The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1900-10-05
(From the Louisville Evening Post,
Sept. l. 1909

sept - ASVV.J
In 1899 the people of Kentucky
fought a great fight for liberty with
the combined foes of greed and law
lessness.
1t was a simple state issue. Ken
tuckians had lost the right to vote,
and they were fighting to regain it,
No national officer was to lie elected,
and no national issue was involved
The friends of Mr.. Bryan were OPP
posed to Mr. Goebel. Their candidate
for governor in opposition to Mr.. Goe-
bel was John Young Brown, former
governor of Kentucky. In 1896 he led
the fight for free silver in the Louis
Vile district against Henry Watterson
and his allies, and polled 1880 votes
to 16,707 cast for Mr.. Bryan.
Major p. p Johnson was the candi-
date for lieutenant governor on the
ticket with Gov. Brown. In 1895 he
was chairman OF the Bryan campaign
committee. To him was due the credit
for the magnificent fight made for
Bryan and free silver in the state in
1895, by which the Bradley majority
of 5000 in 1895 was reduced to 2S1, and
one Bryan elector was secured.
GOebeI spurned Bryan.
Mr.. Goebel was in 1896 in alliance
with Mr.. Carlisle, and by his assist
ance secured control of the delegation
from Kenton to the state convention.
1t was claimed for Mr.. Goebel that
when he got to the convention he
voted this delegation against Carlisle,
but it is not plain how this gave him
any claim to Mr.. Bryan's considera-
ton.
With Mr. Goebel in 1899 was Henry
Watterson. He made a fearful appeal
to the railroads to help Goebcl. and
warned them that they had as well
surrender in advance. as Mr.. Goebels
election law had eliminated every ele-
ment Of chance from election in Ken
lucky.
This was the same Watterson who
in 1896 telegraphed to Mr.. Haldeman,
mo compromise with dishonor,"
meaning thereby that he would not
support Mr.. Bryan.
In the course of the campaign it be-
came evident that the battle was So
ing against Mr. Goebel. Then he call
ed on Mr.. Bryan to come to Kentucky
and help win in his state contest with
the friends of Mr.. Bryan and others
who were contesting for a free ballot
and fair count.
Bryan Aided Goebel.
Mr.. Bryan came. His first speech
was made Monday, October 16, and was
a plea to the people to accept the rule
of Goebel as a substitute for Democ
racy. At Bardwell, KY. Mr.. Bryan,
speaking of state issues, said:
What difference does it make
whether the man nominated is your
Democrat or mine? Is not any Demo-
crat who stands for the Chicago plat
form better than any Republican?
When we stand in the presence Of an
enemy, is ii the time to air our per-
sonal opinions? / think not.
"In this district we had Democrat
ic majority in 1896, and also in this
county, but with all your majorities in
this district and the county, you were
not able to secure the electoral vote Of
the state. Shall we divide? The Re
publicans never divide. There is no
principle involved with them, and
they never endanger the spoils. You
have it in your power to announce to
the people and the friends OF Kentucky
that the state is now Democratic, and
will be in 1900, and that it will elect a
United States senator to champion
Democratic principles in the senate OF
the United States"
Mr.. Bryan spoke at Fulton, Ky, and
among other things said;
you can do some pretty good yell
ing here, but / want to tell you if you
will elect Mr.. Goebel governor. AID
Joe Blackburn senator. there will be
more yelling in Nebraska than we
have here. 1 want you to give Goebel
a larger majority than you did me in
1896.
while appreciate the splendid
vote of 1896. I believe our party is
stronger than it was then. and there
are sixteen reasons to one why it
should be-" (Cheers.l
Glad to Aid GoebeI.
At Mayfeld great preparations had
been made for Mr.. Bryan and great
crowd was present MIR. Bryan spoke
exactly forty-fve minutes and in
dorsed in strong terms the Goebel
ticket, advising Democrats to give /,
their enthusiastic support. In the
course of his remarks he said:
81 believe this crowd came out to
indicate what they will do for Goebel
and the rest of the ticket. Today l
shall accept it as evidence OF larger
majority for Goo5el than that OF 90,
and / shall rejoice il Il is so. am
glad to come to Kentucky. Il is the
skirmish line of 1900. The bigger the
majority this fall the better the
chances in 1900. The skirmish OF 1896
was our Burker Hill: that Of 1900 will