Flem D. Sampson
Encyclopedia
Flemon Davis "Flem" Sampson (January 23, 1875 – May 25, 1967) was the 42nd Governor of Kentucky
, serving from 1927 to 1931. He graduated from Valparaiso University
in 1894, and opened a law practice in Barbourville, Kentucky
. He formed a political alliance with future congressmen
Caleb Powers
and John Robsion, both prominent Republicans
in the eastern part of the state. By 1916, he was serving on the Kentucky Court of Appeals
—the state's highest court—having previously served as a county judge
and circuit court judge
. In 1923, he was elevated to chief justice of the Court of Appeals. He served until 1927, when he became the Republican gubernatorial nominee.
The Democrats
nominated former governor and senator
J. C. W. Beckham
to challenge Sampson. The primary issue in the campaign was whether to outlaw parimutuel betting
at the state's racetracks. Beckham favored the ban, while Sampson opposed it. A political machine
known as the Jockey Club backed Sampson, and several key Democrats bolted the party after Beckham's nomination. Sampson won the governorship by over 32,000 votes, but every other Republican on the ticket lost by small majorities. The results suggested that some carefully coordinated vote swapping
had occurred to ensure Beckham's defeat, but none was ever proven.
Sampson's term in office was a tumultuous one. The 1928 legislature
was dominated by Democrats and was not particularly responsive to Sampson's proposals. After the session, Sampson was indicted for accepting gifts from textbook companies, but the charges were later dropped. In 1929, Sampson removed Democratic political boss
Ben Johnson
from his post as highway commissioner. When legislators reconvened in 1930, they retaliated by stripping Sampson of many of his appointment powers and reinstalling Johnson to his post. Later in the session, Sampson proposed to allow Samuel Insull
to dam the Cumberland Falls
to generate hydroelectric power
. The General Assembly instead voted to accept an offer from T. Coleman du Pont
to purchase the falls and turn them into a state park. The Assembly voted to further restrict Sampson's powers in 1930. The end of Sampson's term was complicated by the economic realities of the Great Depression
. He called out the Kentucky National Guard
to quell a violent mine strike in Harlan County
known as the Battle of Evarts
. Following his term, Sampson returned to Barbourville and was re-elected as a circuit court judge. He died May 25, 1967 and was buried in Barbourville Cemetery.
near London, Kentucky
in Laurel County
, the ninth of ten children born to Joseph and Emoline (Kellam) Sampson. He was educated in the county's public schools and the John T. Hays school. The family moved to Barbourville, Kentucky
when Sampson was thirteen.
By age sixteen, Sampson was teaching at Indian Creek School in Laurel County. He attended Union College
in Barbourville, then enrolled at Valparaiso University
. He was class president
for three years, and earned an A.B. in 1894. Per university policy, he was also awarded and an LL.B.
because, prior to graduation, he had studied for at least one year in a law office. He returned to Kentucky and was admitted to the bar
in June 1895.
Sampson established his legal practice in Barbourville, where he became the city attorney. Caleb Powers
, who had been Sampson's college roommate, now joined him as a partner in his law firm. Powers would later be accused of complicity to the assassination of Governor William Goebel
. Because Powers was convicted by a partisan jury, he became a political martyr to many Republicans
, and Sampson's connection to him became a boon in heavily Republican eastern Kentucky.
Sampson later served as president of Barbourville's First National Bank; he was the youngest person ever to hold the position. He also served as president of the Barbourville Water-works Company. On September 20, 1897, he married Susie Steele; the couple had three daughters—Pauline, Emolyn, and Helen Katherine.
of Knox County, Kentucky
, a position he held for four years. In 1911, he was elected to the circuit court
of the 34th Judicial District. He was re-elected to this post in 1916, but later that year, he was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals
, then the court of last resort in Kentucky. He represented Kentucky's Seventh Appellate District, and was elevated to chief justice on January 1, 1923. He was re-elected to the court in 1924.
