William J. Fields
Encyclopedia
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. House of Representatives
from 1911 to 1923, resigning to become the state's 41st governor
.
Discouraged by an early defeat for a seat in the state legislature
, Fields took a job at a grocery store in Ashland, Kentucky
that allowed him to travel the state and meet many people in his congressional district. In 1911, he became the first Democrat
elected to Congress
from the Ninth District in two decades. Elected to seven consecutive terms, he rose to become the ranking member of the House Committee on Military Affairs
during World War I
. When Democratic gubernatorial nominee J. Campbell Cantrill
died unexpectedly two months before the general election, the Democratic Central Committee chose Fields to replace Cantrill as the nominee. In a campaign that featured more name-calling than substantial debate, Fields secured the backing of the powerful Jockey Club political alliance and won a landslide victory over Republican
Attorney General
Charles I. Dawson
.
The first legislative session of Fields' term was marked by infighting within his own party. His agenda was opposed by a Democratic faction led by former governor J. C. W. Beckham
, Louisville Courier-Journal publisher Robert Worth Bingham
, and political boss
Percy Haly. Fields' signature issue, a $75 million bond issue to construct a state highway system, passed the legislature in 1924, but the electorate refused to approve it in November of that year. Among Fields' accomplishments as governor were an increase in the gasoline tax to help fund his highway program, a reorganization of the state's government bureaucracy, and the preservation of Cumberland Falls
from industrial development. He never united the factions of his party, however. His political enemies charged him with nepotism
and abusing his pardon power, and the Democrats lost the governorship in 1927 to Republican Flem D. Sampson
. Following his service as governor, Fields failed in an attempt to return to his former congressional seat. He was appointed to the State Workman's Compensation Board by Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler
, and after his retirement from public service, he practiced law and worked as a real estate agent until his death on October 21, 1954.
. He was the fourth of twelve children born to Christopher C. and Alice (Rucker) Fields. He was educated in the local public schools, then matriculated to the University of Kentucky
. After graduation, he started a real estate business in Olive Hill, Kentucky
and engaged in farming. He also studied law on his own.
On October 10, 1893, Fields married Dora McDavid; the couple had six children. At age 21, he was elected constable
of Carter County, but three years later, he fell short in his bid to capture a seat in state legislature
. Following the loss, he took a job at a grocery store in Ashland, Kentucky
that would allow him to travel the state more freely, make acquaintances, and better position himself for a run for higher office.
to represent Kentucky's Ninth District
in the U.S. House of Representatives
in 1910. The first Democrat to hold the seat in twenty years, he was re-elected for another six consecutive terms. A member of the Committee on Military Affairs
, he eventually became the ranking Democrat on the committee and the ranking member of the subcommittee that controlled appropriations for U.S. operations during World War I
.
In September 1923, Democratic gubernatorial nominee J. Campbell Cantrill
died, leaving the party without a candidate. Alben Barkley, who Cantrill had defeated for the nomination, refused to be the Democratic candidate, perhaps because he had already decided to run for the U.S. Senate
in 1926. The Democratic Central Committee chose Fields as a replacement for Cantrill.
Attorney General
Charles I. Dawson
, mocked Fields' traditional election slogan, calling him "Dodging Bill from Olive Hill, who answers no questions and never will". Fields countered by referring to Dawson as "Changing Charlie", a reference to Dawson's one-time affiliation with the Democratic Party prior to becoming a Republican. Fields secured the backing of a group of powerful political bosses, including Louisville
banker James B. Brown, U.S. Senator Augustus Owsley Stanley, and Lexington
power broker Billy Klair. These three were the leaders of the Jockey Club, a group dedicated to the preservation of parimutuel betting
in the state, especially at racetracks. Discontent with incumbent Republican Governor Edwin P. Morrow
further aided Fields' campaign, and he defeated Dawson by a vote of 356,035 to 306,277. It was one of the largest Democratic gubernatorial landslides in state history. He resigned from the House to accept the governorship.
