The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-02

saw much of both OF them. Just once
did / see a genuine smile on Goebel's
| face and that was when they brought
him the news that the chairman had just
| announced his nomination. 1t was n
smile such as can come to men only in
| the hour Of their highest triumph. and
| for the first time ] thought him hand
some He is not of the class of men
| who run on their beauty, it may be said
by way of parenthesis.
Viewed purely as Il political game no
prettier one was ever played anywhere
at any time Goebel came here with
fewer votes than either Of the aspirants.
The Stone people made combination
with him for the control of the conyen-
ton, and there his ability as a manipu-
lator manifested itself Tie Stone peo-
pie were allowed to take to themselves
the credit for swinging things, but it was
Goebel who got all the results. The
Stone-Goebel men declared entitled to
their seats. as against the Hardin men,
proved in the end to be Goebel men;
later when the split came, il was disccv-
cred that the Stone people had been get
ting all the empty honors, while every
thing that counted had gone to Goebel.
Now that it is all over. the Stone leaders
acknowledge that the laugh is on them.
HE simply did us at every turn they
say, and being shrewd politicians. they
join heartily in the laugh at their own
expense.
TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
One or two things more about GOebel.
He is a member Of the State Senate and
has been for several years. Two highly
important pieces of legislation bear his
name. Both have entered largely into
this campaign. being made the open or
the covert reasons for attacks upon their
author. Both are. however, strongly in
dorsed in the party's platform.
One Of these is the Goebel election law.
That is simply an amendment to the
present election law by which the control
of the election machinery is insured TO
the Democrats. In Georgia the election
commissioners are appointed by the
Judges. because our system insures DEM
ocratic control of the judiciary These
election commissioners see to it that two
of the three judges at each precinct are
Democrats. That is precisely what the
Goebel law does for Kentucky The
method is different. but the results are
the same. Here the county commission
ers of election are appointed by State
Conrmission of three. and this is elect
cd by the Legislature. OF course. II the
Republicans were again able to get con-
troll of the Legislature they might get
the machinery as they had it in 1896.
when. by appointing two Kepnpiicahs
and one Palmer ucknerite rs Judges
in each county and each precinct. lnes
a. <at fnr II
lev. This they did-there can be no
doubt of it. The political opponents
of Senator Goebel have not dared hight
him openly on this. for it is the most
popular measure with the Democrats OF
the state. but they claim 1t gives him
personally the power to dominate the
election machinery through friendly
commissioners and they are talking or
his machine.
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION.
The other bill is that which, more
thar ANYTHING else. has brought down
upon his head the opposition of the rail-
roads. That is his railroad commission
bill. AS explained to me. this is moth
ing more than the Georgia railroad
commission law which was copied first
by Tennessee and now by Kentucky.
For his introduction and support of this
measure, Goebel has been most bitterly
fought: and the same elements which
have controlled this fight now declare
he shall never be governor OF Kentucky.
In other words, they will use their
| money and their influence to elect the
republican, ticket. They have succeeded
| in building up a great deal Of feeling
against Goebel. particularly through the
cry they have raised that he is boss
and dictator This cry was effica-
cious in the fight for the nomination, for
it arrayed against GOebel a lot of fell
lows who felt that their political ambi-
tions and aspirations would be injured
by the elevation of the Kenton county
| man; but it is not a cry calculated to
make democrats vote the republican
| ticket Boiling and boilers are not pop
| ular i'm Kentucky these days, and the
great masses of the Democrats will,
no matter what their preferences in
preliminary fight, take their ticket
like their whisky straight.
GOEBEL WILL WIN.
| 1t is my Judgment that Senator Goe-
bel will lead the party to magnificent
| victory. Boss he may be, dictatorial in
his methods at tin1es and for that rea-
| son he may not be liked by some of the
politicians; but now that he is the nom
inee, the politicians and everybody else
in the party wip bike for him and with
his aggressive leadership and universally
| recognized integrity and ability, there is
every reason to believe that William
Geobel will be the next governor of
Kentucky. That means the election or
Joe Blackburn to the Senate and that
Kentucky will be in the Democratic
column in 1900.