John M. Robsion
organized a formidable Republican faction in the eastern part of Kentucky. In 1927, Sampson was a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. His opponent was Robert H. Lucas, a tax collector for the Internal Revenue Service
. Lucas secured the support of Kentucky senators Frederic M. Sackett
and Richard P. Ernst
, while Sampson was backed by longtime supporter John M. Robsion and the Jockey Club, a coalition of leaders who supported parimutuel betting
on horse races. Sampson won the primary
by a margin of 39,375.
The Democratic party was badly divided over the parimutuel betting issue as well as prohibition
, and a severance tax
on coal. The prohibitionist and anti-gambling faction of the Democratic Party—with the help of Louisville Courier-Journal editor Robert Worth Bingham
—united to make former governor and senator
J. C. W. Beckham
the party's gubernatorial nominee. Following Beckham's nomination, many pro-gambling and anti-prohibition Democrats hurried to the support of Sampson. Sitting Democratic governor William J. Fields
, who had been elected with help from the Jockey Club, was very passive in the campaign and refused to support Beckham.
The campaign was particularly contentious. Sampson contrasted his humble roots with Beckham's aristocratic ones, declaring "I'm just plain old Flem. When I'm elected governor of Kentucky, come into my office and sit down and say 'Howdy Flem'." He also trumpeted his own moral purity, claiming he "never smoked, chewed, drank, gambled not even bet on an election." He promised, however, to protect horse racing in the Commonwealth. In response, Sampson's opponents dubbed him "Flem-Flam Flem".
Sampson won the election by a majority of over 32,000 votes, although every other Republican candidate lost by small margins. In the lieutenant governor's race, Democrat James Breathitt, Jr.
defeated Sampson's running mate, E. E. Nelson, by 159 votes out of more than 700,000 cast. It was estimated that the Jockey Club spent half a million dollars to defeat Beckham and the large majority for Sampson versus the close defeat of all other Republican candidates suggested some type of fraud
, although none was ever proven.
During the 1928 legislative session, it became clear that the bipartisan support shown for Sampson had been one of political convenience rather than true conviction. Among the minor accomplishments of the session were the creation of the Kentucky Progress Commission (the forerunner of the State Department of Commerce) and the adoption of "My Old Kentucky Home
" as the state song. The Democratic General Assembly
sanctioned Sampson's plan for free textbooks, but did not fund it. Proposals to ban parimutuel betting and the teaching of evolution
in the state's schools were both defeated. Kentucky historian James Klotter called the 1928 legislative session "almost a 'do-nothing' session". Following the session, a grand jury
indicted Sampson for accepting gifts from the textbook companies, but the indictment was eventually dismissed.
The first major controversy of Sampson's administration was over the selection of the state's highway commissioner. The Highway Department employed over ten thousand people and spent nearly 45% of the state's budget. Legislators' votes could often be bought with promises of new road construction in their districts. Thus, the department became a primary vehicle for dispensing patronage
to political supporters. Sampson's predecessor, Governor Fields, had chosen retired congressman and Democratic political boss
Ben Johnson
to head the department, and Sampson had agreed to retain him in exchange for his support against Beckham. However, Sampson felt that such a powerful position could not be left in the hands of a Democrat, and he removed Johnson from office in December 1929.
Democrats in the General Assembly were outraged. When the 1930 legislative session convened, they immediately passed a bill that stripped Sampson of his power to appoint a highway commissioner, giving it to a three-person commission composed of the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. The Republican Sampson would be outnumbered and outvoted in this group. Confident that the Democrats would not lose another gubernatorial election, Democratic legislators stipulated in the bill that the appointment power would return to the governor in 1931, the end of Sampson's term. The law passed the House
by a vote of 53—42 and the Senate
by a vote of 22—15. Sampson vetoed the bill, but the veto was overridden, and Johnson was returned to his former position.
Sampson also made enemies when he backed Samuel Insull
's plan to dam the Cumberland Falls
to generate hydroelectric power
. An ally of the traditional southern power groups—the utility companies and textbook manufacturers—Sampson cited the jobs to be gained from the plan. The plan was opposed conservationists
in the state and by most of the state's newspapers. An alternate plan was proposed by Louisville-born millionaire and Delaware
senator T. Coleman du Pont
, who offered to purchase the falls for $230,000 and turn it into a state park. The General Assembly passed legislation giving the state park commission the right of eminent domain
over the falls, then voted to accept the du Pont's offer. Sampson vetoed the Assembly's action, but his veto was overridden.
