The Bismarck Tribune

Ouster of 58 Republican Officials May Mean Death for Kentucky Derby

Louisville, Ky., June 27.-(NEA)- When the Kentucky court of appeals knocked 58 Republican officials out of their jobs in Louisville the other day it unintentionally and unwittingly sent a cold chill playing up and down the spines of all Kentuckians who love horse racing.

The famous Kentucky Derby is in danger. Across the hitherto cloudless sky of the Kentucky racing world is moving a small cloud, just now of the traditional bigness of a man's hand, but packed with winds that may blow the country's most historic race into the limbo of the things that were.

The situation is extremely involved but none the less menacing to the race lovers. Probably it could have arisen nowhere but in Kentucky, where both horse racing and politics are practiced with a deep subtlety and a passionate fervor unknown in other regions.

Ousted 58 From Office

Not long ago the court of appeals swept Louisville and Jefferson county clear of 58 public servants--men who had been elected to city and county offices on the Republican ticket in the fall of 1925. The court found that grave irregularities had marked that election; dead men had cast ballots, live men had voted more than the allotted once, unlawful registrants had been admitted to the courthouse through back doors so that they might vote in peace, negroes had been given preference in the polling lines, and corruption had been rampant generally.

Accordingly, the court declared this election "no contest."

And upon Governor William J. Fields, a Democrat, devolves the duty of appointing men to fill the places of those public servants whose places the court has vacated.

May Split Party

The maze of politics is dark and tangled; otherwise all of this would not affect the Kentucky Derby. Here are the wheels within wheels that bring the Derby into unwilling liason with the Louisville election:

Joseph T. O'Neal headed the Democratic city ticket in 1925. The Democratic city and county executive committee is insisting that Governor Fields now appoint him mayor. But O'Neal is a strong anti-racing man. He is a former Y. M. C. A. secretary, served with the A. E. F. in that capacity and looks on the Kentucky Derby with a hostile eye.

Governor Fields himself plans to run for the U. S. Senate. He has indicated that he will support Robert T. Crowe for the Democratic nomination for governor, on a pro-racing platform. Crowe will be opposed by J. C. Beckham, a strong anti-racing candidate.

Should Fields appoint the anti-racing O'Neal mayor of Louisville, and then support the pro-racing Crowe for governor, the Democratic party would be torn pitiably. Almost anything might happen in the election --and Kentucky's "reform element," which has been sniping away at the Derby for years, might find itself able to abolish all racing in the state.

Tangled Politics

Thus far the anti-racing element has been unable to accomplish much. It really began its assault on racing

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NOTICE FOR BIDS.

The Board of County Commissioners of Burleigh County, North Dakota, will receive bids for one Elliott-Fisher Book Recording Machine up to 10:30 o'clock a. m., July 6th, 1927, at which time bids will be opened. All bids to be accompanied by certified check for 5 per cent of the amount bid.

The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

A. C. ISAMINGER,

County Auditor.

6/13-20-27