Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-10-28
MATT S. COHEN
REGISTERS DENIAL
Former Commissioners of Agricul-
ture Answers Report of In
spector James
Lexington Heral6D

the Department of Agriculture and
the State Fair during his term of Of
flee, is made in statement by for
mer Commissioner of Agriculture
Matt S. Cohen.
In complete answer to the report
of Mr.. James made public September
30, Mr.. Cohen explains how the report
features matters taken up with him
when he was on "sick bed," whereas
previously, in lengthy interview at
the capitol in Frankfort, only 'dup-
locations in expense accounts" were
discussed by the inspector.
Answering a charge that horses
had been favored in the premium lists
of the Staet Fair at the expense of
the cattle events, Mr.. Cohen declares
that in 1919 the enormous sum of
$4,000 was offered in the fatted and
feeding cattle event, the great bulk
of which was included in distributions
of $13, 100, every cent of which 81
begged for the state fair that year"
In fact without fear of being contra
dicted. by anyone speaking with au-
thority, say that the 1918 State Fair
catalog and reports will show that al
! most twice as much money was paid
to the owners in the cattle division of
the fair as was paid to owners of
horses.
''In 1917, when we first gave the
sum of $4,000 for the worlds cham
pionship for five gated saddle horses,
had $685. of that money given for
that express purpose.
'The inspector and examiners
charges that 1 Disseminated in favor
of the horse interests against cattle
hog and sheep are not supported
! either by fact or figures as even a
slight examination of the books and
catalogs of the fair would have
shown"
Relative to his giving out free tick
cts to the fair, Mr.. Cohen says that
prior to the fairs of 1918 and 1919
he had 1000 "Oficial Distributor"
tickets made out and sent to those
persons who had made large contri-
buttons to the fair, that fully 90 per
cent of them lived out of the state OF
| Kentucky and that not as many as
200 of these tickets We're ever raceiv-
ed at the gates OF the fair. Contin-
uing, he said: "Since thes contribu-
tions during my term of four years
amounted to more than $4,000, all Of
which 1 obtained from my friends liv-
ing in other states, which amounted
to more than three timese my salary
as commissioner during my entire
term, feel that in activities 1 drove
a reasonably fair bargain"
The banquets, regarding which Mr.
James, the state inspector and exam
iner, said: "Of all the unspeakable
;nexcusable, reckless and cruel waste
of public funds, these banGuets are
the most outrageous" brought from
Mr.. Cohen the following explanation:
Each year, six weeks previous to
: the fair, the State Board of Agricul-
ture gave what was known as a
smoker and to which were invited
representatives of the business or
ganizations of Louisville as well as
some of Louisville's professional men
including those of the ministerial pro
fession. These smokers were giver
in an effort to rouse the necessary in
terest in the state fair and for the
purpose of having each organization
civic and otherwise, in the city OF
Louisville to name a state committee
and outline the work to be done By
the various organizations, they as
Stunning the responsibilities of engag-
ing in certain activities, all of which
of the fair. / have always that tho
few dollars spent in so advertising
} if you choose to call it that, harvest
ed their value many, many times fol
D the fair association.
Gas to the Uncle John Shell matter
the inspectors statement seems tc
f be made with a deliberate view Of
connecting me with that matter.
say frankly, however, that I had nc
) connection with it, did not receive any
< venture. Neither did 1 authorize the
+ part of the income or proceeds of thai
e turning of receipts over to Mr.. Gate
: wood, and l do not believe that Mr.
g James, or Mr.. Asher, of Mr.. Ander
\ son, or anyone else, will go so far a.
: to say that had any connection will
v this matter.
Gas to the charges of practice o.
nepotism, the Inspector names onl!
e one person aginst whom the charges
t might be directed. The fact is tha
: | did not have the employment of th'
persons charged with grating by th'
/. inspector. If the Inspector is so deat
!, against the practice of nepotism,
j suggest, on information received, that