Sampson's agenda for the 1930 session was lost in the fights over Ben Johnson and Cumberland Falls. His calls for funding the free textbook program, compulsory sterilization
of the mentally ill, and restrictions on chain store
s were ignored. Instead, the legislature continued eroding his gubernatorial powers, including the power to appoint members of the textbook commission. With nearly all of the governor's powers stripped away and given to a three-person commission, Lieutenant Governor James Breathitt, Jr. became the de facto governor for the remainder of Sampson's term. The General Assembly pursued its own agenda, passing a mandatory driver's license
law, a revised election law, and a sales tax
on retail stores. They also allocated funding for the purchase of what would become Mammoth Cave National Park
. Sampson vetoed 12 bills during the 1930 session, but the legislature overrode 11 of them.
With the onset of the Great Depression
, Sampson worked to control government costs, but endorsed highway progression. A severe drought in 1930 left 86 of Kentucky's counties applying for federal aid. As unemployment in the eastern coal fields
climbed to 40 percent, the United Mine Workers
made their first inroads in the region. In 1931, mine owners began firing workers who joined the union. Many of these workers gathered in Evarts, Kentucky
. The local sheriff
added 26 deputies to his staff, helping enforce the blacklisting of these miners and discourage further organization. Union leaders petitioned Sampson to remove the sheriff and the county judge from office. Violent squabbles between striking
union miners and local authorities began as early as mid-April 1931. On May 5, 1931, three guards and a miner were killed in a shootout that became known as the Battle of Evarts
. Two days later, Sampson called in the National Guard
to disarm both the mine guards and the union miners. All of the union's leaders were arrested, and the strike ultimately failed.
. In 1957, he was appointed to the Citizens' Advisory Highway Committee, and was awarded the Governor's Medallion for distinguished public service in 1959.
At the age of ninety-one, Sampson served on the State Constitutional Revision Committee. He died in Pewee Valley, Kentucky
on May 25, 1967, and was buried at the Barbourville Cemetery.
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
, serving from 1927 to 1931. He graduated from Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
in 1894, and opened a law practice in Barbourville, Kentucky
Barbourville, Kentucky
Each year in early October, Barbourville hosts the Daniel Boone Festival commemorating the American pioneer Daniel Boone who explored the area in 1775. The festival features open air concerts, carnival attractions, a beauty pageant, a parade, and other events....
. He formed a political alliance with future congressmen
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Caleb Powers
Caleb Powers
Caleb Powers was a United States Representative from Kentucky and the first Secretary of State of Kentucky convicted as an accessory to murder.-Early life:He was born near Williamsburg, Kentucky...
and John Robsion, both prominent Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in the eastern part of the state. By 1916, he was serving on the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
—the state's highest court—having previously served as a county judge
County Judge/Executive
A County Judge/Executive is an elected official in the U.S. state of Kentucky who is the head of the executive branch of a government in a county. The Judge/Executive is an ex officio member of the Fiscal Court, the county's legislature...
and circuit court judge
Kentucky Circuit Courts
The Kentucky Circuit Courts are the state courts of general jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Kentucky.The Circuit Courts are trial courts with original jurisdiction in cases involving capital offenses, felonies, land disputes, contested probates of wills, and civil lawsuits in disputes with an...
. In 1923, he was elevated to chief justice of the Court of Appeals. He served until 1927, when he became the Republican gubernatorial nominee.
The Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominated former governor and senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
to challenge Sampson. The primary issue in the campaign was whether to outlaw parimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vig" is removed, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets...
at the state's racetracks. Beckham favored the ban, while Sampson opposed it. A political machine
Political machine
A political machine is a political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses , who receive rewards for their efforts...
known as the Jockey Club backed Sampson, and several key Democrats bolted the party after Beckham's nomination. Sampson won the governorship by over 32,000 votes, but every other Republican on the ticket lost by small majorities. The results suggested that some carefully coordinated vote swapping
Vote pairing
Vote pairing is the method where a voter in one district agrees to vote tactically for a less-preferred candidate or party who has a greater chance of winning in their district, in exchange for a voter from another district voting tactically for the candidate the first voter prefers, because that...
had occurred to ensure Beckham's defeat, but none was ever proven.
Sampson's term in office was a tumultuous one. The 1928 legislature
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
was dominated by Democrats and was not particularly responsive to Sampson's proposals. After the session, Sampson was indicted for accepting gifts from textbook companies, but the charges were later dropped. In 1929, Sampson removed Democratic political boss
Political boss
A boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...
Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson (politician)
Ben Johnson was an American lawyer and politician; Democrat, United States House of Representatives from 4 March 1907 to 3 March 1927....
from his post as highway commissioner. When legislators reconvened in 1930, they retaliated by stripping Sampson of many of his appointment powers and reinstalling Johnson to his post. Later in the session, Sampson proposed to allow Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull was an Anglo-American innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. Insull was notable for purchasing utilities and railroads using holding companies, as well as the abuse of them...
to dam the Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South, or the Great Falls, is a large waterfall on the Cumberland River in southeastern Kentucky...
to generate hydroelectric power
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
. The General Assembly instead voted to accept an offer from T. Coleman du Pont
T. Coleman du Pont
Thomas Coleman du Pont was an American engineer and politician, from Greenville, Delaware. He was President of the of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and a member of the Republican Party who served parts of two terms as United States Senator from Delaware...
to purchase the falls and turn them into a state park. The Assembly voted to further restrict Sampson's powers in 1930. The end of Sampson's term was complicated by the economic realities of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He called out the Kentucky National Guard
Kentucky National Guard
The Kentucky National Guard consists of the:*Kentucky Army National Guard*Kentucky Air National Guard-External links:** compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
to quell a violent mine strike in Harlan County
Harlan County, Kentucky
Harlan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1819. As of 2000, the population was 33,200. Its county seat is Harlan...
known as the Battle of Evarts
Battle of Evarts
The Battle of Evarts is the name given to a mining strike and ensuing violence that occurred in Harlan County, Kentucky in 1931. In February 1931, The Harlan County Coal company cut wages for their employees. The United Mine Workers union responded by holding a rally in Pineville, drawing over...
. Following his term, Sampson returned to Barbourville and was re-elected as a circuit court judge. He died May 25, 1967 and was buried in Barbourville Cemetery.
Early life
Flem Sampson was born in a log cabinLog cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
near London, Kentucky
London, Kentucky
-Education:All of the following schools are administered by the Laurel County School District.-Primary schools:* * * * * * * * * * * * -High schools:* * -Colleges:* Laurel Technical College* * -Notable natives:...
in Laurel County
Laurel County, Kentucky
Laurel County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 58,849 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is London.The London Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Laurel County....
, the ninth of ten children born to Joseph and Emoline (Kellam) Sampson. He was educated in the county's public schools and the John T. Hays school. The family moved to Barbourville, Kentucky
Barbourville, Kentucky
Each year in early October, Barbourville hosts the Daniel Boone Festival commemorating the American pioneer Daniel Boone who explored the area in 1775. The festival features open air concerts, carnival attractions, a beauty pageant, a parade, and other events....
when Sampson was thirteen.
By age sixteen, Sampson was teaching at Indian Creek School in Laurel County. He attended Union College
Union College (Kentucky)
Union College is a four-year private college located in Barbourville, Kentucky. The college, founded in 1879, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Union College is a small liberal arts college in the Appalachian Mountains...
in Barbourville, then enrolled at Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
. He was class president
Class President
A class president is usually the leader of a student body class, and presides over its class cabinet or organization within a student council, in a grade school class presidents are generally elected by the class, a constituency composed of all students in a grade level.The practice of electing a...
for three years, and earned an A.B. in 1894. Per university policy, he was also awarded and an LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
because, prior to graduation, he had studied for at least one year in a law office. He returned to Kentucky and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in June 1895.