Already lightly regarded because he was selected by the Democratic Central Committee instead of a party primary, Fields further weakened his position due to some of his personal preferences. A devout Methodist
and prohibitionist
, Fields prohibited both dancing and drinking at the Executive Mansion
. He moved the inaugural ball from the mansion to the capitol rotunda, where dancing would be allowed, but he and his wife did not attend. Fields' frugality also led him to keep dairy cows on the mansion's lawn, drawing derision from urban citizens.
Fields' 1924 address to the General Assembly included several ambitious proposals, including the founding of a trade school for blacks at Paducah
, planning and developing normal school
s at Murray
and Morehead
, raising the gasoline tax to three cents per gallon, and the issuance of $75 million in state bonds to finance a state highway system. A dissenting faction of the Democratic party, led by former governor J. C. W. Beckham
, political boss Percy Haly, and Louisville Courier-Journal publisher Robert Worth Bingham
, voiced strong opposition to Fields' proposals, especially the bond issue. They charged that Fields had the support of a dangerous "bipartisan combine", with the Republican element of the combine led by Maurice Galvin.
Tensions between the factions were inflamed almost as soon as the 1924 legislature convened. A bill to outlaw parimutuel betting in the state passed the House of Representatives
, but failed in the Senate
. The next legislative battle centered on removing the head of the Board of Charities and Corrections and give the governor greater control over the board's makeup; this attempt also narrowly failed. When Senator Stanley, an opponent of prohibition, sought re-election to the Senate in 1924, Fields and his allies did not support him, leading to the election of Republican Frederick M. Sackett and giving the Republicans both of the state's senate seats for the first time in history.
The signature issue of the session, however, was Fields' request for the bond issue. He engaged in a debate with opponents of the issue that was published in Bingham's Courier-Journal as well as the Louisville Herald and Louisville Post, two papers owned by James B. Brown. Ultimately, the issue was approved by the General Assembly, which was considered a major victory for Fields. Still, the bond issue had to be approved by the state's electorate. The Courier-Journal continued the fight against the issue, while Desha Breckinridge
's Lexington Herald
came out in favor of it. Fields spent ten weeks criss-crossing the state speaking in favor of the bond issue, but on election day, it was rejected by a margin of 90,000 votes.
Undaunted by the failure of the bond issue, Fields returned to the 1926 General Assembly with more proposals, including another increase in the gasoline tax to provide the funds needed to construct the state highway system. The 1926 Assembly passed more legislation than any previous legislature, including the increased gas tax and several bills to reorganize state government. The state purchasing commission and the Department of Bus Transportation were among the entities created in the reorganization. Under Fields, the state implemented the first phase of desegregation busing.
Fields opposed a plan to develop hydroelectric power
generation capabilities on the Cumberland Falls
. In order to prevent development, he accepted an offer from T. Coleman du Pont
to purchase the property around the falls and donate it to the state. He also suggested the creation of Carter Caves State Resort Park
in his home county.
Fields' political enemies charged him with corruption and chastised him for issuing too many pardons. He also drew criticism for appointing his eldest son as state examiner, political supporter James Brown as tax commissioner, and other relatives and political supporters to low-ranking positions in the state government. Although the party strongly supported Alben Barkley's senatorial bid in 1926, Fields and his allies refused to support 1927 gubernatorial candidate J. C. W. Beckham, and the governorship went to Republican Flem D. Sampson
.
. He returned to Olive Hill and was admitted to the bar
in 1927. In 1932, he was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for Kentucky's thirty-seventh judicial district; he served until 1935. The following year, Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler
appointed him to the State Workmen’s Compensation Board. He served in this capacity until the election of Republican Simeon S. Willis
.
Fields retired from public service on August 8, 1944. From 1940 to 1945, he co-owned an insurance agency. He briefly moved to Florida
before returning to Olive Hill, where he continued farming, practicing law, and farming. He died in Grayson, Kentucky
on October 21, 1954 and was buried in Olive Hill Cemetery in Olive Hill.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Known as "Honest Bill from Olive Hill
Olive Hill, Kentucky
There were 791 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone...
