Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-12-27
Refers to General Council Men,
bers As "Useless As
Mud"
Was Strong Advocate of Salaries
For Members of Both
Boards.
INCONSISTENT and UNGRATEFUL

Democrats throughout the city
and county are very wrathy and in
dignant over the speech made by
County Judge-elect Sam Greene on
last Monday evening at luncheon
given by advocates OF the commits
sion form of government, mainly
composed of Progressives, who,
squirming under the decisive blow
administered them by the voters,
are now endeavoring to have the
Legislature throw the city back sew
eral years " giving it second
class government under the head
of a commission plan. The follow
ing is part of Greene's speech, which
was received with much glee by the
anti-administration crew, who saw
in his attitude a possible chance for
the overthrow of the local govern
ment. The Louisville Herald re-
ported his speech as follows:
Confessions of an office-holder"
might have been the title of the
speech by Judge Greene, elected in
November, who was introduced as
an advanced thinker"
Government is but business.
have served in the City Hall, and
observed this, there are two bodies
there just about as useless as mud.
Not only that, but worse, because
each must have some firemen and
policemen and relatives in office.
''I do not mean to say that we do
not have any efficient men in office.
A tax expert here recently, think,
upheld the office of Assessor
Beuchel and complimented him.
have heard our Comptroller praised.
"But we will never have a fit
government until the people take 1t
unto themselves. The evil comes
from political entanglements that
are necessary to get into office in
this country.
T<TNfouny1 lt t-efnbar7assing- my
self in my last race because. OF my
party. To the man of good intent,
bound to party, certain obligations
come. 1t has become. the custom,
or the people wink at it or close
their eyes and refuse to see, to Just
make place.
eff some good friend, relative
who is dependent, wants a good, soft
job, they Just make place. / have
been making an investigation with
some others of board. One men,
ber wanted a place for a relative. 1t
was suggested there was no place.
We'll, just make one,' was sug-
gested.
"We need the short ballot. In
the last election l went every place.
There were eighty-five or eighty
seven men on the ticket. Some of
them even did not know myself"
To say the least, Judge Greene's
speech and present attitude bear all
the marks of ingratitude and incon-
sistency. Twice chosen by the
Democrats to serve in the Board of
Councilmen and three times elected
as presiding officer of that body,
which he now designates as useless
as mud" he was the prime leader
in the movement to secure salaries
for the members of that body, and
in fact acted as legal adviser for the
advocates of that plan, even volun-
teering to be one of a committee to
go to Frankfort and persuade the
Legislature to pass the salary
ordinance. To say the least Judge
Greene's progressive views now are
inconsistent with his position then,
wanting salaries for "useless as
mud" city fathers. Furthermore, 1t
was proven afterward that he was
not entitled to a seat in the City
Council, not being a resident of the
Eighth ward, which he represented,
as photographs were exhibited in the
last campaign showing a picture OF
his home in the county, and which
fact was never denied. Even to
Judge Greene's newly found Pro-
gressive associates this would seem
conclusive as the limit of incon-
sistency.
From the standpoint Of ingrati-
'tude to the Democratic party, Judge
Greene's allegiance with the enemies
OF that party is even worse. One OF
the most debasing sins in the eyes
of all mankind is the sin Of ingrati-
tude, as the old adage says "that
sharper than a serpent's tooth is the
sting of ingratitude." AS stated
before given the nomination oi
Councilman twice without opposi.
tion and then elected last fall to the
position OF County Judge through
the united efforts Of the Democratic
party, he now turns on that party
and becomes an advocate Of a meas.
ure which would give him the power
OF calling for an election TO over.
throw his former associates on the
Democratic ticket, some of whom he
claims not to be. acquainted with
but who can retaliate In kind and
say they supported his candidacy
without beinQ honOred with a Dar
sonal acquaintance Some Of Judge
Greene's friends say that probabl,
his large vote In the recent election
is now the cause of his change Of
heart. but do not take into account
this was principally on account o.
the knitting OF Matt Holt by Axtor
and others on the Progressive ticket
in addition to the support Of Jailel
Pflanz in the Twelfth ward, wber'
Greene received one OF his larges