Sampson established his legal practice in Barbourville, where he became the city attorney. Caleb Powers
Caleb Powers
Caleb Powers was a United States Representative from Kentucky and the first Secretary of State of Kentucky convicted as an accessory to murder.-Early life:He was born near Williamsburg, Kentucky...
, who had been Sampson's college roommate, now joined him as a partner in his law firm. Powers would later be accused of complicity to the assassination of Governor William Goebel
William Goebel
William Justus Goebel was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Kentucky for a few days in 1900 after having been mortally wounded by an assassin the day before he was sworn in...
. Because Powers was convicted by a partisan jury, he became a political martyr to many Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and Sampson's connection to him became a boon in heavily Republican eastern Kentucky.
Sampson later served as president of Barbourville's First National Bank; he was the youngest person ever to hold the position. He also served as president of the Barbourville Water-works Company. On September 20, 1897, he married Susie Steele; the couple had three daughters—Pauline, Emolyn, and Helen Katherine.
Political career
Sampson's political career began in 1906 when he was elected county judgeCounty Judge/Executive
A County Judge/Executive is an elected official in the U.S. state of Kentucky who is the head of the executive branch of a government in a county. The Judge/Executive is an ex officio member of the Fiscal Court, the county's legislature...
of Knox County, Kentucky
Knox County, Kentucky
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 31,795. Its county seat is Barbourville. The county is named for General Henry Knox...
, a position he held for four years. In 1911, he was elected to the circuit court
Kentucky Circuit Courts
The Kentucky Circuit Courts are the state courts of general jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Kentucky.The Circuit Courts are trial courts with original jurisdiction in cases involving capital offenses, felonies, land disputes, contested probates of wills, and civil lawsuits in disputes with an...
of the 34th Judicial District. He was re-elected to this post in 1916, but later that year, he was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
, then the court of last resort in Kentucky. He represented Kentucky's Seventh Appellate District, and was elevated to chief justice on January 1, 1923. He was re-elected to the court in 1924.
Governor of Kentucky
Sampson and CongressmanUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
John M. Robsion
John M. Robsion
John Marshall Robsion , a Republican, represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives....
organized a formidable Republican faction in the eastern part of Kentucky. In 1927, Sampson was a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. His opponent was Robert H. Lucas, a tax collector for the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
. Lucas secured the support of Kentucky senators Frederic M. Sackett
Frederic M. Sackett
Frederic Mosley Sackett served as a United States Senator from Kentucky and ambassador to Germany during the Hoover Administration....
and Richard P. Ernst
Richard P. Ernst
Richard Pretlow Ernst was a U.S. Senator from Kentucky who served from 1921 to 1927. He was a Republican. Ernst graduated from Centre College in 1878 and got his law degree from the Cincinnati Law School in 1880. That year, he was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in Cincinnati, Ohio...
, while Sampson was backed by longtime supporter John M. Robsion and the Jockey Club, a coalition of leaders who supported parimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vig" is removed, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets...
on horse races. Sampson won the primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
by a margin of 39,375.
The Democratic party was badly divided over the parimutuel betting issue as well as prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
, and a severance tax
Ecotax
Ecotax refers to taxes intended to promote ecologically sustainable activities via economic incentives. Such a policy can complement or avert the need for regulatory approaches. Often, an ecotax policy proposal may attempt to maintain overall tax revenue by proportionately reducing other taxes...
on coal. The prohibitionist and anti-gambling faction of the Democratic Party—with the help of Louisville Courier-Journal editor Robert Worth Bingham
Robert Worth Bingham
Robert Worth Bingham was a politician, judge, newspaper publisher and United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He attended the University of North Carolina and University of Virginia but did not graduate. He moved to Louisville in the 1890s and received a law degree from the University of...
—united to make former governor and senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
the party's gubernatorial nominee. Following Beckham's nomination, many pro-gambling and anti-prohibition Democrats hurried to the support of Sampson. Sitting Democratic governor William J. Fields
William J. Fields
William Jason Fields was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. Known as "Honest Bill from Olive Hill", he represented Kentucky's Ninth District in the U.S...
