The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-16
STATEMENT which follows

~HE STATEMENT which follows
was made on Tuesday by Cover
nor Taylor to the managing edi-
u tor of the Pittsburg Times. This
astonishing recital says the Times.
comes from II man who was duly
elected gov ,ernor u great state: for two
weeks he has practically been prison"
er either i'm the executive chamber or
the executive mansion; no man in
Kentucky doubts tha- he will ulti-
matcly be robbed of the high office to
which he was chosen, If not by forms
Of law as they exist in Kentucky. then
by violence: his life is menaced and is
not considered by anybody worth a
baubee: his family is threatened with
determination; yet he Is all this while
one of the best and foremost lawyers
in Kentucky and a man of peace and
piety. The condition of affairs of
which he so graphically tells exists on
the eve of presidential campaign.
only few months before the time
when the voters of Kentucky will be
called upon to elect thirteen presiden-
tial electors and eleven congressman.
What may happen in such a contest
may well be imagined from what has
happened in Kentucky as result of
the election of Nov. last" This is
the statement:
Those who have not been in close
touch with the political history of
Kentucky for the last two years can
not comprehend the terrible plight of
,I,. I,;. cat, In, AZ,
election law was placed on the statute
books, the most revolutionary and par
tisan that has ever existed in anv
state Of this Union. II placed the en-
tire election machinery in the hands
of the Democratic party. Mr.. Goebel.
the author of this measure. complete
ly dominated the general assembly that
passed this law. and this body named
as the three commissioners to control
the elections of this state three DEM
ocrats--all personal friends of Mr..
GOebel. These three commissioners So
lccted county commissioners in each uf
the 1l9 counties Of the state. placing
every county completely under the
control of the author of this measure.
These county commissioners. in the ap-
Cointment of election officers, placed
every election booth in the state under
the control nf the Democratic party.
When the election day came every
doubt was resolved in favor of the
Democratic ticket. Every Republican
voter with a doubtful right was denied
the privilege of voting. while the DEM
ocratic voter with doubtful right was
allowed to vote. When the polls closed
every Republican ballot for which there
could he the least excuse found was
thrown out and not counted. whereas
every doubtful Democratic vote was
counted anyway. In many Republic
can precincts the commissioners re-
fused to sign the returns.
When the county boards met they
unhesitatircly proceeded II throw
out thousands Of vctcs that | was en-
titled 70 Ivy raising technical objec-
lions To tho returns in Republican
precincts, Vet when all this work of
destruction was over and the Ccrti-
1icates Of the county boards issued,
they showed I had won by :.5S? major
ity. ! believe as firmly a. ! believe
l hav" my Maker to meet that if I
had received the full vote that was
cast and offered TO be cast for mo and
a fair election my majority would not
have been one less than 80, 00C Not
less than ~ members of the lower
house We're given certificates of cleo
tiun by the county boards when they
We're not entitled thereto. hence tho
Legislature was made Democratic by
reason Of frauds practiced in the
various representative districts.
Immediately after 7 had received
my certificate of election ii Was an
nounced that my seat would be- con,
tested before the Legislature and triri
In part b! the men who had been the
benrticiaries of this evil and wicked
law. When the time came for draw :
ing the contest committee the mos:
bra2en and bold fraud was parpetrat
ed, dcccncy was thrown to the wind
and that committee with IL men whu
were opp"sed to M" and only one for
mo, MANY members Of that commit
tee had expressed themselves against
me before they We're selected. One OF
them bad money wagcred upon the re-
SUI and every one of the Democrat.
members Was prejudiced and parti-
Grafton and my pleas were stricken
out. The truth Is the treatment | re-
coiNcd by the committee was nothing
short of brutal. The decision of thai
committee was = foregCne conclusion
There was not Il living man in Ken
tucky whc did not know what il woul
be. proof or no proof. Thus up to this
time ] had been as helpless as a new
born babe at every election tribunal
in the state.
AT the close of this p2itisau trial
the fearful tragedy. Mr. Gcebeps as
sassination, occurred. Instantly thu
people OF the entire state were thrown
into frenzy. The committee that had
heretofore been partisan in the ex-
treme became absolutely revolution
airy. All opportunities for any oppor-
tunty to he heard were indignantly
denied. The condi;ion of the puhlia
sentiment wrought up on account of
the incident cited was simply appalling
and revolution was inevitable unless
something could be done to avert the