford to meet
half way, and | will let them off, for
this time, with the lowest fine, and not
enforce that portion of the statute that
deprives them of the right to vote and
to hold Office. There is an old man over
in Clark county who says, as he sees it
there's two kinds of sense. One he calls
mother wit, the other theorizing What
| propose to do is TO apply the mother
wit TO the situation, and believe we
will get better results than we could pos
sibly get by applying the theorizing kind
of sense. But | don't want to mislead
anybody or be misunderstood. This
proposition only stands good for this
term OF the court, and for those who
plead guilty. If the cases have to be
fought out, those convicted will get just
what the letter Of the law gives them.
These men who have violated the law
are just few years behind the times in
their way of thinking. They have not
learned that many things are seen and
recognized TO be wrong now which only
few years ago were not considered
wrong, but were practiced by conscien-
tious men The use of money in cleo
tions is one Of those things. But the
call is coming now from all counties and
all sections that this practice of buying
and selling votes is wrong, is unlawful
and must cease. That call must be
needed. That practice must be stopped
You can stop it in Madison county. IL
is only necessary for you to show these
men who have violated the election laws
that grand jury of Madison county can
offenses, and when you have done that
you will have put a stop to such practi-
ces. That is the duty place on you
now, and no more important duty was
ever placed upon any grand jury. 1t
means more for the moral uplift of the
citizenship ofyour county than anything
else you can possible do.
The trouble with our grand juries
heretofore has been that when they have
baen asked to investigate election Of
lenses, they have sent for witnesses who
aid not know, and had no opportunity
to know, who had violated the law, and
when the witnesses who might know
something, have come before them, the
loren an Of the grand jury has too fire.
quently failed to ask the very questions
that would elicit their knowledge of the
facts. hope you gentlemen will real
ize that that sort of an investigation will
no longer satisfy the people. Over in
Clark county every candidate was called
before the grand jury and rigidly exam
ined. The individual ledgers of every
band in Winchester were examined, and
the accounts of each candidate critical
ly inspected, and each suspicious item
thoroughly investigated That grand
jury got results and you gentlemen can
do the same thing if you will set your
selves diligently and earnestly tc the
task, as believe you will.
Now, gentlemen, leave the matter in
your hands, with the confident hope that
you will meet the situation courageous
ly and honestly, and take such action as
will at once and forever rid your county
OF this pernicious and corrupting prac
,je-
The petit jury selected is as follows.
Isaac Davis, NJ. P. Timbrell, David Cobb,
5. S. Million, A. II. Wells, S A. Phelps,
}. w. Parrish, James Combs, VIM. Hen
dren, Ii. b. Duncan, NJ. Coy, G. III. Park