, who had been elected with help from the Jockey Club, was very passive in the campaign and refused to support Beckham.
The campaign was particularly contentious. Sampson contrasted his humble roots with Beckham's aristocratic ones, declaring "I'm just plain old Flem. When I'm elected governor of Kentucky, come into my office and sit down and say 'Howdy Flem'." He also trumpeted his own moral purity, claiming he "never smoked, chewed, drank, gambled not even bet on an election." He promised, however, to protect horse racing in the Commonwealth. In response, Sampson's opponents dubbed him "Flem-Flam Flem".
Sampson won the election by a majority of over 32,000 votes, although every other Republican candidate lost by small margins. In the lieutenant governor's race, Democrat James Breathitt, Jr.
James Breathitt, Jr.
James Breathitt, Jr. was an American politician from Kentucky.Breathitt was born on December 14, 1890 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.Breathitt was educated at Centre College....
defeated Sampson's running mate, E. E. Nelson, by 159 votes out of more than 700,000 cast. It was estimated that the Jockey Club spent half a million dollars to defeat Beckham and the large majority for Sampson versus the close defeat of all other Republican candidates suggested some type of fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
, although none was ever proven.
During the 1928 legislative session, it became clear that the bipartisan support shown for Sampson had been one of political convenience rather than true conviction. Among the minor accomplishments of the session were the creation of the Kentucky Progress Commission (the forerunner of the State Department of Commerce) and the adoption of "My Old Kentucky Home
My Old Kentucky Home
"My Old Kentucky Home" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster , probably composed in 1852. It was published as "My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night" in January 1853 by Firth, Pond, & Co. of New York...
" as the state song. The Democratic General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
sanctioned Sampson's plan for free textbooks, but did not fund it. Proposals to ban parimutuel betting and the teaching of evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
in the state's schools were both defeated. Kentucky historian James Klotter called the 1928 legislative session "almost a 'do-nothing' session". Following the session, a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
indicted Sampson for accepting gifts from the textbook companies, but the indictment was eventually dismissed.
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
to political supporters. Sampson's predecessor, Governor Fields, had chosen retired congressman and Democratic political boss
Political boss
A boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...
Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson (politician)
Ben Johnson was an American lawyer and politician; Democrat, United States House of Representatives from 4 March 1907 to 3 March 1927....
to head the department, and Sampson had agreed to retain him in exchange for his support against Beckham. However, Sampson felt that such a powerful position could not be left in the hands of a Democrat, and he removed Johnson from office in December 1929.
Democrats in the General Assembly were outraged. When the 1930 legislative session convened, they immediately passed a bill that stripped Sampson of his power to appoint a highway commissioner, giving it to a three-person commission composed of the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. The Republican Sampson would be outnumbered and outvoted in this group. Confident that the Democrats would not lose another gubernatorial election, Democratic legislators stipulated in the bill that the appointment power would return to the governor in 1931, the end of Sampson's term. The law passed the House
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve...
by a vote of 53—42 and the Senate
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
by a vote of 22—15. Sampson vetoed the bill, but the veto was overridden, and Johnson was returned to his former position.
Sampson also made enemies when he backed Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull
Samuel Insull was an Anglo-American innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. Insull was notable for purchasing utilities and railroads using holding companies, as well as the abuse of them...
's plan to dam the Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South, or the Great Falls, is a large waterfall on the Cumberland River in southeastern Kentucky...
to generate hydroelectric power
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
. An ally of the traditional southern power groups—the utility companies and textbook manufacturers—Sampson cited the jobs to be gained from the plan. The plan was opposed conservationists
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
in the state and by most of the state's newspapers. An alternate plan was proposed by Louisville-born millionaire and Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
senator T. Coleman du Pont
T. Coleman du Pont
Thomas Coleman du Pont was an American engineer and politician, from Greenville, Delaware. He was President of the of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and a member of the Republican Party who served parts of two terms as United States Senator from Delaware...
