The morning news., 1899-12-04
KENTUCKY'S ELECTION BOARD.
WILL MEET TODAY TO CANVASS
THE STATES VOTE.


Seems to Depend on the COnstruc-
tiOn of the Kentucky Election Law.
Face of the Returns Gives 1t to
TayIor-GOebeI's Case Depends ON
Jefferson County.
Frankfort. Ky, Dec. Sat noon to-mor-
row the State Board of Election Commis-
sioners of Kentucky win meet to canvass
the returns from the last state election
and to decide whether Goebe or Taylor
is entitled to the certificate of election
as governor
There is not much probability that the
matter viii be settled tomorrow, and 1t
may be Wednesday or later before a GER
thcate is issued
Both sides express themselves as conf
dent, but no one can predict with ac-
curacy the decision which will be arrived
at by the board. The certified returns
from the county boards, now on file with
the Secretary of State, give Taylor a
plurality of 2435, but the Democrats de-
clare that enough of these votes will be
thrown out, and that Goebel will be
awarded the certificate.
The Kentucky election law Is capable
of divers constructions, and the definite
conclusion of the board viii rest very
largely upon how its members decide to
| construe certain portions of the statute.
They Fear No Trouble.
Republicans say they apprehend no trou-
bic from the Democratic point as 10 the
construction of the word examine" by
| the State Board, and Attorney Bruce said
| tonight that statute language as TO the
duties of this State Board is substantially
| the same as applies TO the county can
| vassng boards, which, in turn, is the
| same under the law preceding the Goebei
| law.
Under that law" he says, at has been
| distinctly held more than once by the
| Court of Appeals that the canvassing
| board has no power to hear evidence and
decide contests 1t can only certlf-- me
| result as shown on the face of III returns
showing the number of votes last. The
| canvassing board has rJthing TO do with
| contests. That belongs to the Legislature
| in the cases of the Governor and Lieu
tenant Governor, and. to this State Board,
when hereafter convened as a contest
| board, for other state officers
Mayor Dehoney Of Frankfort has de-
cided to swear in sixty extra policemen
| tomorrow. This IS chiefly because of the
crowd that win be brought here by the
monthly court day and ~ ele opening OF
| llG congressional campaign II TINS llSJllL
! tomorrow.
John Marshall, the Republican candi-
date for lieutenant governor aud a num-
| Der of other candidates for state offices
on the Republican ticket arrived tonight
to watch the canvass of the votes.
| Helm Bruce and Augustus e. Wilson,
| the attorneys from Louisville, who will
| have charge of the Republican interests
| before the board, also arrived tonight.
Judge Thomas F. Hargis of Louisville
and r. F. Peak, of Shelbyvile will repre-
sent the Democrats before the board.
What Republicans Claim.
Louisville, Dec, 3.-The Republicans as
sert that inasmuch as, according to the
| law, certificate of election Is due to the
| person having the largest number of votes,
| according to the certificates of the county
| boards. the board must return certificate
| in favor of Taylor whose majority was
| 435, as shown by the certificates now on
/ file with. the Secretary of state. There is
a loophole in the very sections upon which
| the Republicans rely which may work
| against them 1t is this:
1.-THE state board shall be a board for
examining and eanvassing the returns"
How the board will construe the word
| examining" is doubtful. The same words
| exactly are used in defining the powers
of the various county boards, and under
this wording they have claimed and used
the power of rejecting votes which they
believe were illegally cast.
| The Democrats ask, Has not the state
board exactly similar powers over county
returns in a passage of the law defining
| its powers in identical language"
MIR. GOcbePs Chances.
With the certificates of the commission
| ers OF jefferson county giving Taylor a
| plurality of 3,442 votes was fled a mass
of evidence that many of these votes were
| illegal, and the State Board may 50 con-
/ strue its powers under the word "examin-
| ing" as to declare ii can reject these votes.
| If it does Mr. Goebel gets the certificate
| The main reliance of Goebel is upon con-
/ testing Jefferson county, which means the
| city of Louisville This voge, according to
the returns, showed plufality for Taylor
| Of 3,422 and If the Democrats succeed III
| having Il thrown out, It means the defeat
Of Taylor and of every other candidate
| upon the Republican ticket
The Democrats are contestlng the Louis
/ vile vote chiefly because Of Gov Brad
| ley's action in ordering the military under
arms the alleged presence at the polls of
| deputy United States marshals and forci-
| bic usurpation of the functions of election
! officers by inspectors for the Brown party.
The Republicans will answer that The
militia were not near a polling booth untit
after the polls closed; the marshals were
| these as private citizers only. and as to
| The inspectors, the fault, If any, lies with
the Democratic officials who admitted the
| alleged intruders.
Depends on jefferson.
Both sides admit that the Democrats
have strcnaer case IN Jefferson county
than anywhere else throughout the state.
II they win there The other contests may
be dropped. And If they lose. success. in
| aH the other e. MT SITS will net make Goe-
| bel Governor Of kentucky.
All the members Of the board decline to
! talk about what the meeting VIII do. Gov.
| Bradley said:
Il don't think there win be any trouble.
| There Is no need looking ahead for Il; we
| viii cross bridges when we come 10 them"
! Men Of both parties are very quiet and
| there has been practically no blusler or
| loud talking. II is expected that there will
be a large crowd In Frankfort tomorrow
| in any event. as II Is County Court day
which means an accession Of escGs 1850
| 70 the usual population.