The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
GOEBEL'S ELECTION LAW.
MEASURE INTENDED TO MAKE
KENTUCKY DEMOCRITIC.

hep"blcah candidate Tor Governor.
William Goebel the Democratic candidate
for Governor OF Kentucky this year is the nu-
thor of the Goebel Election law passed by tho
Kentucky Legislature last year. He repre-
scented in that Legislature the Senatorial dis
trict formed in part by Krnton county. Of
which Covington Is the chief city He has been
since 1897 member OF the Kentucky Lcgisla-
ture and his familiarity with the legislation is
such that he appears to have been able to de-
wise law which while purporting TO further
regulate elections in kentucky seems to have
for its real object the wholesale disfranchse-
mcnt Of Republicans and independent citizens
by putting the election machinery OF the State
into the hands OF the Democratic party.
There are 1.G3D voting precincts in Ken
lucky. which has 11D counties, and the total
vote of which was 44J.OOO in the Presidential
election of 1895 In tho election of 1896 the
Republicans were successful, choosing Gov
crnor by n plurality Of 5000. but such are the
conditions of tho Legislative nppOrtionmcnt
that tn" House Of Representatives ut Frank
fort. the popular body. had in the session of
1876 81 Democrats. 81 republicans and
pOpulists Kentucky IL normally n Dem
,.r,ti, S,o,o .h,,,h ,h .,, r,.a.
"cra'lc o'a'c' thouRh the present HoNer-
nor is Republican and a majority
of Kcntucky's electors ~ of the 1877 voted for
N.Kinlov and IIrI,,r, ,t.,,,,onrs,,,o T,rro.
AVA, ""i i''"''' '''' y'"i "E". l" l'c
vent the election Of another Republican Gov
ernor. even though majority of the electors
up9hr' one ',' "oepe' f'ec''oh law seems 10
have been devised. but it was not adort"d until
after hard night Passed by both branches
W W. i'.s ''"''tc '''o b''i'''l n''c n'"''''S
was ii III the Senate and 40 in tn" House OF
low nr Mach ~ is,o "' ,@, ol,,t 81 i.l IT,
n.i,,,ir,,t,a,, w. o'i "v.on. y. ~, w.
ma nod
The Goebel law proyides that the General
Assembly, sh, e,.ct this Won, ,r ,hr ," Commit"
siUners who shall be styled the State Board Of
Election Cnmmissinnar. m,inritv If thn
board constitutesa quorum for the transaction
Of all business. and a majority Of the board may
in"No "". olue,, hlu'nE anu 1u"S'ns' or 10
any act or thing that the board is authorized
orcmpowercd.to make or,lo. Not loterthnn the
r,on,h ~ sor,o,nLor ,h, S,ot, p,,nrI - TI,,,
i"''''n VI 'tp'''''''i 'l'' '''c i'o"'' vi i.'c
ton COMMISSIONERS shall appoint three Flee
ton Commissioners for each of the 10 coun-
,,'s ~ t,e 49, VIZ s''' po ~ Gu 'no
tu"noy boafu ., latc'.on ,onm,SS'"hers
,i,,o ,oaa s,, W., 49, 49, St.. -
NM r lUoNeu lIoll nltt Nv me ot3Ie bonri.
ne cou.ts pp E sl'n'l h,ltunis ho iulpr thdN
tne month Oh oc'oDer, appoint lof eacil eIectlol
nrGc n Il, w, foHl,y Two iIuErs' one ,ttrk
:" long as there are Two distinct political rart"s
III inr ,oniinohWeaitn. These olirers Slail pe
- ~ w yuit-'i!! a. ~ t't' "
eis 1,ii' he "I HI ro,eraI nnr,l"a aHa
s sherie snail pG hke Illerence nrLWeen tno
Snord nav NJ ttr Hy I i r ,r ne
~ 'a e'ers'oi, oontu to,'
i "a "anpaSSing n0arl OF thn eirrtl9n re! urns
n each county, awarding or withholding GER
.liicatHS. IN Lhis manner Us memntrs VIII
PASS upon tne actlon OF their own Apprentices.
and, as NAV be. seen. the opportunity for cor
rrcllns locai lrau,l VIII DE very 2maIl. Tor the
county h9ata Is IN lact resrohaibie Tor me rN-
iSt H Tl h ne f"rHr A. 1urh h
s sh In eafh Young rrecinGt Mh?t NE WIN
the tlsf ri OF the County iour: within twp days
ntNt altcf rIrc'lol ms sln'em.h! Oh thc re-
tirhs ana IN" mex, gay AFTER that inc county
Election commisSion"rs are to "pcn and can.
dat?ry for eIection ofieers to remain in session
untlI inc votes are wholly canNnSSrd ana me
result maze PUBLIC. ana t2rthwith the rrrtlh-
tHcir s ar. eu' ana II Is 'uemeahor 10 delay
section u o. the Hoe.el E!cctlon law provides
that who're two or more counties vote together
me returns are 10 he sent Py man to thI board
s SON S ambg5ouS drscto" o'" Hndthtr
cast the election Of Republican Coy 'rn"r
r!rGtlph may under i"Sa form. be nuIiilei
AM .h Wt' =, ' ,o 'n'"r5 81 T., rr"
Lieutenant Governor IS contested. a board for
determining ia" contest shall! J." formed III tho
ha s of Tho ne cn 5"r H.E mfHT
s5"I :%l%r,; y l@,. th5"% & is "%%S%rs and
IN" llons" 81 hrry"sentatiye. snail select, 10y
I"t, "lEht oi rs members, an! ~" eleven 50 st.
IrrtsI shal constit"t" Il heard, seven o. whom
shall have p1w"rto act Where II shall arp AR
that ne candidates RECEIVING the highest num-
per OF woes gwen nay r""',lN1I an equal num-
Der tn" rig Int To- IN" office shan t." Diet crminci
~ lot under the direction 81 ihe board Wh"ro
the person r"tirheu is i"ihu hTt 70 nave been
legally qualified to receive tn" Office at the time
81 his LECTION 4n"W election sha be ordered to
hu me olhce The decision OF the board shall
not, however. be 1nal nor conclusive. such
decision shall be reported to th"'two houses ot
the General Assembly for the turthHArti0n Of
the General Assembly. Ana the General As
sembIy shall then determine such contest.
n other words. SO long a, there l. no contest
that is, when the lDemn"ratr candidate for
Governor gets 4 c"rtlfcate OF "Iectlon-th" de-
termination oi the State Board OF Commission.
erS Is rohcluSiNe. hut whenever ne docs not
get sn'h ccrf}hcntr, Whenever on the Ia" Of