Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-02
AN1ncnr lN

ANARCHY IN KENTUCKY,
The situation in Kentucky is one of
anarchy. For this state of affairs the
Goebel democrats are primarily respon-
sible, but the other side is not wholly
blameless. At the election last No.
vember the republican candidate for
governor received Il plurality of the
popular vote. This was 50 clearly
shown on the face of the returns that
the democratic election board, after n
most careful canvass of the vote and
hearing both sides as to allegations of
fraud, gave a certificate of election to
William $. Taylor and he was duly
sworn in and installed as governor.
Thus far the requirements of the consti-
tuition and laws of the state had been
fully observed.
The Goebelltos had brought MI pos
siblc influence and pressure to bear
upon the election board TO secure n de-
cision in their favor and having failed
it was thought for a time they would
accept the situation. But they had no
such intention. The Goebel law afforded
them another chance TO override the
popular will. They could carry the con.
test to the legislature, with its demo
cratic majority. and they proceeded to
do so. The first test of the GOebelite
strength in that body showed that the
conspirators were able to carry out their
purpose of having Goebcl declared gov
ernor and the success of the plot to over
throw the popular verdict became as
sured, so far as the legislature was con
cerncd.
Thus a most exasperating and dan
gerous situation was created. The
emergency called for decisive action on
the part of those in authority to pre-
serve peace and order, but in strict OBJ
servance of the laws. If Governor Tay-
lor believed it to be necessary, to pre-
vent an outbreak of violence, TO order
the militia to Frankfort, he had an un-
questionable right to do so. When
armed citizens were pouring into the
capital of the state, with the manifest
purpose of making trouble, ii was for
the governor to judge and determine
what should be done to avert the dan
ger. Had he confined the use of this
military force to preserving the peace
no reasonable fault could be found with
his action, but there ear be no excuse or
justification for his employment of this
force to prevent the assembling of the
legislature. Governor Taylor unQueS-
tionably committed a fragrant usurpa-
ton of authority in proclaiming the
legislature adjourned and directing that
it should reassemblc elsewhere than at
the state capital. He had no legal right
to do this under the circumstances and
in using force to carry out this usurpa-
ton he committed the gravest possible
offense against the law and against re-
publican government. We do not think
that any one capable of understanding
the significance of this action of Gov
ernor Taylor will approve it.
AS to the statement signed by men,
bers of the legislature declaring that
Goebel and Beckham were elected gov
ernor and lieutenant governor, it will
hardly be questioned that it is without
legal force. The boards that heard the
contests did not report to the legislature
in session, as required by law, and the
signatures to the statement were OBJ.
tanned when there was no session, so
that in no respect were the legal re-
Quirements complied with. Conse-
qucntly the swearing in of Goebel and
Beckham clothed them with no au-
thority and the orders issued by the
former are worthless, from a legal point
of view.
What will be the outcome Of the state
of anarchy in Kentucky cannot be fore
seen with certainty. 1t is a very grave
and dangerous situation, in which the
struggle between reason and passion ap.
pears to be in favor of the latter.