The Washington weekly post., 1899-10-10
State Senator c. j. BrOnstOn'S
Scathing Arraignment.
WOULD STRIKE HIN FROM TICKET
In Letter to Chairman Blackburn He
Suggests that ''Self-respect, Party Pride,
and Personal Honor Demand that q
Loyal, Upright, Honest Democrat" Be
Put in GoebePs Place-Disciosures in
Carlisle's Letter Responsible for Attack.
Special TO The Post

Special 10 The Post
Louisville. KY. Oct 9.-The situation is
critical for Mr.. Goebel candidate for
governor. Letters have been received
from men who were with him before his
attitude on the currency question was
exposed by the letters from ex-Secretary
John G. Carlisle August Belmont, and
others, asking that something be done
at once. The matter had gone so far
at one time that his own campaign com
mittee discussed the subject of his with
drawa1- The latest addition to the ranks
of the 'bolters" is Senator Charles ].
Bronston, of Lexington, who fought the
memorable battle in the Kentucky legis-
lature in the spring of 1896 for Senator
Blackburn against DR.. Godfrey Hunter
in the race for United States Senator.
BronstOn is a close friend of Blackburn.
and was Goebel man, having offered his
services TO the campaign committee. Mr..
BronSton's letter is as follows:
az. c. S. Blackburn, chairman.
Dear sir: l take the liberty of ad-
dressing you as the chairman of the DEM
ocratic Campaign Committee and the rec
ognized leader of Kentucky Democracy.
Upon my return from Europe received a
letter from your committee, asking me to
speak on behalf of the Democratic ticket.
headed by the Hon. William Goebel. To
that letter 1 made prompt response, avow-
ing my intentions of voting for Mr. Goe-
bel and the entire ticket and expressing
my Willingness to speak at any time or
place your committee might consider an
advantage to the cause of Democracy,
granting, however the right to speak
frankly and consistently upon certain
measures incorporated in the party plat
form, and especially assuring the commit
tee of my readiness at all times to do
anything to aid the success of the candi-
dates selected by the Democratic party
not violative of self-respect nor incon-
sistent with personal honor.
Your committee has made no reply to
that letter, and / must, therefore, assume
that II is still reserving the right to ac-
cept or reject my offer, at its pleasure.
Wou.d Sacrifice Personal ..onpr.
Il have just read the letter of Mr. Goe-
bel to Mr.. Carlisle, of date May %, 1896.
and knowing me as you DO, it is scarcely
necessary for me to say that 1 cannot
now speak for M. Goebel Oh any condi-
tiers. To do so would be a gross viola
tion of all self-respect and a sacrifice of
all personal honor, and in my humble
judgment, disloyal to the best interests of
the Democratic party. Recalling, as l do
the memorable contest in the general as
sembly of Kentucky in the slring of 1896
and especially the treachery to you and,
through you, the party which had chos-
en- you as its candidate, of Mr. Carlisle
and of his followers, / am simply Mortified
at being forced TO know that Mr. Goebel
with whom | was so intimately and con-
stantly associated, was then harboring the
intent, Immediately upon the adjournment
of the legislature, and while your race
was still pending and the cause for which
We were so desperately fighting was still
held in the balance, to at once rush into
the arms of niS bitterest foe and unite
with him in making your success and the
principles embodied in your race impos-
sihle.
Il will not indulge the presumption of
even suggesting to you and your assO-
ciates that all self-respect, party pride,
and personal honor demand that Mr.
Goebel's name should by the party organ
iZation be stricken from that ticket and
loyal, upright, honest Democrat and true
man be put in his place. Upon your con-
science and Judgment that responsibility
must rest. Yet, if you, as the recognized
leader of Democracy in the State, and the
Hon. w. ]. Bryan as the leader thereof in
the nation, to both of whom, and especial
ly TO you, my loyalty is attested by devo-
ton and self-sacrifce without limit. still
insist the Democratic party shall become
particeps criminis to such perfidy, |, as a
humble member thereof. cannot consent
by indorsing such indisputable treachery
and dishonesty, although still intending
to maintain Loyalty and faithfully the
best interests of that party, and strive 10
insure its future success. Very truly
yours, G. j. BRONSTON."
Next to tie Carlisle letter this has
created the greatest sensation OF the year
in political circles.