The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1900-04-20

whom may be of one party, and at this
time all OF whom are OF one party.
This partisan State Board is not under
bond and is not directly responsible
to the people. Its members are merely
creatures OF the Legislature, and are
clothed with absolute power over the
dearest rights OF citizens. The very
fact that but one party is represented
on this board is enough to condemn
the law in the minds OF all who love
fairness and freedom. Comment on
this point is unnecessary. 1t is an
anomaly in American institutions, an
Outrage unparalleled in American his.
tory.
This law gives to the State Board
the power to appoint three County
Election Commissioners, all of whom
may be of one party, and ia the recent
election, in at least one third OF the
counties, ALL we're of one party, and
in all the others two out OF the three
belonged to the same party. If there
were any intention of fairness In the
law equal representation would have
been afforded to the parties on these
boards, and this truth is so deeply inn
planted in the minds OF the people
that it is unnecessary to discuss it.
1t provides that this County Board
shall appoint the precinct officers and
does state, as Col. Campbell asserts,
that the judges shall be OF opposite
parties and that the same difference
shall exist as to the clerk and sheriff.
Here is the only place in the whole
law in which there is show OF fair>
ness; but an examination of its work.
ings shows that this Is a snare and a
delusion in actual practice, however
smoothly and piously 1t may read.
The law provides that in case OF a
difference of opinion as to receiving a
vote between the judges, the sheriff
alone shall have the right to decide
and as the County Board has the plac.
ing of these officers, 1t is an easy mat.
ter, even without violating their oath
they being under no bond and not re.
sponsible as the County Judges are, to
so arrange them as to secure great adj
vantage to one party. The history Of
the recent election affords hundreds of
examples of how this may be done,
and OF how it was done. The County
Boards are the sole judges of the
qualifications of the election officers.
In strong Republican precincts iucom.
petent clerks were appointed who
could not have enrolled the voters in
two full days, much less in eight hours,
and thousands OF Republicans were
turned away without voting. In
strong Democratic precincts compe>
tent clerk was placed who enrolled
every voter and an incompetent sheriff
who could be easily persuaded or
bribed to favor the popular party ID
his precinct While this was done In
hundreds, if not thousands of precincts,
l shall say that in other places the
election was absolutely fair, even unS
der the Goebel law, for honesty, in
my opinion, is not monopolized by
any one party.
have more faith in humanity than
Col. Campbell, who believes that all
parties will steal all they can. If this
belief Is correct then I must admit
that nevef saw, or heard of, or con-
ceived a more perfect machine for
stealing than the Goebel law. This
law gives any time any member or
members of the County Boards and
gives the County Boards the same
power over the precinct officers. AS
an instance Of the exercise of this pow
er in the latter, the city of Louisville
may be mentioned, where eighty pre-
cinct officers were removed after sun
down the evening before the election.
The famous incident of Mr.. South
Trimble's requesting the resignation
OF Capt. Thompson so that a man
might be appointed on the County
Board "who would do anything to
help the Democrats" the resignation