Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-09-23

lucky entrust a party with power that
knows nothing Of Invisible government,
20 give you it, solemn pledge to destroy
I a.? or Is u that those more potent and
more silent than Mr. Morrow, high IN
the throne. realize how easy It is to
secure the slnews o. war and the aid OF
4 all the cohorts, chicane and crookedness,
] N only they will agree 20 stand With
their fingers on their lips and allow the
Democratic party and its nominees alone
20 champion the cause Of the oppressed
against the oppressor and TO advance
seen and inveterate foe ~ popular gov
ernment,' this all-pervadlng influence,
/ deadly as the breath Of the Uras or the
/ Olvic. under whose blighting shade every
! Impulse OF honesty. every patriotic as
: piration must wither and decay ] have
never sought the suffrage OF the people
, OF Kentucky without formally reasserting
my fixed and unalterable opposition 20
4 those influences which have too often
made constitutional government mock
cry and q sham, and c9nsstitutional ON,
the tools and pawns OF special interests.
In letter addressed TO the public on De-
cember 10. 1912 ] declared:
The interests seeking special favors
can never be tolerated by party whose
prime purpose Is TO strip those interests
OF every undue advantage and every
privilege obtained by the operation Of
bad laws or the violation of good ones {"
on January IA last, in announcing my
candidacy for Governor. declared:
II willingly surrendered seat In
Congress to fight above all else that
most insldious and abominable menace
to the liberties and property rights Of
free people-'invisible government
powers nominally vested In benevolent
and respectable figures, actually exer-
cised by the covert and cunning ennis
saries Of every favor-seeking and tax
lodging interest fortunate enough 20
have a friend in court.
III elected Governor OF Kentucky I
solemnly and earnestly pledge the peo-
pie Of the commonwealth here and now
that will turn the calcium light upon
the lobbyist and upon all who seek to
secure positions Of honor or privilege
by any secret or unholy alliance with
him"
The pledge made as a candidate am
prepared to keep as your nominee and as
your Governor
No Antitrust Plank.
Not the creation. but the equitable dis
tributiOn OF wealth. Is the great problem
confronting the lawmakers OF America.
Men everywhere realize more and more
that tnordinate wealth and Widespread
penury are In great measure attributable
to this inequitable distribution. secured
by illegal combinations of capital and
the creation Of gigantic monopolies.
Laws governing the capitalization OF
corporations, regulating the operation Of
common carriers, forbidding the forma-
ton OF holding companies, the interlock-
ing Of directOrates and other multi
farious devices for the destruction Of
competition and the prevention of the
free operation Of the natural law of sup
ply and demand, fill the statutes Of the
various states and the Federal Govern
ment alike.
The one act calculated TO protect the
people of Kentucky from exploitation
and plumber by trusts and monopolies
has been declared unconstitutional and
today this State stands naked and de-
fenseless. a prey to every crooked COM
bination and every form of corporate In
EQUITY, snug harbor for every CONNER
cial pirate seeking refuge from the wise
legislation and the righteous wrath of
forty-seven sister States.
The fact that this yawning chasm is
left in the only legal defense yet pro-
vided has caused an apprehension little
short of CONSERVATION among thoughtful
and discerning men. In the face of this
appalling state of affairs the Republican
platform contains no antitrust plank. no
pledge to curb corporate greed or to
punish corporate crime. The reason Is
not far to seek: it prefers to betray the
people rather than offend the interests
Republican Convention Refuses to En-
dorse Its Own Administrations,
State and National.
An examination OF the State or nation
al platforms of either party in Kentucky
discloses the fact that hitherto no two
have been alike. This Is necessarily so
where platforms are written in good faith.
Political organizations at stated periods
promulgate platforms in order that they
may apply ltnfnuNdDlt principles 10 con-
stantly changing conditions. To state
the attitude OF the party on vital and
living issues to outline an original pro-
gram for future legislation requires con-
structive craftsmanship, and constructive
craftsmanship Is lost art with the re-
dictionary Republicanism Of Kentucky.
The reference to the protection OF
American industries and labor is yelled
endorsement OF the malodorOus Payne
Aldrich act the last utterance of the
Republican party on the subject had
thought that after a similar approval of
that act had sent President Taft to po-
litical oblivion. and his organization to
the junk heap that there were none
so poor as 10 do IL reverence" but the
convention at Lexington has placed last
withered posey above its petrifying re-
mains.
In fact. the last Republican convention
did not attempt to write a new platform. |
II merely repaired an old one, and II
botched the job. Hitherto Republican |
platforms have usually followed a sort
Of formula-hrst endorsing previous ma
tioual and State administrations. and with |
the sole exception OF this unique assem-
blage they have hitherto been strong on
the point with pride" and viewing
pointed with pride" on several occa-
sions when IL evidenced more gall than
discretion.
And vet that party which had the stom-
ach in 1900 "to endorse without reserve
the resolute and patriotic course OF w.
S. Taylor In resisting with all the power
at his command the usurption Of the Of
fee to which the people elected him" has
at this good hour never word TO say
In commentator either Of the Repub-
lican national or State administrations.
Looking back over an era Of criminal
ton and recrimination, of folly. failure.
perfdy and ruin in national AFFAIRS, and
of force. violence, bloodshed and In
competence in the conduct of the State
Government, the silence. of this party, OF
its wise refusal to mention with approval |
any man or any incident In its history.
is. In effect. pathetic appeal to the
people OF Kentucky to let the dead past
bury its dead and TO forget the blum
ders OF those whom even their friends
dare not defend.
Republican Reputation OF Platform
Pledges.
The Democrats OF Kentucky will not |
soon forget that in 1903 this party in a |
solemn platform declaration hercely ar
ralgned Democratic executive for exer-
clsing the pardoning power to subserVe
political and partisan purposes with the
certain effect of encouraging crime by |
virtually rendering criminals OF Demo- /
cratic faith immune from punishment"
In 1908 this same party was not warm
in the saddle before its Republican Gov