The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-01-24
Speech of Senator Beckham

Speech of Senator Beckham
Senator! Senator Beckhan said in part:
cncomn,or most embarrassing experience !
ggspec,a' at your national capital, Is when
asionally meet citizens OF other STATES
I'D in some instances OF other countries,
who have not been to Kentucky, and their
first comment when told that | am from
Kentucky Is with a smile, The state where
they make whisky They undertake TO be
pleasant about 1t, but " fs Irritating 10
me. resent the idea that this great com,
monwealth Of ours with the noblest and
most chivalrous manhood and with the
loveliest and sweetest womai.hoOd OF earth
should he advertised abroad alone for its
production OF those things that destroy
the eli isenship of any country. ! tell them
rs politely as | can under such circjim-
Stances that that ?, ..Ia.k : III NO, so in
II few years. that the time is rapidly APP
preaching in Kentucky when we will not
very few, years, and I am willing TO de.
vote every energy aud every talent that /
possess to br.ag about as speedily as pos
sibe the time whom there is not a saloon
nor q dtstillcry nor brewv.y anywhere
In this fair commonwealth.
Believes amendment cortsin.
81 do not say that in any sIrlt Of I'M
Esrdness or hostility toward those who
are engaged III that sncsS. This IL not
personal ceEtest. We shonId not iml-
by using defamation cf character, by in-
dulging In Islander or libel or anything
OF That Kind. Our cause Is go j1st that
we do not need to indulge in personalities
~ insure us suC''s' In this grca; fcht.
| hope 10 see thole engaged in that hush
hess succeed in life and they should take
warming todry. ny friends, and they
should gather in tnt." S"o' ncauSo 7 be-
iieve that there is no puiili""l event of
The future more certain tLan LAT the next
Legislature of Kentucky will submit to
the |eoplc OF this State n constitutional
amendment upon State wide prohibition
AMI that in 1919 the earliest day upon
which we can get Il vote. an overwhelming
majority of our people will adopt it.
Ihe whiskey men will begin to use every
sophlstry, every fallacy. every false argu-
n.islead the people of Kentucky. But the
time has passed when any man or even
paper can say a word OF defense In favor
OF the defenseless saloon.
"The only argument upon which they
nave any hope left Is the economic idea,
the idea that they would inculcate into the
minds OF the people Of Kentucky, that this
Is great Industry in our State. that IL
bears n large part of the burden of taxa
ton in our counties. cities and States.
but. my friends, II takes only little
common sense to meet such a fallacy as
that. The liquor business does not nav
any taxes at all. Whisky and beer do not
pay any taxes. Such taxes as are collect
rd on them come from the consumers Of
those products and those products them
selves pay no taxes.
II believe as firmly as believe anything,
after years of experience and of observa-
ZION and with considerable experience In
ne matter of your state finances, that
he best thing that can happen to your
state from revenue. standpoint would
be the complete elimination of the liquor
business from this State. | believe that
would mean more to the foundation OF
Industries and TO the commercial develop
nent of the State than the suppression OF
hat traffic. not merely to close the sa-
oons, but to prohibit the manufacture
There is no reason to legislate against the
saloon unless you legislate also against
hose concerns which furnish the products
hat are sold in the saloons.
His interest In the Question.
"fhis Is great fight. haye been IN
State and in this country since l first
anne to manhood and took an interest ard
'art In the political affairs of the State
md the country, but l say TO you, my
n which am more interested or in which
can see more of far-reaching, meal
nlable benefit to the people of this State
han l do In prohibition and the elimina- !
kentucky. but from this entire nation. I /
ejoice in II more than l have ever re-
Decd in any personal success of my own.
0 see the growth Of that sentiment
his State. You can go to your national |
apital and see II there, and you will be
$ surprised rs l have been to see the
trength OF that sentiment In Washington.
1T would not be surprising TO me II the
resent Congress should favOrably act On
bat amendment and submit 1t to the States
Or ratification.
$50 the cause is growing 1t is getting
tronger and stronger every day, and I
yelcome to our ranks these new converts.
am not going to criticise the sincerity
{ their purpose. do not believe in try
lg to hold q monopoly on any good thing.
want to see the Democratic party in
-entucky take charge of this movement.
want 1t TO throw off entirely the yoke
liquor domination in this State, and I
ant 1t to be the instrument through
hitch this great reform is to be accom-
lished, but | hope that our Republican
tends will be dry too. hope they will
why. the last plea they make is on the
latter of compensation. They say If you
lppress their business you should COM
ensate them for what they may lose.
10 such plan as that has ever been
dopted. No business Of any kind that
yes upon the misfortunes and calam-
les and tragedies of the human race
usiness is prohibited. / wish / had the
enius and power to write a law and
scure its enactment that would forever
Intimate the possibility of war in this
Duntry and In the world. | believe
ould rather do that than even to see
.entucky dry. But IL that could be done,
~ friends. II | or anyone else could Sc
are the enactment of such a law or the
ioption OF such policy. il would throw
Ut Of business all of these great NUM-
on factories and armor plate plants and
ln factories OF this country, and then
ley would have even more reason to asl.
n compensation than the liquor, people
ould have IL prohibitien comes.
Tribute to Bryan.
But 1 have not come here TO discuys
lat subject. | refer to the program and
se that | have been assigned the title
he Peerless Leader You all recog-
lie him. ! have been with him ON his
sits to Kentucky for the last twenty
ears. I doubt II he has been here at
ny time In all those years when l have
)t been along to encourage him and to
How after him. But | have never felt
ke giving him more hearty welcome
IAN do on this occasion. ! am not a
clever In too much hero worship. our
eroes sometimes make mistakes, but i
slieye IL car be truthfully and justly said
our distinguished guest that he
as rendered more valuable service
the people of America than any 9th ,r
an ever did since that great predecessor
his. Thomas jefferson.
He has won great victories and IL ever
man In the history OF this great coun-
ut he Is not OF that kind. He Is the
res In the world today | may not agree
OF these great issues | do and l re-
I'm fahf hat 4