Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-04-08

OF lie tnat approaches me iEdividual
awakens the soul, stimulates self-dfs
covery and prompts human efficiency
Most OF our troubles of all kinds
are Inherent in the individual. w,
may look the world over for an easl
way TO build up a greai state. w,
may employ mechanical means an
artificial methods of reform; we ma,
make laws and appeal to the law Il
find, in the end, that a great state |:
In the people: that II Is q spiritua
life. an aggregate human thought thai
must grow from within. IL grows be
cause II has the contagion Of good
citizenship; because II is itself q
great lesson in progressive life; be
cause It's public officials, it, public
sentiment, its vision. its ideals, its
| patriotism: It's laws an. It's citizens
are moral, patriotic and just. II grows
because II is living, growing organ
ism, nourished by a spiritual atmos.
phere. spiritual soil, a spiritual
sunshine and spiritual shower. We
can not force the growth of a great
state through a quill, human ma.
! chine or legislature. Human growth
viii cease when the people rely upon
the government for happiness and
prosperity. | fully value the impor.
lance of safeguarding the intellect.
ual, moral and industrial life of the
people through the enactment of law.
| am not minimizing IN the least the
importance of needed legislation, but
| am rather emphasizing that any en-.
deavor to improve life that is nos
founded upon individual character
will rnQtf1t in, 90 ~ L. 4. A.
any rate, IL is possible for us to EN-
lhasize tho outward ut the cost of the
inward, the statute at the cost OF the
citizen. | believe that the need for
the making of a few vital laws and
for the strict enforcement of the laws
already made is greater than the need
for the making of many new laws
We are not in need of more laws so
much as we are in need of more men
who respect and obey the law-men
who are straight, decent and fearless
and men who do right without having
law flashed in their faces.
No democracy can last without in
visible government; without the 81
lent rule of human lives. Noble and
expanding visions and ideals that
rule in the citadel of the soul can not
be fully expressed in written Jaws
and political platforms; neither can
they be effectively transmitted to the
lives of the people through laws made
by partisan legislatures; and yet they
are the invisible things that largely
make and govern every great state
There Is no greater work that can 0e
done in Kentucky than the crystal
izing of human ideals and noble de
sires that are frequently silent and
inactive into a positive public senti
ment that will proclaim &c the world
that Kentucky is land of optimism.
magnetic progress ard opportunity, |
unfit for dead men and knockers and
suitable only for live men and boost. |
ers. We shall never have the greater |
state until We develop a public senti |
ment that will be fire under the feet |
OF every reactionary in the state, a |
public sentiment that will brand. ban
ish and disgrace any citizen who would
corrupt a great state; public senti-
ment that will insure clean elections
and the rule of the people. The chief
executive Of the state enjoys many
opportunities to take the lead in the
development of public opinion, and IL
| am elected governor | shall use
every proper influence within my
power to develop and maintain high
standards Of private and public con.
duct through the development of an
active and sane public sentiment.
There is an invisible governments
that is the greatest foe to a free de.
mocracy. 1t is the secret control Of
the spiritual and Industrial properties
Of the people. 1t is a government by
machine manipulators who pool tho
peoples vote and sell public Offices 10
the highest bidder. II is government
by the representative of great oorpo-
rations and other special interests
who put burdens upon the people and
muddy the fountains of justice by
using corrupt methods Of securing leg.
islation offered in the interest of the
few and preventing legislation offered |
in the interest of the many. This form |
of control will destroy the self.reli |
ance Of the people, put burdens upon |
their lives and make them slaves Of |
The INSCRIPTIONS and autocratic boss. |
| believe in the rule of the people; h |
civic righteousness, in social and In.
dustrlal justice, and II | am elected |
governor, | shall use every influence |
within my power to have a corrupO |
practice act passed that will destroy |
the influence Of the corrupt lobby anil |
keep the Offices and the government |
under the control of the people.
Fsvcrs Railroad Regulation.
In developing greater Kentucky |
there is no agency that plays a more |
important part than the railroads of |
cur state. They are the great arteries
OF commerce that make possible mar
kets for our vast resources. They add |
greatly to the civilization and educa-
ton OF a country and are, entitled 20
every encouragement possible and TO /
q fair return on their investment. II |
is. however, TOO often the tendency of |
public service corporations to use the
great corporate powers they have to
impose unjust burdens on the people;
and to prevent this. | would favor a
proper and adequate regulation of all |
public service corporations to the ex.