The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-08-04
JUDGE BENTON'S
Card of Cheer and Gratitude

am unwilling for the campaign for
the circuit jndgeship to close without
expressing my heartfelt thanks to my
friends in Madison county who are CIV
ing me such loyal support.
While have all along been confident
that l would carry each of the other
counties by substantial and winning
majority l have ver mad a
boastful claim of my ma jority
In Madison, t h ough l have
never conceded the county to my op-
ponent; but now as the campaign ap-
proaches its final stage, assurances of
my friends. conservative men from all
sections of the county. convince me the
majority of the Democrats will vote for
me next Saturday. For these assur-
alces and this p ospect l am truly CRATE
full TO my friends. This satisfactory
condition is due TO their efforts rather
than to mine.
NV official duties have prevented me
from seeing personally the voters of the
county save a very small per cent, but
]
listed for me and presented my cause so
] we'll that have no fear of the result in
Madison or the district, and for this
feeling of confidence 1 am greatly in
debted to my friends.
appreciate this Madison county sup
port. 1 was born and reared in the
county, and my ancestors through three
generations back have lived, died and
lie buried here, and feel that am one
of the county's products.
The chief argument that has been
urged in Madison county to influence
votes for my opponent is that ne is a
county man, and that county pride"
ought to give him the county. l have
said candidly to the Democrats of Clark
county that if they can find no better
reason for voting for me than the fact
that l have lived there for thirty years,
they should support my opponent, that
the Circuit Judgeship is too important a
matter to be settled by any question of
residence or sentiment, and that is my
conviction on that question
A vote for me in Madison cannot be
construed as any lack of confidence in
Judge Shackelford, but rather as indi-
eating that the voters desire to continue
him in the work in which he has been
engaged for six years, and has two years
more to serve, and preference that
shall be permitted to continue the work
in which have been serving the people
of the county.
hope that none of my friends will be
deceived Of misled by any of the absurd
and preposterous stories that have been
industriously circulated about me, or
/ that may yet be sprung before or on the
day of election. have not tried to fol-
low up each of the stories with a specific
NAL, but have trusted TO the good sens
of tte voters TO brand them as they de-
served TO be branded. have made a
clean fight and ''slung no mud" all re
ports TO the contrary Notwithstanding
and have not permitted myself TO be
provoked into saying any unkind or un-
just word against my opponent, nor have
1 encouraged any of my friends TO do so,
and shall continue the fight on high
and clean plane. intend to come out
of it with hands clean and an IN
scathed conscience. shall use neither
money nor whiskeY, nor other corrupt
means to influence the voters. and any
story that may be started that l or my
friends are resorting TO such practices
will be started only for the purpose OF
deceiving or misleading my friends and
others who have confidence in me. Ny
sworn pledge has been given on this
question, and it viii not be violated by