The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-22
THE GROUNDS FOR ACTION
PROTEST AGAINST THE USE OF
TISSUE BALLOTS.
THE CALLING OUT OF THE MILITARY
Interference With Election Holders by Fedora
and State Judges, and the Use Of an
immense Corruption Fund by
the Republicans.

Frankfort, KY, Dec. 21.-The address
of the Democracy of the State, indors-
ing the contest instituted by Goebcl ana
other candidates of the defeated Demo
cratic ticket, and giving the reasons
therefor, was issued tonight. 1t is
signed by former Senator Blackburn,
chairman of the State Campaign Com
mittee; Chairman Young, of the State
Central and Executive Committees and
all of the members of those committees.
1t says, in part:
THE Democratic party of Kentucky,
through it's several State committees, has
unanimously declared that the best in
terests of the party, as well as justice,
demands that contests shall be made by
all candidates on the Democratic ticket
for the respective offices for which they
were nominated. The committee feel
that it 81 porper that they should, in a
concise form state the ground upon
| which they base their action.
| THE State Board of Election Com
misSionerS, at it's recent session, issued
| certificates of election to all of the Re
| publican candidates for the State offices.
! but the board expressly declared in the
opinion that it rendered that it acted
| simply as a canyaSSing board without
power or authority. as it construed the
| law to inquire into the legality or
validity of any contested votes. The
! board expressed the opinion that if
clothed with the authority to go behind
| the returns and determine the matters
III contention, the certificates of election
would not have been issued to the parties
WHO received them.
1--WE feel that in the light of the ac-
| ton of this board, the Democratic
party can not do less than to carry its
contention to the tribunals created by
law for its determination. The grounds
upon which this contest is based CON
sist of the protest against the use of
/ tissue ballots in any of the overwhelm-
| ingly Republican 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 furnish not only prima facie, but
| also conclusive evidence of purposed
| fraud.
Another ground of contest is be-
cause of the plain violation and defiance
of law by the late Republican Governor
of the State, who, whilst actively en-
gagged in the making of stump speeches
and the prosecution of Il partisan politi-
cal canvass, ordered out the military and,
in violation of both law and precedent.
assumed 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 CAT
ling guns, invading the voting booths and
forcing into them against the protest Of
the lawfully appointed election officials,
pretended inspectors and challengers who.
the highest court of the State has de-
cided, had no lawful right to be present.
The issuance of the certificates of
election to the Republican candidates is
contested upon the further ground that
a Federal and also a State judge with
out warrant of law and in defiance of
every prompting of fair dealing and de-
cency, interfered with the holders of the
State election; the one by hlenacing
charges TO grand jury. and by the
employment of deputy United States
marshals and the ether by issuing every
mandamus and injunction asked for by
the Republican party, which latter ju-
dicial acts have been declared by the
Supreme Judicial tribunal of the State
and have been unlawful.
Another ground is the use in the in
terest of the Republican party OF .
immense corruption fund. contributed
by the most powerful railroad corpora
ton of the commonwealth, whereby
many thousands of votes were brought
against the Democratic party and its
candidates. because that party. in the
platform adopted in its State convention,
dared to advocate measures of relief de
manded by the people of the common
wealth"