The Indianapolis journal., 1899-08-03

the streets of Hot Springs. but have
never heard IL suggested that the Governor
OF Arkansas should send soldiers TO that
city. The survivors of the Philpot-Griffin
fight have all been arrested, one side ac-
OF wound for trial In this instance the
officers Ct the law promptly arrested the
arrests. and / could not have interfered;
The Philpot trouble is in no wise connected
with the White-Baker feud
CANNOT DISARM EVERYBODY.
But IT is said that might order every
body disarmed in Clay county. The Consti-
tuition. guarantees 10 the citizens the right
to bear arms openly. and such persons
could not lawfully be disarmed unless
gagged in some act manifesting disposition
20 break the peace. 1t would require many
days TO visit these people and disarm them.
and as soon as IL became apparent that such
was the purpose weapons would be placed
where the soldiers could not find them. but
where their owners could readily obtain
them for use. Now, IL must be borne in
mind that IL the soldiers were sent TO Clay
the Governor would have to direct their
movements. B. +. White Is the sheriff. and
Il is charged that the jailer and county
Judge his friends and sympathfZerS
] know nothing personally concerning the
position occupied by the peace officers OF
Clay county towards the Whites and
Bakers; but 1 do know that in in
stance has one OF them called on me for
aid and ! naturally conclude they are en-
as they are and have been for some time.
II any of the parties were arrested on the
Governors orders they would be entitled
TO speedy trial before local courts, and the
probabilities are they would be discharged.
The talk about the Governor putting down
the trouble in Clay county Is absurd The
whole fault in Clay is vitiated public
sentiment and a failure of the civil author
ities to do their duty. The laws are insuffi-
cient to enable the Governor to apply a
remedy. Such feuds have been in progress.
more or less. for years, and no Governor
them. They have terminated only when
their force was spent by one side or the
country There we're probably six times as
many persons killed in the French -Eversole
feud as have been killed in the White
changed TO Clark county. and only two
men were convicted. / now remember,
every other Indictment being dismissed. In
Rowan county. which had only about LOO
voters. there were twenty murders and as
sassinations and sixteen persons wounded.
was not a conviction in any one OF these
cases (see Legislative Report, 1sSS); and,
finally. number of indictments against
ring leaders in that county were dismissed
without trial. All this occurred under DEM
ocratic administrations. and the partisan
papers that are denouncing me now did not
give evidence of any indignation then. II
seems that these experiences should have
caused the legislatures of that period to
have made radical and necessary changes
IN the law. such as would have invested the
Governor with adequate power 10 deal with
PUBLIC SENTIMENT AT FAULT.
'Tt Is plain that the fault is with the local
officers and the public sentiments that sur
rounds them. The Governor has taken ev-
cry step authorized by law, and can do no
more until statutes are enacted increasing
his authority. He should be empowered
IN such Instances to appoint a judge. and
the judge to appoint a commemorative at
torney. The judge should be authorized to
order the sheriff Of any county in Kentucky
to summon a grand jury from sLch county
and TO act as sheriff during the sessions Of
the grand jury and trial. IL such is held. in
with the necessary authority to act In
stead OF hampering the judge by making
his right to change the venue depend on
the commonwealth's attorney, he should be
authorized TO act on his own notion. II 1t
should be found practicable TO try the cases
tn the county am troops should be needed
there, or In any county TO which the venue
Is changed. they should be furnished by
the judge. The rule that a circuit court
can be held In but one county in the same
district at the same time should be abro-
gated and authority given to hold as many
courts in the same district at the same time
as the judges may see fit.
There are other defects which might be
remedied and I'm this way full power given
TO stamp out the evils. 1t may be asked,
why then has not the Legislature been
called in special session? Answer may be
made. that such a step has never been taken
heretofore, but this is not urged, for fail
ure to do the right thing at one time does
not excuse failure TO do the right thing
at another.
I'm my first message to the General AS
sembly, attention called to the mob
spirit abroad In the State, and the Legis-
lature asked for appropriate remedy. but
that session special message was sent TO
the same body on the same subject. which
was ignored At the called session the same
and additional recommendations were sub
mitted. These were ignored in part, but
what was known the Martin bill, more
particularly directed against turnpike raid
ers, was passed.
ACTION OF DEMOCRATS.
"At the next regular session a new Leg
islature came in and again recommended
fions were made on the same subject
These. however. were unnoticed and that
the Martin bill and came within a few
votes of repeating 1t over the Governors
veto. The majority OF that Legislature was
thoroughly partisan For the first time in
the history of the State the Governor recon-
mended that charitable and penal institu-
tions be lifted out of politics, as had been
done in many OF the States, TO their great
betterment. but instead of adopting that sug-
gesion, the most partisan prison measure
ever heard OF was passed. by which the
Republicans were legislated out and the
Democrats legislated in office.
Some time ago, through the public press,
the Governor stated that the remedy for
was to be found in legislation, but up TO
this hour. he has. with one or two excep-
tions. failed to hear any suggestion from
the members of that body or to receive
any assurance of their cooperation. During
the session of the late Democratic conven-
fiOH- at Louisville wrote several letters