The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-24
JOE BLACKBURNATnOME
The Ex-senator Talks Absul the Csmpslfn
In Kentucky.
CONTEST OF, TREMENDOUS IMPORTANCE
He Says. Because II WIN ne the First
Gun of the skirniish of l0OO--pre-
diets Election OF Gocbcl.

p'achpurn spent today at his home here
Being the chairman OF the democratic stat
committee, he found awaiting him an i'm
mense quantity of mail and telegraph,
correspondence. Its tenor was general,
satisfactory. Indeed, Senator Blackburn
who is making daily speeches in addition
to managing the details OF the great strug,
gle now exciting this State. says that h,
never saw such enthusiasm and sucl
crowds so carly In the campaign "Why,'
said he, "wo spent last week In the coun.
Ties In the southwest known as the Jack.
son purchase, and the interest was as
Keen and universal as though election DAY
We're week OIL instead OF over two
months"
What is the outlook"
Senator Blackburn laid aside q bundle
OF letters and began to talk. II admit. .
he said. that the democrats are heavily
handicapped In this campaign. We have
our old enemies, the republicans, In front
with all the power OF the Federal adlninis-
tration aiding them. We are also subject
ed to the eniilading. or cross iire, OF demo-
Gratis who have hitherto acted with us. In
the rear we have the antagonism OF that
powerful corporation, the Louisville and
nashville road. II is tremendous fight,
and yet am confident we viii win. Cioe-
bel Will be elected"
REASONS FOR DEMOCRATIC HOPE.
"on what grounds do you base your
| hope?"
Kentucky" said the senator, sis not
republican State. Its politics have not
been changed, as In the case OF Maryland
and West Virginia, for instance. by the in
nux OF large manufacturing element.
Our population is nearly all agricultural.
There is only one large city In the State.
So that" continued the senator, the re-
publican victories must, In my opinion, be
explained by some other reason than the
causes which have operated In other hor-
der States. My explanation is that they
never were honestly obtained. ! believe
tAat the state was stolen for Mckinney
in 1896. There were forty precincts in
Louisville where Bryan was not allowed
Judge of election, a fast which Is conci-
dent with the $4,000 republican majority
returned from the city. The returns from
the Eleventh congressional district which
Is the republican stronghold, were not
definitely known until week. after the
election. They were changed every day,
and each change was republican increase,
the figures rising from 5000 TO $4,000. When
the election law, which allowed the repub-
iicans full control. was changed to the Goe-
Del law. Louisville returned democratic
majority of 30O0 while the republican ma
1ority In the Eleventh district was cut
down to about 6000, which is its proper
fgure.'
Much stress is laid upon the Goebel
election law l suggested.
Yes" was the reply, the Goebel elec-
tion law is condemned as Ubiquitous by the
republicans, who know that it prevents
them from stealing the State. In our .ast
election, when the law was first enforced,
we gained $4,000 votes, and in our election
next November 1t will insure us against
republican frauds. There will be no more
stealing, but" added the senator sgnih-
cantly, III there is to BIO thieyery IL will
not be done by the fellows who In lato
years have had control of the counting"
ISSUES OF THE CAMPAIGN.
What are the issues of the campaign"
I'VE are defending the Goebel election
law on the ground that 1t is necessary to
prevent the theft of the State from Bryan
next year. We are showing that the State
was stolen In 1896. -Four years previously
a pinchbect democrat, Grover Cleveland,
carried the State by 10000, and the popu-
list ticket received $4,000. In 1896 Bryan
got as much as the entire Cleveland and
populist vote of 1892. with 1900 addition
Al, and yet the republicans claimed to
have carried the State. We are pointing
out, also. that the two congressional con-
testants, Dawson and Evans. have not
claimed in their arguments or testimony
that their successful opponetnB received
one vote under the GoebeI law to which
he latter We're not entitled
Another local issue is the Louisville
ind Nashville railroad. The fight now
being made in Kentucky is on the ques-
ion whether tho people of this State or
! great corporate power shall make our
avs. ! do not believe the Lexington con-
IGNITION would have been held had 1t not
,een for the inspiration and support of the
louisville and Nashville road. We are
eling our audiences that II the demo-
rats do not win at this election. the peo-
lie might as well abdicate, and" added
he Senator, Judging from the applause,
he crowds seem to understand the stu ,
ton
OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. ,
THE campaign is also being fought on {
ational issues?" !
1.-THE first shot on the skirmish line of
he great battle OF 1900 is to be fred In /
kentucky next November" said Mr.. Q
as he turned an unsmoked !
lgar In his hand. you can not overstate !
he Importance OF the fight we are In to- L
ay. It is not simply State contest. 1t !
! national as well as State. Every plank !
I our Louisville platform that is not pure n
Y local will be crystalized into the ma 4
onal platform next June. We are EN- 6
hasiziDg national issues. / am telling my 1
eoDle that the tariff Issue is not dead !
hat the currency question is not settled
nat every blessed line, sentence, word, .
nd syllable OF the Chicago platform will :
Q reafhrmed. am opposing In my speech q
) the policy Of the administration which =
roposes to ciyilize the Philippine islands y
18th the Calling gun and the Springfield |,
fife; am showing that the republican !,
arty Is friendly to trusts and corpora =
ons. and ! insist that the great army OF Z
now out on strikes--a larger =
lumber than the army Napoleon took into
sign that prosperity has not
rived. ! am also saying that II the
emocrats Of Kentucky want to see Bry-
n win next year. they must not falter
ow. Bryan will undoubtedly be our
'ader, and I predict that he Will get ten
Iillion votes Bryan is as much candi-
ate OF the Louisville convention as Mr..
ocbel or !, and for this reason 1t Is es-
sntial that Kentucky give a democratic
ajority this year. 1t depends upon US
neither the first note OF next years cam
aign is one OF cheer or disbursement.
ye have had great campaigns In this
tate before. but ! honestly believe that
ever In our history have such tremen-