", he represented Kentucky's Ninth District
Kentucky's 9th congressional district
United States House of Representatives, Kentucky District 9 was a district of the United States Congress in Kentucky. It was lost to redistricting in 1953. Its last Representative was James S. Golden.-List of representatives:-References:*...
in the U.S. House of Representatives
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...
from 1911 to 1923, resigning to become the state's 41st governor
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...
.
Discouraged by an early defeat for a seat in the state 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...
, Fields took a job at a grocery store in Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
that allowed him to travel the state and meet many people in his congressional district. In 1911, he became the first Democrat
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...
elected to Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from the Ninth District in two decades. Elected to seven consecutive terms, he rose to become the ranking member of the House Committee on Military Affairs
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. When Democratic gubernatorial nominee J. Campbell Cantrill
J. Campbell Cantrill
James Campbell Cantrill was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Georgetown, Kentucky, Cantrill attended the common schools, Georgetown College, and the University of Virginia at Charlottesville....
died unexpectedly two months before the general election, the Democratic Central Committee chose Fields to replace Cantrill as the nominee. In a campaign that featured more name-calling than substantial debate, Fields secured the backing of the powerful Jockey Club political alliance and won a landslide victory over Republican
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...
Attorney General
Attorney General of Kentucky
The Attorney General of Kentucky is an office created by the Kentucky Constitution. . Under Kentucky law, he serves several roles, including the state's chief prosecutor , the state's chief law enforcement officer , and the state's chief law officer...
Charles I. Dawson
Charles I. Dawson
Charles I. Dawson was a lawyer and politician from Kentucky who ran several high profile campaigns as the nominee of the Republican party, and served for ten years as a United States federal judge....
.
The first legislative session of Fields' term was marked by infighting within his own party. His agenda was opposed by a Democratic faction led by former governor 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...
, Louisville Courier-Journal publisher 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...
, and 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...
Percy Haly. Fields' signature issue, a $75 million bond issue to construct a state highway system, passed the legislature in 1924, but the electorate refused to approve it in November of that year. Among Fields' accomplishments as governor were an increase in the gasoline tax to help fund his highway program, a reorganization of the state's government bureaucracy, and the preservation of 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...
from industrial development. He never united the factions of his party, however. His political enemies charged him with nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
and abusing his pardon power, and the Democrats lost the governorship in 1927 to Republican Flem D. Sampson
Flem D. Sampson
Flemon Davis "Flem" Sampson 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...
. Following his service as governor, Fields failed in an attempt to return to his former congressional seat. He was appointed to the State Workman's Compensation Board by Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler
Happy Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1951 and...
, and after his retirement from public service, he practiced law and worked as a real estate agent until his death on October 21, 1954.
Early life
William J. Fields was born December 29, 1874 in Willard, Carter County, KentuckyCarter County, Kentucky
Carter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1838 and was named for William Grayson Carter, a state senator at the time of its creation. The county seat is named for his uncle, Robert Grayson. As of 2000, the population was 26,889. Its county seat is Grayson,...
. He was the fourth of twelve children born to Christopher C. and Alice (Rucker) Fields. He was educated in the local public schools, then matriculated to the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. After graduation, he started a real estate business in Olive Hill, Kentucky
Olive Hill, Kentucky
There were 791 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone...
and engaged in farming. He also studied law on his own.
On October 10, 1893, Fields married Dora McDavid; the couple had six children. At age 21, he was elected constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of Carter County, but three years later, he fell short in his bid to capture a seat in state 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...
. Following the loss, he took a job at a grocery store in Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
that would allow him to travel the state more freely, make acquaintances, and better position himself for a run for higher office.
