The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-10-16
MORE EVIDENCE
AGAINST Wilson
One Present Writes About
Frankfort Meeting.
Enmity To Organized Farmers
Shown By The Ex-Gover-
nor'S Every Act.
Dawson Springs, KY. oct. 8. 1914.


Editor Hartford Republican,
have noticed an account published in
your paper of the Tobacco Meeting
which was called by Ex-Governor A.
r. Willson.at Frankfort in the spring
of 1908. All you have said about
that meeting is true, but there are
some things which you have omitted
from your account, and as one who
was present, desire to offer some
incidents of the meeting which may
have escaped your attention. AL
though, / remember that you was
here and made talk in behalf of
tie Kentucky Tobacco Growers dur
Ing the day.
That meeting was called by Gov
ernor Wilson at the suggestion of
Judge Il. G. O'Rear. who was a
member of the Court of Appeals
bench. The idea was to bring about
a compromise between the organic
cd growers or poolers and represent
atives of the Tobacco Trust. Will
son. as the Governor OF the State,
was 10 suggest TO both parties that
the trouble had gone far enough, and
that he did not propose for the
peace and quietude of the State to
lie further disturbed. and to say to
the Trust representatives in plain
language. that they should. come
to some terms with the growers. II
this had not been true, there would
have been no use. whatever. in invit-
ing from New York aHl Louisville
those who represented the American
Tobacco Company TO be present. II
has always been my understanding
that the Governor violated an agree
ment to meet Judge O'Rear, the
night before the meeting at the
Capital Hotel. at which program
was to be mapped out. and instead
went to Louisville. When he re-
turned to Frankfort the next morn
ing. and called the meeting to order.
he announced that, as he had called
the meeting. he would proceed to
elect himself Chairman, which he
did. without asking for a nomina-
tion and without even a formality
of vote of his own selection. He
then proceeded to read the riot act
to the Tobacco Growers and members
OF the various Farmers Organiza-
tions. who were present on his in
vitation, reminding them that there
was certain laws on the statute books
OF Kentucky which they had to obey,
and that unless they did so. he
would order out every able bodied
man in Kentucky to enforce them.
His speech did not touch the tobac-
co question on any point whatever,
but was solely lecture on law and
order. He addressed no remarks to
the Tobacco Trust Representatives
whatever. He did not say to them,
that they must obey the law, nor did
he intimate that they had violated
any law. After more than an hour
of this rambling tirade. the meeting
adjourned. At the afternoon session.
which was held in the United States
Court room, at the Custom House,
speeches were made by Hon. Camp
bell Cantrill, Hon. Claude Thomas.
Judge e. G. O'Rear. and others.
O'Rear's speech was on the side of
the tobacco growers, and was
strong plea in their behalf: although.
he spoke against lawlessness. saying
that he was as much opposed to the
OF the law, as any man in
the State. From this speech, how
ever. dates the enmity of Governor
Wilson for Judge O'Rear, He never
forgave him for that speech in be-
half of the organized farmers of the
1t is the belief OF many, that the
speech of the Governor at that meet
ing. which was no less than notice
to the Trust that so far as the Exec
utive of the State was concerned.
they were 20 have free hand in the
fight. and that all the strength OF
the militia Of the State was to be
directed against the growers. for no
tobacco was sold for many months
and the fight went on directed BY the
Trust Representatives all over the