The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-04
THE MARTYR GOVERNOR.

Governor William Goebel died in
Frankfort last night because he had
fought a relentless warfare against the
political domination of his State by the
Louisville and Nashville railroad.
When Mr.. Goebel became a State
Senator, he found that this road was in
command of the State. 1t paid taxes on
VIGOROUSLY low assessment, it pre-
vented the enactment Of a Railroad Com
mission law to fix rates, it denied its
liability for the death of its employees,
it largely made and unmade public Off
GERS in both the great parties, and kept
lobby of respectable and influential
men at the capital to control legislation
Its dictation of public affairs had become
State scandal.
When Mr.. Goebel entered public life
he brought with him the ill will of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad, i'll will
earned because as lawyer in the courts
of law he had wrung from it pittance
to feed the families of men who had
gone to their death in its service. and
often enough through its carelessness.
When, largely through his efforts, the rail
road commission Of the State was erect
ed into board with the power and Will
to regulate abuses, and when his fellow
servant bill had become a law, the Louis
vile and Nashville railroad declared war
to the death upon him and thenceforward
to the day when he was shot down at
the door Of the capitol by one of tram
load Of assasSins hauled free to Frank
fort by the Louisville and Nashville
road, it spared no pains and expense in
it's attempt to hound him down.
Mr.. Goebel could at any time have
made his peace easily enough with the
Louisville and Nashville railroad, in
which case he would have been living
today and in uncontested possession of
the office of Governor of Kentucky. The
price, there as everywhere that corpora
ton with the power and animus of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad exists
was his integrity and his independence
as a public man. Many men would have
closed a willing bargain. Many men of
equal ambition and of lesser spirit have
done so. They will never be victims of
an assassin. But Mr.. Goebel, whatever
his shortcomings, was not man of that
kidney. He could neither be cajoled nor
frightened, nor bought nor whipped.
When Mr.. Goebel became a candidate
before the Democratic convention for the
nomination for Governor the tactics en-
ployed to compass his defeat are notorl-
GUS. He was nominated in spite of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad and the
fight went before the people in the cam
raign. Newspapers were subsidized,
money by the thousands was turned
loose. speakers were hired to oppose the
Democratic nominee, a Louisville and
Nashville attorney was put at the head
of the Republican ticket and an assist
ant Republican ticket was put in the
field. When election day came and it
was apparent that in spite of all MI.
Goebel would win, the ballot boxes in
louisville were surrounded with bayon-
cts that thugs might repeat with inn
punity and tissue ballots were employed
that the barbarians of the east might
roll up an unprecedented majority IN
Republican strongholds.
Then a contest was made ana the
scene shifted to Frankfort with a com
summation, so foul and dastardiy that