The Campaign That Never Was:
Barkley vs. Lovett
Written by Justin D. Lamb
Left: John G. Lovett
(Collection of the author)
Right: Alben W. Barkley
(Courtesy of Dorothy Barkley Holloway)
As the local elections came around in the spring of 1909, political operatives in Marshall and McCracken Counties were preparing for a hotly contested race for Commonwealth’s Attorney from two of the brightest political stars of the day: incumbent John G. Lovett of Marshall County and Alben W. Barkley of McCracken County.
Both Barkley and Lovett were young, ambitious attorneys with a great deal of political support in their respected counties. Both men were loyal Democrats and had come from a very similar background.
The son of poor farmers, John G. Lovett was born in the Olive community of Marshall County shortly after the Civil War in 1866. Growing up, Lovett never attended school and could not read or write until he was nearly 16 years old. Religion played an integral part in the young Lovett’s life and he was raised a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South where his family attended church at Olive. At age 18, his parents both died, leaving him orphaned and penniless. He went to live with his older brother, Daniel Alexander Lovett, where he helped tend farm. Lovett was often described as being a “bookworm” and did not make much of a farmer. Recognizing his younger brother’s lack of farming know-how, the elder Lovett gave the young John the money to attend school at Wadesboro, and by1889, he was enrolled in Kentucky State College in Lexington, Kentucky where he took a high interest in debating and gained a high reputation as a brilliant orator. After a year away, Lovett returned to Marshall County and began to study law under County Judge John W. Dycus at his Benton law office and he was admitted to the bar soon after. John Lovett opened his own practice in June 1892 and was elected two terms as County Attorney. In 1903, Lovett threw his hat in the ring for Commonwealth Attorney of Marshall and McCracken Counties. On the campaign trail, Lovett emphasized that McCracken County was in the same Senatorial, Congressional, and Judicial Districts as Marshall County, and that McCracken County had had the Congressman for 6 years, the Senator for 20 years, the Circuit Judge and the Commonwealth Attorney for 11 years. “Would it not be fair and just to give Marshall County the Commonwealth Attorney this time?” On May 9, 1903, the people agreed it was Marshall County’s turn and elected Lovett as the next Commonwealth Attorney. During his first term as Commonwealth Attorney, Lovett made a name for himself as he became the first prosecutor in the state of Kentucky to successfully secure a penitentiary sentence for a person guilty of night riding. Lovett became a champion of clean government and a proponent of law and order. Lovett’s prospects for re-election in 1909 looked very bright.
Barkley’s career and background looked much the same as Lovett’s. He was born nearly 12 years after the Civil War ended in 1877 in a log cabin in the small community of Wheel in Graves County. He was the son of poor, but very religious tenant farmers who belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The Barkley family eventually moved to Clinton, Kentucky where young Alben enrolled at Marvin College where he worked as a full time janitor to pay for his expenses. Following graduation, Barkley briefly attended Emory College, but lack of funds sent the young boy back to Kentucky. Barkley soon moved to Paducah where he began to clerk and “read law” under Judge W.S. Bishop and John K. Hendrick. Barkley first ran for public office when he became a candidate for County Attorney of McCracken County in the 1905 Democratic Primary where he defeated the incumbent Eugene A. Graves and Paducah City Judge David Cross. During this campaign, Barkley made speeches all throughout the county on a one eyed horse named “Dick” and Barkley’s genuine friendliness resonated with voters and he won the election by carrying every precinct but the city limits of Paducah. Barkley’s biggest test during his term as County Attorney came when two of the magistrates on the McCracken County Fiscal Court where charged with embezzling county funds. Despite Barkley’s friendship with the magistrates, he aggressively prosecuted them and gained a reputation as an honest and hard-working county official.
With the 1909 election for Commonwealth Attorney approaching, Barkley’s supporters began to encourage him to make the race feeling that he could defeat the incumbent Lovett. Barkley was hesitant, though, feeling that his supporters were underestimating the popularity of Lovett. In June 1909, Barkley made the trip to Benton to see if he had ample support in Lovett’s home county to mount a race. Democratic leadership in both counties were bracing for a hotly contested race. Republicans began also encouraging Barkley to make the race in hopes that his candidacy would split the Democratic Party and offer and ample opportunity to elect a Republican in the strongly Democratic district. “If Mr. Lovett and Mr. Barkley are opponents, one of the hottest campaigns within the Democratic Party is expected,” reported the Paducah Evening Sun.
On August 22, Barkley made his decision when he announced his intention to run for McCracken County Judge instead of Commonwealth Attorney. In the election, Barkley was elected with no opposition as County Judge and John G. Lovett was re-elected in a landslide against Paducah lawyer John Puryear. Lovett and Barkley remained friends for the remainder of their lives and became loyal political supporters. When Lovett passed away in 1936, Barkley, who was by that time a United States Senator, made the funeral to pay his last respects to his friend from Marshall County.
Many were disappointed to not see the two political giants known for their great oratory and political knowledge go toe to toe in the 1909 Commonwealth Attorney race. “The campaign we all wanted will not happen,” commented the Tribune-Democrat, “Oh what a campaign it would have been!”