House of Representatives
Campaigning under the moniker "Honest Bill from Olive Hill", Fields won a narrow victory as a DemocratDemocratic 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...
to represent Kentucky's Ninth District
Kentucky's 9th congressional district
United States House of Representatives, Kentucky District 9 was a district of the United States Congress in Kentucky. It was lost to redistricting in 1953. Its last Representative was James S. Golden.-List of representatives:-References:*...
in the U.S. House of Representatives
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...
in 1910. The first Democrat to hold the seat in twenty years, he was re-elected for another six consecutive terms. A member of the Committee on Military Affairs
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
, he eventually became the ranking Democrat on the committee and the ranking member of the subcommittee that controlled appropriations for U.S. operations during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In September 1923, Democratic gubernatorial nominee J. Campbell Cantrill
J. Campbell Cantrill
James Campbell Cantrill was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Born in Georgetown, Kentucky, Cantrill attended the common schools, Georgetown College, and the University of Virginia at Charlottesville....
died, leaving the party without a candidate. Alben Barkley, who Cantrill had defeated for the nomination, refused to be the Democratic candidate, perhaps because he had already decided to run for the U.S. Senate
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...
in 1926. The Democratic Central Committee chose Fields as a replacement for Cantrill.
Governor of Kentucky
The general election campaign generated little interest and quickly degenerated into name calling. Fields' opponent, RepublicanRepublican 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...
Attorney General
Attorney General of Kentucky
The Attorney General of Kentucky is an office created by the Kentucky Constitution. . Under Kentucky law, he serves several roles, including the state's chief prosecutor , the state's chief law enforcement officer , and the state's chief law officer...
Charles I. Dawson
Charles I. Dawson
Charles I. Dawson was a lawyer and politician from Kentucky who ran several high profile campaigns as the nominee of the Republican party, and served for ten years as a United States federal judge....
, mocked Fields' traditional election slogan, calling him "Dodging Bill from Olive Hill, who answers no questions and never will". Fields countered by referring to Dawson as "Changing Charlie", a reference to Dawson's one-time affiliation with the Democratic Party prior to becoming a Republican. Fields secured the backing of a group of powerful political bosses, including Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
banker James B. Brown, U.S. Senator Augustus Owsley Stanley, and Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
power broker Billy Klair. These three were the leaders of the Jockey Club, a group dedicated to the preservation of 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...
in the state, especially at racetracks. Discontent with incumbent Republican Governor Edwin P. Morrow
Edwin P. Morrow
Edwin Porch Morrow was an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Kentucky from 1919 to 1923. He was the only Republican elected to this office between 1907 and 1927. He championed the typical Republican causes of his day, namely equal rights for African-Americans and the use of...
further aided Fields' campaign, and he defeated Dawson by a vote of 356,035 to 306,277. It was one of the largest Democratic gubernatorial landslides in state history. He resigned from the House to accept the governorship.
Already lightly regarded because he was selected by the Democratic Central Committee instead of a party primary, Fields further weakened his position due to some of his personal preferences. A devout Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
and prohibitionist
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...
, Fields prohibited both dancing and drinking at the Executive Mansion
Kentucky Governor's Mansion
The Kentucky Governor's Mansion is an historic residence in Frankfort, Kentucky. It is located at the East lawn of the Capitol, at the end of Capital Avenue...
. He moved the inaugural ball from the mansion to the capitol rotunda, where dancing would be allowed, but he and his wife did not attend. Fields' frugality also led him to keep dairy cows on the mansion's lawn, drawing derision from urban citizens.
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
, planning and developing normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
s at Murray
Murray, Kentucky
Murray is a city in Calloway County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 17,741 at the 2010 census and has a micropolitan area population of 37,191. It is the 22nd largest city in Kentucky...
and Morehead
Morehead, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,845 people, households, and families residing in the city. The population density was 726.2 people per square mile. There were 2,356 housing units at an average density of 253.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 3.2% African...
, raising the gasoline tax to three cents per gallon, and the issuance of $75 million in state bonds to finance a state highway system. A dissenting faction of the Democratic party, led by former governor 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...
, political boss Percy Haly, and Louisville Courier-Journal publisher 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...
, voiced strong opposition to Fields' proposals, especially the bond issue. They charged that Fields had the support of a dangerous "bipartisan combine", with the Republican element of the combine led by Maurice Galvin.
Tensions between the factions were inflamed almost as soon as the 1924 legislature convened. A bill to outlaw parimutuel betting in the state passed the House of Representatives
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...
