Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-22
THE GoEBEL DEMOCRATS.
Address Endorsing the Contest In.
stituted by Their Leader Issued.

y
Frankfort, KY, Dec. 22-The address
of the democracy of the state, endorsing
the contest instituted by Goebel and
other candidates of the debated demo-
cratic ticket and giving the reasons
therefor, was issued last night 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
The address gives the grounds upon
which the contest is made, in brief. as
follows:
The use of tissue ballots; the order
ing out of troops at Lousville; the en-.
ployment of deputy United States mar
shals; the issuance of nandamuses and
injunctions. and charge that an inn
mense corruption fund was used in the
Interest of the republicans, contributed
| by railroad of the state
After saying that the state board of
election commissioners have expressed
the opinion that if clothed With the
authority to go behind the returns and
/ determine the matters in contention, the
certlflcate of election would not have
been issued to the parties who received
them, the address continues:
These are the principal grounds upon
which the democracy of Kentucky rests
the contests that it has declared shall,
be instituted. If the law, requiring all
elections in this state to be held by
secret ballot, is To be openly and fla
I GRAVITY detied in republican counties
and republican districts, and il elections
i are to be determined by the counting
OF votes so given, then we have reached
4 the end Of free and fair elections in
4 Kentucky. Ii the future of our people
lis to be determined with the military
1 arm Of the state dominating the citi-
zen in the deposit Of his ballot then
| elections have become worse than d
farce and are Simply the prelude to a
tragedy, in which the last semblance OF;
| individual liberty and popular govern
4 ment is to be sacrificed. There can be
i no greater menace TO public rights and
! the freedom Of the citizen than the en-
! ployment of tlie military arm of the
/ government for the furtherance of par
/ tisan purposes, unless it be the more in
/ sidious and cowardly- practices en-
| pioyed in the recent election by both
4 federal and state judges al the dicta-
4 tion of one of the parties to the con-
/ test. Upon no conceivable ground can
a federal judge either justify. excuse or
4 palliate his Interference in an election
for state officers only, whilst the action
of Judge Tonsy. by decision os the court
of appeals. is stripped of every sem
4 blance of excuse and left in its native
4 deformity TO be condemned, rebuked
i and denounced by the people who We're
4 its victims.
No more important question con-
q fronts the people Of the common
a wealth than the question whether a
great corporation. owned not in Ken
tucky, nor in the United States. but in
Europe, can buy an election and thus
control the making, construction and
!, execution of laws. Even now hirelings
j, Iof this corporation boast that it Will
buy control2of the general assembly of
the commonwealth and thereby prevent
the enactment Of laws the people desire
and prevent the democratic candidates
from obtaining possession of the Offices
i, to which they We're duly elected.
!, Both before and since the election
on November !. 1898, the republican
party has continuously employed the
Il acts of violence and the practice Of in
], timidation, nor have they desiste5 yet
!, These are the reasons that have moved
!, your committees to the Inauguration OF
81 these contests and we confidently ex-
J; pect the democracy of Kentucky Il
!; vindicate the action we have taken