Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-01
ISSUE IN KENTUCKY
National Questions Overshadowed by
Fight for Honest Elections.
A STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL LIBERTY
Prospect That State Will Go for
Bryan and Yerkes.
CONGRESSIONAL SITUATION

! Special From staff Correspondent.
LOUISVILLE, November 1.-The fight
| for civil liberty in Kentucky, which was be-
| gun year ago. still continues. 1t is con-
test which involves everything of value to
| the residents of this state, rights of the
elective franchise, of property, of legisla-
ton and the law. 1t is to be fought out at
the polling places next Tuesday, but no one
can tell whether it will be decisive or not.
On the one side is a rampant democracy,
remnant of the powerful political ma
chine which Goebel built up before his
death and left as heritage Of untold
dissension and trouble in this state 1t
stands today for Bryan, free silver and all
the freedom promised and implied in the
Kansas City platform and for a dishonest
election law. On the other side is a COM
pact republican party, reinforced by the
best of the old-time democracy of Ken
lucky men who stood with Beck and Car
Isle and those who made Kentucky's name
honored in the councils of the nation 1t
stands for sound money. an honest ballot
and the rights guaranteed by the constitu-
ton to the citizen.
Mere party lines are obliterated in this
great struggle for the safety of citizenship
Even the populist abandons his vagaries
and joins the republicans. for political theo-
ries are nothing to him if an infamous cleo
| ton law is to deprive him of the power to
voice them.
Radical Political Changes.
Tragic events have occurred in Kentucky
| politics since a year ago this time, when
| The Star describing the situation
Within that time there has been witnessed
! the overturnng of state government
| which majority of the people believe was
| rightfully elected. A governor. the choice
of the people. was unseated, and only the
| other night saw him in Indiana. an exile
| from mis- state, constantly in fear OF
| forcibe exJraditi0n. The legislature was
recast and a majority assured for demo-
| cratic United States senator. Then came
the assassination of Goebe. his inaugura-
| ton as governor on his deathbed. and the
succession of Lieut.. Gov. Beckham, who to-
| day is candidate for reelection.
The people have been in a ferment for
| year. and the excitement is now approach
| ing a climax. So strong was the popular
| clamor for an honest election law that the
| democratic legislature had to make show
| at amending the Goebel law, but they could
| not Withstand the temptation to make one
| more haul, and the amendment does not go
| into effect until after this election. The
| presidential electoral ticket, the governor
| ship and the other offices were prizes too
rich to expose to the fair chance Of an hon
est ballot and fair count.
Notwithstanding this fact, the political
outlook In Kentucky presents a fair pros
| lican candidate for governor 1t is probable
| also that Mr. Bryan may get the presi-
| Dental electors.
| This contemplated and possibly to be eff
| fected division of the ballot is due to the
| attitude of the faction known as the Brown
| democrats. Last year they had a state
! the republican ticket leaving for the old
line dyed in the wool, democrats the chance
| to vote for Brown, but, at any rate, taking
| their vote away from Goebel.
| This wear the Brown democrats have no
state ticket and are out for Yerkes, the re-
publican candidate for governor. The old
! line fellows will be advised to vote for
Bryan If they want to, but the men who
voted the straight republican ticket last
year will vote for Mckinley and Yerkes
next Tuesday. The gold democrats will
vote as they did in 1896 and in 1895, the
straight republican ticket. The populists
| will vote for Bryan, of course. but a large
proportion of them are counted upon to vote
| for the republican candidate for governor
| and for representative in Congress In fact
fusion has been effected in several congress
sional districts between the republicans and
populists
Democrats Have the Machine.
| Coming to the practical features of the
| campaign it is found that the democrats
| have the machine and the republicans have
the organization and the money.
| The republicans have the best organization
| they have ever possessed in this state the
result of two three hard and close cam
paigns and the determination to break up
sooner later the democratic machine.
| The republicans have just taken the first
complete poll they ever made in the state,
| and it shows a plurality of 1900 The
democratic poll gives the democrats plu-
| rality Of 1900
| ton. They depend largely upon their ma
chine. and it is good dependence, too. A
| system which will permit a party, on the
| night preceding the election, to throw out
| three-fourths of the election officers of the
other party and put their own men in
charge of the polls is not to be despised as
an adjunct to machine. That was done
in number of instances last year and
doubtless will be repeate>- in this election
Yet, Notwithstanding this, there is a fair
probability that Ycrkes will receive a ma :
jorty the face of the returns He will
undoubtedly get it at the ballot box. The
revolt against the Goebel democracy is so
widespread and determined that it seems
incredible 1t should not prevail.s
The business men of the state are thor
oughly aroused. There is no question II
is said by competent authority, that the
business and industrial interests of the
state have been injured by the unstable
state government. prominent resident of
Louisville, who has dealings with outside
| capital, told me today. that millions of dol
lars had been kept out of Kentucky in
vestments and industries through the men
ace of unfriendly state government.
The Congregational Situation.
| The congressional situation in the state
promises the probable gain of two seats in
the national House of Representatives and
the possible loss Of one.
! In the third district, now represented by
Rhea, democrat, there is fusion on the con-
gressional ticket between the republicans
Brown democrats and ropulists. with J.
Mckenzie Moss the republican candidate
The republicans are very confident of car
rying this district.
| The fifth, or Louisville district, now rep
resented by Oscar Turner, democrat, is
claimed by the republicans, and the demo-
Gratis do not deny that the claim has foun-
dation. H. S. Irwin is the republican can
, didate and James p. Gregory the demo
| crat.
In the ninth district, now represented by
!, Pugh, republican, the chances are in favor
, of Kehoe, the democratic candidate He
, is a very popular able man. and in
, the last election the republican majority
was just ten votes
The Lexington district is claimed by the
republicans to be good fighting ground, bu,
the outlook is uncertain.
| AS for the presidential ticket the repub-
lcans do not seem to be exerting them
selves strenuously The belief has reached