The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-13
In Old Kentucky.

'OLlTICAL EXCITEMENT Is
- quicker to subside than al
l. most anv other kind Of eX-
element; and predictions as
to what is likely to occur in a political
way are never safe unless carefully
qualified. But if dependence may be
placed in the correspondence of con-
servative newspapers a situation is de-
veloping in Kentucky which seems to
forcbode the shedding of blood.
All persons remember the acrimony
of the recent gubernatoriai campaign
in that commonwealth. which result
ed, upon the count Of Democratic can
didate Goebers own commission, in
the election of Judge Taylor, the Re-
publican nominee. The election and
count We're held under the operation
of the uoebel law, a measure framed
expressly to give to the dominant par
ty absolute control both of the casting
and counting of the ballots and of the
adjudication of contests; and when
Republican victory was conceded, Cam
didate Goebel said that he would ac-
cept the result and let the matter dro ,.
Suddenly he caused it to appear that
he had changed his mind. When 1t
was discovered that the Legislature
was Democratic on joint ballot and
that enough anti-Goebel Democrats,
members might he induced to vote with
their party to give the Goebel element
controlling voice, notice of contest
was filed and Goebel set to work to
oust the already seated Republican
executive. He pretended that this
change of plan was adopted in defer
ence to the Democratic state central
committee, which shortly before had
passed a resolution demanding that
the election returns be canvassed by
the Legislatures: but the state central
committee is Goebel and Goebel, for all
practical purposes. is the state central
committee. The whole arrangement,
in other words, was merely an exhibi-
ton Of Mr.. Goebel's foxiness.
The custom in Kentucky as in most
states is to have the lieutenant gover-
nor, who is ex-ofiicio the presiding Of
ficer of the senate. preside over joint
sessions Of the Legislature whenever
joint sessions are necessary. The hear.
ing Of the contest for the governshp
requiring Il joint session of the legsla-
ture, Goebel, the other day. as a state
senator and chairman of the commit
tee on rules. caused rule to be passed
empowering the speaker of the house
"a Goebel mani to call a joint session
of the two houses at his pleasure; pro-
vding that a quorum of the whole
number of senators and representatives
shall constitute quorum Of the Joint
assembly; and arranging that a final
verdict upon the contest may be
reached. not by majority of each
house separately, but by a majority
of the members of the two houses II,
joint session. There are 13S members
of the two houses: 100 representatives
and 80 senators. Under this rule 10
representatives. without the presence
of single senator, might under the
call OF the speaker of the house. as
semble and determine the whole gub-
ernatorial contest.
1t is generally assumed in Kentucky
in the light of these developments that
it is Goebers intention to have his Leg
islature throw out enough Republican
votes to give him the majority and
warrant him in demanding that Cover
nor Taylor vacate. The latter, It Is
said, will refuse and If the endeavor Is
made to remove him by force he will
use his authority to call out the MILL
tia or, falling that, appeal to the fed
eral government for troops. Another
and less sanguinary alternative is
to move before the United States court
for a writ to restrain Goebel from be-
coming governor of Kentucky through
usurpation. Application, 1t is held,
could be based upon the fourteenth
amendment to the constitution of the
United States. which says that "all
persons born or naturalized in the
United States and subject to the juris-
diction thereof are citizens Of the