New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-08-17
URpOLNG GoEBEHs WORk.

Governor Beckham has been forced at last by
outraged public sentiment to call the Kentucky
Legislature together 10 repeal or modify the
Goebel Election law. 1t is plainly a bitter per
sonal humiliation 10 the chief beneficiary OF
the crimes committed last winter under the
shadow of the GOebel statute 10 be thus COM
PEELED to turn States evidence against the
elective system 10 which he owes his fraud
scanned title 10 the Governors seat Yet how
ever CALLING the Confession. it that
had sooner or later 70 be made Each day that
has elapsed since Mr.. Beckhams accession to
power has only deepened the contempt Of Ken
lucky opinion for the machinery by which a
legally elected Governor was elected in his
favor, and the State thereby brought TO the
very brink of civil war. Despite the peculiar
sease of loyalty to it's spirit and letter. quick
ened by the tragic death Of It's author, the GOe-
bel law, with its arrogant denial of every pre-
fence Of deeency or fairness, has proved too
heavy a burden for the Goebeiite leaders TO
carly through another political canvass, and
Governor Beckham only yields to an irresistible
party pressure when he takes the first step tow
ard undoing the work Of the dead autOcrat
whose name and fame" the Democratic State
Convention declared but few days ago with
unctuous hypocrisy, twill remain a sacred heri-
tage 70 Kentucky Democrats"
Governor Beckham hesitated a month before
signing a proclamation which virtually con-
feeses his own title irregular and fraudulent
BE would undoubtedly have preferred 10 stand
for reelection under a system which put him
IN Office last year in spite Of plurality Of 2,511
votes cast and counted for his opponent But
the scandals of another popular election re-
versed by irresponsible reviewing boards at
Frankfort filled the minds of other Democratic
managers with anxious forebodings. A repeH-
ton in q Presidential year Of the counting out
processes OF 1899 would they argued, be only
too tempting an invitation to the two houses
Of Congress TO throw out Kentucky's return in
the final tabulation Of the electoral votes at
Washington. Furthermore, in the view OF THE
Louisville Courier-Journal" to attempt DO re-
tain the discredited election machinery Of the
Goebel law would put the Democratic party
hopelessly the defensive in every county In
the State. Nothing was left the Governor,
therefore but to yield his personal predictions
and TO transfer to the two houses OF the Legds-
lature the responsibility for the retention or
non-retention Of the Goebel system OF reversible
returns
What the Legislature will do when it meets
two weeks hence, TO lberalize the present Elec-
ton law No one car tell. The State Convention
at Lexington which nominated Beckharn gave
only the vaguest promises of amendment II
I'D not even suggest the extra session which
the Governor has been driven to call and the
only condition Of reform II positively laid down
WIS that the Republican party should here
after have representation on both the State and
me County Boards of Election Commissioners
Last year there was no Republican on the
stz1e Board, By which all the county board,