, who offered to purchase the falls for $230,000 and turn it into a state park. The General Assembly passed legislation giving the state park commission the right of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
over the falls, then voted to accept the du Pont's offer. Sampson vetoed the Assembly's action, but his veto was overridden.
Sampson's agenda for the 1930 session was lost in the fights over Ben Johnson and Cumberland Falls. His calls for funding the free textbook program, compulsory sterilization
Compulsory sterilization
Compulsory sterilization also known as forced sterilization programs are government policies which attempt to force people to undergo surgical sterilization...
of the mentally ill, and restrictions on chain store
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
s were ignored. Instead, the legislature continued eroding his gubernatorial powers, including the power to appoint members of the textbook commission. With nearly all of the governor's powers stripped away and given to a three-person commission, Lieutenant Governor James Breathitt, Jr. became the de facto governor for the remainder of Sampson's term. The General Assembly pursued its own agenda, passing a mandatory driver's license
Driver's license in the United States
In the United States, nearly all driver's licenses are issued by individual states , rather than the federal government. Drivers are normally required to obtain a license from their state of residence, and all states recognize each other's licenses for temporary visitors subject to normal age...
law, a revised election law, and a sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
on retail stores. They also allocated funding for the purchase of what would become Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park is a U.S. National Park in central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world. The official name of the system is the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System for the ridge under which the cave has formed. The park was established...
. Sampson vetoed 12 bills during the 1930 session, but the legislature overrode 11 of them.
With the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Sampson worked to control government costs, but endorsed highway progression. A severe drought in 1930 left 86 of Kentucky's counties applying for federal aid. As unemployment in the eastern coal fields
Eastern Mountain Coal Fields
The Eastern Mountain Coal Fields is part of the Central Appalachian bituminous coal field, covering all or parts of 30 Kentucky counties and adjoining areas in Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. It covers an area from the Allegheny Mountains in the east across the Cumberland Plateau and...
climbed to 40 percent, the United Mine Workers
United Mine Workers
The United Mine Workers of America is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners and coal technicians. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing workers and public employees in the United States and Canada...
made their first inroads in the region. In 1931, mine owners began firing workers who joined the union. Many of these workers gathered in Evarts, Kentucky
Evarts, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,101 people, 428 households, and 299 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,828.0 people per square mile . There were 490 housing units at an average density of 813.6 per square mile...
. The local sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
added 26 deputies to his staff, helping enforce the blacklisting of these miners and discourage further organization. Union leaders petitioned Sampson to remove the sheriff and the county judge from office. Violent squabbles between striking
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
union miners and local authorities began as early as mid-April 1931. On May 5, 1931, three guards and a miner were killed in a shootout that became known as the Battle of Evarts
Battle of Evarts
The Battle of Evarts is the name given to a mining strike and ensuing violence that occurred in Harlan County, Kentucky in 1931. In February 1931, The Harlan County Coal company cut wages for their employees. The United Mine Workers union responded by holding a rally in Pineville, drawing over...
. Two days later, Sampson called in the National Guard
Kentucky National Guard
The Kentucky National Guard consists of the:*Kentucky Army National Guard*Kentucky Air National Guard-External links:** compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
to disarm both the mine guards and the union miners. All of the union's leaders were arrested, and the strike ultimately failed.
Later political career
Following his term as governor, Sampson returned to his legal practice in Barbourville, and was elected as a circuit court judge. In 1940, he once again sought election to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, but was defeated in the Republican primary by Eugene SilerEugene Siler
Eugene Siler was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky between 1955 and 1965. He was the only member of the House of Representatives to oppose the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution...
. In 1957, he was appointed to the Citizens' Advisory Highway Committee, and was awarded the Governor's Medallion for distinguished public service in 1959.
At the age of ninety-one, Sampson served on the State Constitutional Revision Committee. He died in Pewee Valley, Kentucky
Pewee Valley, Kentucky
Pewee Valley is a city in Oldham County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,436 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pewee Valley is located at ....
on May 25, 1967, and was buried at the Barbourville Cemetery.