The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24
KENTUCKY DEMOCRATS HOWL
In a Manifts tO They Attempt to JUS
tify the Legislative Contest.

| Frankfort, KY, Dec. 21-The address TO
the Democracy of the state indorsing the
contest Instituted by Goebel and other
candidates of theh defeated Democratic
ticket and giving te reasons therefor,
was issued tonight. 1t is signed by For
mer Senator Blackburn, chairman Of the
state campaign committee; Chairman
Young, of the state central and executive
committees. and all of the members Of
those committees. It says, in part:
THE state board of election commits
sioners, at its recent session, issued Ger
tificates of election TO all of the Repub-
! lican candidates for state officers, but
| theh board expressly declared in the
| opinion that it rendered, that it acted
| simply as a canvassing board, without
power or authority, as it construed the
| law, to inquire into the legality or valid
| ity of any contested votes. The board
| expressed the opinion that if clothed with
| the authority to go behind the returns
and determine the matters in contention,
! the certificates of election would not
/ have been issued to the parties who re-
! ceived them.
1--WE feel that in the light of the &C
! ton of this board, the Democratic party
| cannot do less than to carry its conten-
ton to the tribunals created by law for
its determination. The grounds upon
! which this contest is based consist of
the protest against the use of tissue bal
lots in many of the overwhelmingly Re
publican counties of the state. The use
of these ballots is not only in violation
| OF the letter of the law but is in utter
and open defiance of the spirit of the
law, and the use of these ballots furn-
! ish not only prima facie but also con-
! elusive evidence of purposed fraud.
Another ground of contest is because
Of the plain violation and defiance Of law
/ by the late Republican governor of the
state, who, while actively engaged in
theh work Of making stump species and
the prosecution Of a partisan political
/ canvass. ordered out theh military, in
violation Of both law and precedent; as
| sumed personal command Of troops in
! the metropolis of the STATE, parading the
streets OF Louisville on the day Of the
| election with his soldiers and Calling
| guns invading the voting booths and
forcing into them, against the protest
of the lawfully appointed election Off
Gals pretended inspectors and challen-
gers, who the highest court Of the state
has decided, had no lawful right to be
present
"Theh issuance of the certificates Of
election to the Republican candidates is
contested upon the further ground that
a federal and also a state judge, without
warrant Of law and in defiance OF every
prompting Of fair dealing and decency,
interfered with the holding OF the state
election; the one by menacing charges
to grand jury and by the employment
of deputy United States marshals; the
other by issuing every mandamus and
injunction asked for by the Republican
party. which latter judicial acts have
been declared by the supreme judicial
tribunal OF the state TO have been IN
lawful.
Another ground Is The use IN the in
terest Of the Republican party Of an
immense corruption fund. contributed ny
the most powerful railroad corporation
OF the commonwealth, whereby many
thousands OF votes were rought against
the Democratic party's candidates. be-
cause thar party, in the platform adopt
ed in It's state convention. dared 10 ad-
vocate measures OF relief demanded D.
the people Of the commonwealth"