The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-13
An Extraordinary Situation in the
Blue Grass State.

due UTaSS 0CaIe'
The situation existing in the Demo-
cratic party in Kentucky is extraor-
dinary. The following public call has
been issued by prominent Democrats
representing every county in the state:
"All Democrats who believe it the duty
of the majority of the party fairly eX-
pressed to rule and who are willing to
subordinate their personal preferences
and all minor matters to that will in or
der to secure the triumph of those great
principles which will promote the pros
pcrity and welfare of the whole people,
the success of popular government and
the maintenance of liberty, and who be-
lieve that the Louisville convention was
dominated by force. fraud and treachery,
and by a combir alton of shrewd selfish,
machine politicians, who substituted their
will for that of a majority of the party,
and who are not bound by this action.
are invited to meet with us at the court
house in Mount Sterling on Monday next
to take such counsel and consult as to
their political duty under the circum-
stances and as to the proper steps that
should be taken to avoid overwhelming
defeat this year and to secure success
next"
The facts behind this movement are
these: When the recent Democratic
state convention met in Louisville, 200
delegates were instructed for State
SenatorWilliam Goebel of Covington,
and about $40 for Wat p. Hardin, the
previous nominee. There were also 300
contested seats. Hardin was the ma
jority choice of the party, he being
a free silver man, while Goebel is
an anti-Bryante said to be in league
with Senator German, of Maryland,
and John r. Mclean, of Cincinnati.
According to a signed statement issued
by Stone after the conventions ad-
| journment, when Goebel and Stone saw
that Hardin was in the lead Goebel
! proposed to Stone a combination. The
terms of this combination were that if
| Stone would let Goebel name the per-
manent organization of the convention,
| thus dispOsing of the contested seats,
| and also agree to let GOebel select two
| persons that Stone would have the
| power to appoint to Office if elected
| governor, Goebel and his friends would
| throw their strength to Stone and nom
| mate him. Pursuant of this under
| standing Stones friends gave Goebel
| the organization and then Goebel threw
! Stone and nominated himself. He did
! this by unseating Hardin men and
! seating creatures of his own, although
in many instances the men thus un-
seated had in the primaries received
votes to l for their opponents.
Butt this is not the only charge
against Goebel Last year he was in
| strumental in securing the adoption
| of a new election law which is so fla
| grantly unfair in it's discrimination
against Republicans that many of the
old line Democrats, who although firm
partisans were still men who believe
in fair play, were alienated. This
law created a state board of election
| commissioners who in turn name the
election commissioners for each coun-
ty, the county commissioners in their
turn naming all election officers The
county board may at any time remove
any election officer. The county cleo
tion board constitutes the canvasslng
board of the election returns in each
county, awarding or Withholding GER
tificates. In this manner it's members
will pass upon the action of their oWr
appointees, and, as may be seen, the
opportunity for correcting local fraud
will be very small, for the county board
is in fact responsible for the exist,
ence of the precinct boards The pre-.
cinct boards are allowed two days af.
ter election in which TO make returns
of the vote cast, and then they hand
the ballots over TO the county election
commissioners, who count them ant
make out the certificates of election
Although these various boards all are
supposed to have minority representa-
tion, the Goehel law provides that
majority shall constitute a quorum
with power to do business. The min
GRITTY, in other words, is absolutely
powerless to prevent fraud
Another section Of the Goebel Law
provides that when the election of
governor or lieutenant governor il
contested, a board for determining tn,
contest shall be formed in the man
ner following: on the third day al
ter the organization of the general as
scmbly which meets next after IN
election, the senate shall select, by lot
three of its members. and the hous
Of representatives shall select, by lot
eight Of its members, and the clever
so selected shall constitute a board
} seven of whom shall have power to act
Where it shall appear that the can
didates receiving the highest numbe
: of votes given have received an equa