New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-24
LIGHT ON THE GOEBEL LAW.

Certain letters which have fallen into the
hands of the Republican State Committee in
Kentucky expose with startling clearness the
purposes Of the odious Election law which Will
| lam J. Goebel and j. C. S. Blackburn are strug-
Cling in this years canvass to fasten definitely
upon the Blue Grass State. AS is well known,
Mr. Goebel was himself the author and chief
legislative promoter Of the scheme Of centralized
supervision now on the Kentucky statute book
which gives to an Irresponsible partisan board
at Frankfort full and absolute control of the
States election machinery. Having successfully
applied in the recent Democratic State Conven-
ton his favorite theory that 1t matters little
how Sotes are cast II they are only canvassed
and cWinted judiciously, he stands to-day before
the people not only as the holder Of a manufact-
ured party nomination, but as the natural advo-
cate and champion of an election system which
will reduce political contests in Kentucky to that
deadening level of farce and trckery now toer-
ated in commonwealth like Virginia and Ar
kansas.
The letters which the Republican managers
have Just made public plainly show the spirit in
which Mr. Goebel and his associates have been
preparing to execute the provision Of the In
famous Goebel statute They were written last
fort was beginning to organize the minor boards
which were TO supervise the voting in the vari-
Gus counties w. f. Thompson, a prominent
Democrat In Frankfort, had been appointed one
of the Election Commissioners for Franklin
County. Before accepting the place he received
this rather remarkable warning from the chair
man of the Democratic County Committee:
You were indicated by the County Committee
as one Of the Election Commissioners for this
county. No better man could have been ap-
pointed, but II is an unenviable position, and
one you should not accept. Our county is all
right safely Democratic. but city elections can
not be by a fair count. and you know that
as we'll do. Incompetent, unreliable Repub-
lican judges will have to be appointed. The
right Of the Republicans to Indicate who shall
represent them Judges etc. will have to be
ignored and the Election Commissioners will
have TO do this receive the Ill will Of the city
Democrats. l would not do IT, for / could not
conscientously do so. and / know you would
not. Therefore. my advice to you is to refuse
to act I had talk with Judge Pryor on the
subject. and he said II you would refuse to act
he would appoint any one that We might name.
which would be Ben" Marshall. You know
Ben" is partisan that he thinks that any
thing is all right so that II helps the Demo
Gratis
To this frank suggestion Mr.. Thompson an
swered:
missioners for the county received. and In reply
will say my confidence In your sincerity in this
matter compels me TO refuse to accept the ap-
rointment OF Election Commissioner, for II I
have to do dishonorabe act ! will not
cept II.
No actual complaint was made Of fraud In
Franklin County in the election which followed.
Little or nothing was at stake, and there was n
general display of political apathy. But the
hint dropped by the Democratic county chair
man Of the possible embarrassments TO an hon
est man of service on the Board OF Election
Commissioners is evidence enough of the inten-
tons and purposes with which the Goebel law
was forced through a hesitating and reluctant
Democratic Legislature Kentucky does not
seem prepared, however, to sink politically to
the Goebel Blackburn level. Its people are too
high spirited to be governed through the stealthy
arts Of the political burglar or the hnesse OF the
falsner Of election certificates. The revolt
against Goebel's candidacy, based on his known
offences against political morality. has already
reached proportions which threaten his defeat
1t cannot fail to be accelerated by the exposure