The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-11-01
The Situation in Kentucky.


the Bourbon Democracy. Its majority
for the Democratic ticket, in State or
national elections, was as certain as
Vermonts for the Republicans. Ex-
posture to the disintregating influences
that followed the collapse of the Con-
federacy did its benign work on this |
adamantine majority. 1t began TO
crumble and in the last national cleo
ton its electoral vote was cast for Nc
Kinley, a Republican Governor and
Legislature were chosen, number OF
Republicans were elected to the nation
al House of Representatives and one
United States Senator is Republic an.
A revolution 30 complete has bred
counter revolution for the restoration
of the State to the Democrats. The
consequence is that Kentucky is in a
state of political ferment unusual even
in that community of violent political
connections.
The head of the Democratic party
there, and its candidate for Governor,
is William Goebel, person of foreign
parentage, and not even native Of
Kentucky. He is the head of the party
and it's candidate for Governor by vir-
tue of deeds and methods of the politi-
cal highwayman, bold and unscrupu-
lous beyond all precedent. His char.
acter is illustrated by the killing of
John Sandford several years ago in
Covington. Sandford was in Goebel's
way. Goebel first attacked his victim,
who was of irreproachable character,
by an Infamous publication in news
paper. Then, with cooked revolver,
he went into the streets, put himself in
Sandford's way, and when the latter
asked him if he was responsible for the
publication of the brutal charge, Goe-
bel promptly replied yes, drew his
weapon from his coat pocket, and when
Sanford made motion in self defense
shot him in the head. That is the kind
of man Goebel is.
Nominally gold Democrat, in this
guse he secured the confidence OF
Senator Carlisle, under his patronage
obtained a seat in the State convention
of his party in 1896, and then betrayed
his sponsor by voting for the free silver
candidates for office and for the resolu-
ton presenting Blackburn as the
choice OF the Democrats of Kentucky
for the presidency. Mr.. Carlisle ex-
posed this treachery, and other prom
inent Democrats have since announced
that they cannot support man 80 dis
honorable as is Goebel
This is Goebel in miniature. After
his induction into Kentucky politics
as the prophet of Democracy, he drew
and secured the enactment of the Goe-
bel law which is described as meas
ure "to establish fraud under the pro.
lection of the law of the State" 1t
provides for the election by the Legis-
lature of three State election commits
sioners who hold office for four years.
These officers appoint the county
boards, and the latter the precinct
election boards. The State board NAV
at any moment remove the county
boards, and the latter may do the same
with the precinct boards. Even after
the votes have been cast the State
board may remove election officers who
may not prove to be subservient tools.
and turn over the ballot boxes to men
who can be trusted to count in accord
ance with the party necessities. The de-
cision of the board OF canvassers is final.
No appeal is possible, no review can
be ordered. BY another provision of
the law, if cauvassing board does not
report within ten days the vote of the
county or precinct may be thrown out.
Thus, if a Republican county has
majority of 10000, and the rest of the
State is Democratic by 5000, the can
wasting board, by Withholding the re-
turns from the Republican county ten
days, may hand over the election to
the Democratic candidate. This ten
days provision is apparently designed
TO become operative when the ext
gencies OF the situation are too press.
ing even for Democratic unscrupulous-
ness in the matter of counting out Re-
publicans. Thus the Goebel law takes
no chances. Under it, if its author
cannot be elected Governor by a fair
count, he has the machinery of law
of his own devising by means of which
he will be able TO count himself inf
he dares to attempt to defraud the
popular will, and if the good citizens of
Kentucky submit to fraud. But they are
organizing and, it is said, arming to
resist the conspirator.
Thus armed to make his election
sure, Goebel secured, by characteristic