The times., 1899-07-11
KENTUcKY's POLITICAL ROW.
Career of the Democratic Candidate
The Republicans Weak

The Republicans Weak
Louisville, July 10.-The Democratic
party in Kentucky was never before In 90
distracted condition as at prcser.. Is
late State convention in this city was a
public scandal. and has left a feeling Of
bitterness IN the minds OF many os ths
strongest leaders in the party that Is lIksIy
TO last until after the eieeion. Before the
convention, the party had at lsast three
chances to enc OF winning this year: now
1t has barely an even chance, IL indeed.
it is as well OF as this. II the Repub!i-
cars bad the wisdom to nominate frst-
class man for Governor they would surely
succeed, but they are not likely 10 Go this.
The Republican party in Kentucky has no
strolg leaders, and the motives OF the msa
who maIage it are eco evidently to get
Offices for themselves and their friends Iof
them to exert much personal influence on
the voters. The party is strong numeri-
cally. but weak in principles ard leaders.
II is going to nominate second or tairG-
rate man for Governor. who is diligently
| setting up the State convention BY ell
forts made from the capitol al Frankfort.
where he holds a State office.
Nevertheless, even with his WEAKNESS as
candidate, and with the general feeling
to office by the Republicans have shown
conspicuous unatness for their duties the
Republican party is going into tae coming
contest with "a great advantage, growing
! out of the quarrels OF its opponents and
out Of the numerous lines CT effective
attack which can be made on the Demo-
cratic nominee for Governor. Mr.. Goebel
! is q lawyer. who lives in Covington, and
| who has been a member Of the State Sen
az Il hot no Ia
a reputable lawyer, for the reason that
| his CHIEF business has consisted in bring
| ing suits against the railroad companies
! for contingent fees of half the amount
| of money which he recoyers from the
claimants He has prosecuted this busi-
| ness so diligently that he has aecuml-
lated a modest fortune for himself. and
| has come 10 be regarded as a very bad
man by the railway officials. He has an
| old standing quarrel with the Louisville
and Nashville Road which is the strong
/ est railway corporation in Kentucky. This
| company he has threatened to destroy. and
! he has earned its enmity to such an ex-
/ tent that it will unquestionably use all
its influence to defeat him.
! Mr.. Goebel is credited with being the au-
| thor of number of bills which have be-
/ come laws. and others which are impend-
| ing, that are particularly odious to -hs
/ railroads. These bills. it is charged, were
: devised by him to aid his business Of prose-
/ cutting claims against the roads One Of
| them repealed what was known as the
! ''fellow-servant" law, under which a cor
/ poration in a suit for damages for personal
/ injury to one of its employees could make
! a successful defence by showing that the
| injury resulted from the negligence of a
fellow servant Of the claimant Another
| nullifed a decision OF the State Supreme
| Court, which held that where a person
was killed in a railroad accident, and left
| no widow or children. the company could
not be sued for damages. The railway at
! torneys, who have had experience with Mr..
| Goebel's methods. have generally succeed
| ed in having personal injury cases removed
from the State to the Federal courts. but
| of late their antagonist has successfully
baffied them by bringing joint action
| against the engineer Of the train causing
the injury and the company.
Mr. Goebel is believed by his political
| opponents to have set up a very deep
scheme to make himself a political boss of
Kentucky, and to force the railroad COM
panies to pay the expenses Of his organiza-
| tion. 1t was to this end it is charged, that
he got bill through the Legislature con-
| ferring upon the Railroad Commission full
| powers to fix freight and passenger
charges, and also bill taxing the value
| OF railway franchises, the values in the
case of each road being determined by a
board of his lieutenants. This board has
done some very absurd things. which show
/ its animosity toward the railroad corpora
1 tions. For example. 1t assessed the value
of the franchise OF the Louisville and
Nashville Road at s21 900. 900. although the
total value OF all the property owned by
the company in Kentucky is only 20000.-
eco; and the Southern Pacific, which has
no lines whatever in the State, owning
only a charter there, under which it has
done no construction, was ordered to pay
| tax on franchise valued at S24 coo, 600
! The railroad managers, who take very
practical view of politics, regarded these
enormous assessments as demand on the
part of MIR. Goebel for a big fee to have
them cut down to reasonable amounts.
Mr.. Goebel is also the author of the new
| Kentucky election law. which is a far
worse law than was ever put upon the
statute books of either of the reconstructed
States of the South by the carpet t-baggers
to perpetuate themselves in power. 1t
creates a board OF three commissioners sit
ting in Frankfort, who are empowered to
appoint subordinate boards OF three mem
bers each in each of the counties of the
State. These local boards name all the
judges and clerks of election. No provision
is made for any representation of the
minority party in either the State or coun-
ty boards, but all parties may be repre-
sented at the polling places. The whole
machinery of State and local elections is
put entirely into the hands of the Demo
cratic party, and no restraints are provid-
ed upon the commission of frauds This
State board is as arbitrary body as wa:
the Louisiana returning board in 1876
Even the louisville Courier Journal, >
which is the special champion of Mr.. Goe.
bel, declines to take up the defence of thi:
partisan law, and it continues to be de.
nounced all over the State by fair-mindeC
men of both parties.
The old Confederate soldier element in
the State is strongly hostile to Mr. Goebe
because not long ago he shot and killed
popular former Confederate officer
named Sandford. The shooting grew out
OF personal quarrel, and jury decided
that it was not murder but the old sol
diers are not satisfied with the decision.
Mr. Goebel was a gold Democrat in the
campaign of 1896. but he now fully ac-
cepts the platform of the Louisville con-
Yention, which declares that not line
| or letter should be changed in the Chi
cago platform upon which Bryan ran in
( that year. This Louisville platform has
, in some unexplained way, disappeared from
public view. 4 summary OF it was print
ed in the newspaper reports OF the con
ventiOn, h-t the full document has not
yet been put into type.
|
Americn's Coal Capacity.
CFrom the PHILADELPHIA Record