The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-05
"uNpER COLOR OF LAW


TNDER COLOR OF LAW"
Those who are engaged in the conspiracy
to depose Governor Taylor. of Kentucky.
vociferously declare that they are acting in
strict conformity to law. That is partially
true; but what of that law? 1t is known
as the Goebel election law. While 1t was
under consideration in the Kentucky Leg
islature, two years ago, the Louisville
COurier-Journal declared that 1t was de-
signed to overthrow popular government
in Kentucky. In appeal after appeal it
called upon the friends of popular govern
ment to defeat the bill. Hundreds Of the
best-known Democrats in the State cried
out against the measure, but new leader
had appeared in the person of Senator
William Goebel In spite of an opposition
in his own party. before which most men
would have turned back. he brought to
his aid, by promise and threat, large ma
jority of the Democrats in the Legislature.
were brought to give their votes for the
bill. and 1t became law.
This law took from the people all voice
in the selection of the officers who preside
A state commission of three members. Sc
lected by the Legislature which passed the
law, practically had charge of the entire
election machinery. The state commission
appointed commissioners in each county,
and these county commissioners appointed
the precinct officers who held the elections.
The purpose of this law was to place every
voting precinct in Kentucky under con-
troll. not of Democrats, but of the
friends of the faction led by Mr..
Goebel. All the votes returned by
these partisan precinct officers were cam
vassed in the counties by the commission
ers who appointed them, and the county re-
turns for candidates for State officers,
members of Congress and the Legislature
were in turn canvassed by the state board
which issued the certificates of election.
Another clause of the law made ii possible
for the decision of the state board as to
Governor and lieutenant governor to be
appealed to the Legislature, which, by a
vote of the majority in each branch, could
set aside the decision of the state commits
sion. AS the Louisville Courier-Journal de-
clared time after time. in the most en-
phatic manner. the Goebel law was de-
signed to overthrow free elections and SUBJ
stitute for the will of the people the die
tum Of a partisan returning board.
The ambition of Mr.. Goebel, who had been
senator for some years, was to be Cover
man in his party, but he was a man of
strong will and resource-a fact which was
made clear when he wrested the party
nomination from convention in which,
when it assembled, his supporters were less
than third of its members. In late years
the Republican party, partly through DEM
ocratic discussions over the money ques-
ton. had practically carried two elections.
Mr.. Goebel saw that If he would succeed.
as an unpopular man, he must get control
of the election machinery. so as to count
the Republicans out. For that purpose the
Goebel election law was passed The state
commission failed him after every possible
vote for Taylor had been thrown out and
after Taylor had been seated Goebel APP
pealed to the Legislature and would have
been seated.
This is the law within which the Demo-
Gratis and the Louisville Courier-Journal
old ixr,t
ihg-a law which was designed to and has
overthrown popular government in Ken
lucky When the Goebel conspiracy shall
have been consummated all men who vote
against the regular Democratic ticket in
Kentucky hereafter until that law is re-
pealed. will waste whatever time they may
take in going to the polls to vote. They
are as completely disfranchised as If by
constitutional amendment they were de-
clared aliens. The only remedy is that
which time always brings to overthrow in
justice and outrage; but during all the
years that suffrage shall be overthrown in
Kentucky by the Goebel law the State will
pay the penalty. Enterprise and capital
will avoid such a State: the wholesale
trade of its larger cities will fall off, and
its industries will stand still because men
outside or inside the State will not engage
in industry or extend credit to people in a
State whose Legislatures are elected by re-
turning boards, and whose judges in it's
courts are controlled by vote-counters.
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