, but failed in 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...
. The next legislative battle centered on removing the head of the Board of Charities and Corrections and give the governor greater control over the board's makeup; this attempt also narrowly failed. When Senator Stanley, an opponent of prohibition, sought re-election to the Senate in 1924, Fields and his allies did not support him, leading to the election of Republican Frederick M. Sackett and giving the Republicans both of the state's senate seats for the first time in history.
The signature issue of the session, however, was Fields' request for the bond issue. He engaged in a debate with opponents of the issue that was published in Bingham's Courier-Journal as well as the Louisville Herald and Louisville Post, two papers owned by James B. Brown. Ultimately, the issue was approved by the General Assembly, which was considered a major victory for Fields. Still, the bond issue had to be approved by the state's electorate. The Courier-Journal continued the fight against the issue, while Desha Breckinridge
Desha Breckinridge
Desha Breckinridge was the editor and publisher of the Lexington Herald from 1897 to 1935. In 1898 he married Madeline McDowell, who became nationally known as Madeline McDowell Breckinridge. He was a brother of Sophonisba Breckinridge and the son of William Breckinridge, a member of Congress from...
's Lexington Herald
Lexington Herald-Leader
The Lexington Herald-Leader is a newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company and based in the U.S. city of Lexington, Kentucky. According to the 1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook, the Herald-Leaders paid circulation is the second largest in the Commonwealth of Kentucky...
came out in favor of it. Fields spent ten weeks criss-crossing the state speaking in favor of the bond issue, but on election day, it was rejected by a margin of 90,000 votes.
Undaunted by the failure of the bond issue, Fields returned to the 1926 General Assembly with more proposals, including another increase in the gasoline tax to provide the funds needed to construct the state highway system. The 1926 Assembly passed more legislation than any previous legislature, including the increased gas tax and several bills to reorganize state government. The state purchasing commission and the Department of Bus Transportation were among the entities created in the reorganization. Under Fields, the state implemented the first phase of desegregation busing.
Fields opposed a plan to develop 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...
generation capabilities on 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...
. In order to prevent development, he accepted 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 property around the falls and donate it to the state. He also suggested the creation of Carter Caves State Resort Park
Carter Caves State Resort Park
Carter Caves State Resort Park is located in Carter County, Kentucky, United States, along Tygarts Creek. It is formed by Carter Caves, and nearby Cascade Caves, which were added to the park in 1959. On December 16, 1981, of the park were designated as nature preserves...
in his home county.
Fields' political enemies charged him with corruption and chastised him for issuing too many pardons. He also drew criticism for appointing his eldest son as state examiner, political supporter James Brown as tax commissioner, and other relatives and political supporters to low-ranking positions in the state government. Although the party strongly supported Alben Barkley's senatorial bid in 1926, Fields and his allies refused to support 1927 gubernatorial candidate J. C. W. Beckham, and the governorship went to Republican Flem D. Sampson
Flem D. Sampson
Flemon Davis "Flem" Sampson 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...
.
Later life and death
Following his service as governor, Fields tried to regain his former seat in the U.S. House, but lost in the Democratic primaryPrimary 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....
. He returned to Olive Hill 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 1927. In 1932, he was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for Kentucky's thirty-seventh judicial district; he served until 1935. The following year, Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler
Happy Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1951 and...
appointed him to the State Workmen’s Compensation Board. He served in this capacity until the election of Republican Simeon S. Willis
Simeon S. Willis
Simeon Slavens Willis was the 46th Governor of Kentucky, United States, serving from 1943 to 1947. He was the only Republican elected governor of Kentucky between 1927 and 1967....
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Fields retired from public service on August 8, 1944. From 1940 to 1945, he co-owned an insurance agency. He briefly moved to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
before returning to Olive Hill, where he continued farming, practicing law, and farming. He died in Grayson, Kentucky
Grayson, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,877 people, 1,415 households, and 938 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.1 people per square mile . There were 1,538 housing units at an average density of 614.5 per square mile...
on October 21, 1954 and was buried in Olive Hill Cemetery in Olive Hill.