Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-06-26
Kentucky DEMOCRATS.
Lle Remit of the Fight for Governor
'| Still Past Guessing.
fGOEBEI. APPEARS TO HAVE HIS
DELEGATES UNDER PERFECT
CONTROL, WHILE STONE AND
HARDIN ARE NOT so SOLID--A
DARK HORSE MAY YET WIN
THE PRIZE.


LGUISVILLE. KY, June 25.-Up to
II Late hour tonight there is no sign
Mpf an agreement between any of the
Z Democratic candidates for Governor,
and it seems likely that the first bal
lot taken when the State Convention
meets tomorrow morning will result
just about as did the eleventh on Sat
urday night. Candidates and their
managers have been on the go all day
out of one conference into another, but
so far to no purpose. The 1,092 dele
gates in the Convention are divided so
nearly evenly that there is not diff
ference of thirty votes in the strength
of the three candidats. Stone, Goebel
and Hardin, but of these Goebel is the
strongest because Of the soiidity OF mis-
support. He controls his following alb
xsUlute1y and can vote them for him
lEself or throw them to either of his
Z opponents at will. Neither Stone nor
Hardin can do this and for that reason
neither is in position to make terms.
There has been a break in the Stone
Goebel combination since the balloting
began, caused primarily by the action
of Goebel's managers in voting the
seventy votes of Louisville solidly for
the Kenton county leader on the first
ballot. The Stone people say their I'M
Outstanding was that vote was to be
divided equally between Stone and
Goebel, but the latter, it is said, pro-
duced written agreement covering
the combination of the two forces up
to temporary organization, but contain
ing no mention of the Louisville dele
cation. Chagrined as the Stone people
are at the failure of the combination
promptly to effect the nomination or
their candidate, it is not believed they
can in a spirit of revenge bring about
the nomination of Hardin. They
threatened to try this when Goebel
showed such surprising strength on the
first ballot and went so far as to start
a stampede, but Goebel's nerve and
GOODNESS checkmated It, On the other
hand, the Hardin people cannot throw
their strength solidly to Stone, for they
ARE divided in the matter of a second
choice, and as was the case yesterday,
many would go to Goebel in case of a
break.
a noteworthy feature of the contest
is the Hardin campaign. Coming into
the Convention with a hundred votes
short of majority of the delegates,
beaten at every point in the temporary
organization and weakened by adverse
decisions by the credentials committee
involving scores of seats. the Hardin
managers, with consummate Clever
ness, jumped into the fight when the
game seemed lost, Withdrew the name
of Gen. Hardin and left Goebel and
Stone to fight it out. These two fell
into the trap and flew at each others
Threats with the result that when the
Convention adjourned last night Goebel
and Stone had split and Hardin, on
the last ballot, stood second in recorded
votes.
Meanwhile the three-cornered fight
grows warmer and the delegates who
have spent nearly week trying to nom
mate State ticket may yet have to
look outside the trio now occupying
the ring to find leader upon whom
they can unite.