The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-05-13
Kentucky Politics AS Il Looks Today

The State tax law doomed large as
the principal issue both in the primary
and general election In the opening
campaign speeches Of Lieutenant Col
onel II. II. Denhardt and Judge John
d. Carroll, aspirants for the Demo-
cratic nomination for Governor, last
week. Edwin p. Morrow, who will
receive the Republican nomination
without opposition, will not take the
stomp until after the Republican State
convention in Lexington Wednesday.
Mr.. Morrow, who has been quoted as
saying that he favors the repeal Of
the law, has refused to make. any d.
rect statement, saying that the ques-
ton would be taken up at the con-
vention.
Col. Denhardt, in his Mt. Sterling
address, made vigorous attack on
both the Democratic State admins
tration, and Edwin P. Morrow and his
followers, and laid the blame for the
tax law difficulties and all other po-
litical evils which he flayed on an in
ter-locking system of Republican and
Democratic bosses who, he said, now
control Kentucky. The school book
conspirators" and pardon brokers"
also came in for condemnation. He
advocated an absolute repeal of the
tax law and a new measure that will
retain the classification feature, will
lift the burden from farm lands and
real estate and return local govern
ment IN assessments.
Judge John D. Carroll, in his open
ing speech at Richmond, defended the
law and proposed an amendment en-
emptink real estate from State assess
ment, revising license laws. giving
better method of collecting inherit
ance taxes, and making corporation
and intangible property subject only
to State tax. \ The dissatisfaction of
land owners would be allayed if their
lands were assessed by local authori-
ties without interference from State
taxing body, he said.
Lieutenant Governor James d.,
Black, who will succeed Governos A.
o. Stanley as chief executive the end
of the week, when the junior Sena-
tor will take his seat in the eXtraor-
binary session of Congress May 49,,
will open his headquarters in the gov
ernors race at Louisville this week.
His campaign manager has not yet
been announced So : far Governor
Black has given no indication of his
position on the tax law, but is expect
ed to mention it in the opening speech
of his campaign at Richmond, May II.
Just what advantage, if any, his oc-
cupancy of the Governors seat for a
few months will give the Lieutenant
Governor in his race for the nomina-
ton is rot known. He goes into office
with practically all State officials
pledged to other candidates, and a
realignment with the elimination OF
RLea is being predicted There is lit
tie patronage to be distributed, and
both Governor Stanley and Lieutenant
Governor Black denied that they had
made an agreement in regard to the
appointments to be made.
Thomas S. Rhea will declare his po-
sition on the tax law and other ques-
tons at issue in the opening speech of
his campaign May 10, probably at
Frankfort. CadiZ has also been men
toned as the place for his opening.
State papers have shown a surpris-
ing apathy regarding Mr.. Rhea's can
didacy, the large majority of them
having made no comment on his en-
trance into the race since his an
nouncement. The opinion seems to be
that he has lost out in sacrificing a
sure appointment as Auditor to get the
eubernatorial race, where his entrance
has split the Beckham-Haley wing of
the party hopelessly and divided the
administration forces between Judge
John D. Carroll and himself.
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel NJ. Will
son, who has returned to the United
States from twelve months service
with the Seventy-seventh Division in
France, is expected to announce for
the Democratic nomination for Gov
ernor on his return to Lexington next
week.
Colonel George T. Smith, Of Lex
ington, has landed in New York with
the Thirty-second Division, and has in
formed Lexington friends that he will
announce his decision in regard to
seeking the nomination as soon as he
is discharged from the service.
DIR. A. J Alexander, president of the
Democratic Forward League, and lead
er in the dry" wing of the Democratic
party will enter the race for Lieuten-