The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-03-20
1Continued from page 81

pose was 10 enable state TO break up
blind tigers, boot-leggers and other
forms of Illicit traffic in liquor. It
was set for a vote in the house on
February 8, of last year. But on the
evening of February 7, the day before
the vote was to be taken, Mr.. Stanley,
a candidate for the United States SEN
ate, and hoping to escape going on
record on that question, boarded q
train in great haste and came to Ken
lucky to make speech.
But he did not foresee what was
coming. The bill passed both houses
of congress by large majorities and
went to the president. Mr.. Taft We
toed it, and it went back to the house
for vote on passing it over the pres
ident's veto. It required only major
ity to pass it originally, and Mr.. Stan
ley's vote could charitably be spared
by the liquor interests then, because
his vote against it could not have
changed the result, and he might
thereby save his record.
Took His Medicine.
But when 1t came back with the
presidents veto, 1t required two-thirds
of the members to pass it over the
veto, and the liquor interests hoped
to muster enough votes to sustain the
veto. Their orders were issued; and
Mr.. Stanley, In obedience, was COM
PEELED to go back to Washington, like
a truant boy from school, not only
to vote, but to make speech, against
it, and declare that it was "unconsti-
tutional." What a spectacle to see
this doughty and terrible warrior
against the trusts, first stealthily slip
ping away from Washington to avoid
a vote, and then in hopeless bondage
to the great Kentucky trust, and after
receiving it's orders, ANONYMOUSLY re-
turning to Washington to obey those
orders and take his medicine. OF
course it is constitutional and no
court of competent or final jurisdic-
ton will ever decide it otherwise. 1t
is absurd to maintain that there is
anything il the constitution of the
United States to prohibit so righteous
a measure, or to make the govern
ment an accomplice and abetter Of
boot-leggers and blind tigers.
Does his conduct in reference to
that bill justify his boast of being
the dauntless champion Of the people
against the trusts? Does he, in his
Wanted crusades against them, make
distinction against a Kentucky
trust, which has great political influ-
ence here, and as a Pennsylvania or
New Jersey trust, which have none?
Isn't it evident to the people of Ken
lucky that he rs undertaking to mis-
lead them, and Is trying to raise a
false issue to divert their attention
from his own record, which shows
that he is the servant of the greatest
and cruelest trust of all
My position on this subject Is we'll
known. I believe 1t is conceded that
I have had some important part in
the enactment Of the temperance leg
islation in this state. in the better
enforcement Of the laws regulating
the liquor traffic and in the increase
of taxation on that business. Under
laws which I actively helped to pass,
the greatest part of Kentucky has
become dry territory. l helped to
pass, and, as governor, signed the
County Unit law of 1906; and in the
Democratic convention of 1911, sup
ported the County Unit plank in the
platform, which demanded an amend
| ment to the law by extending the
county unit to all cities, and the gen
eral assembly of 1912 passed that
amendment I have fought for the
principle OF giving to each county the
right to decide by vote Of the people
whether or not alcoholic liquors
should be sold in the county. favored
( the increase of the saloon license in
the revenue bill of 1906, which brought
additional revenue into the treasury
l also favored the gallon tax upon
rectified whisky proposed in the same
bill; and when the lobby of the rec
filters succeeded in defeating that tax
I called a special session Of the gen
eral assembly to pass it, and 1t was
passed, putting one cent and quar-
/ ter on each gallon. That tax has
been yielding each year to the state
treasury about fifty thousand dollars
l favor the Webb law passed by
congress, and If 1 had been a mem
Der of that body, either in the house
or the senate, when the bill was up foi
consideration, l would have remained
in washington at my post of duty and
voted for 1t, and If I am elected &c
the senate, and it should become nee
essary to pass an amendment to tina
law, or additional legislation, in fur
therance Of the principle Of allowing
each state to protect its dry territory
from the invasion of the liquor traffic
/ shall favor such a measure, and
shall never be found lodging that o.
any other question.
Two Measures Approved.
i cordially approve the two meas
ures just recently passed by our gen
eral assembly, one known as tn
Hampton bill. and the other as tn,