The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-02-09
THE KENTUCKY AFFAIR.

The situation south of the Big Sandy seems
practically unchanged Although Goebel Is dea1
another has been substituted and kentucky has
two rival governors and either two legislatures or
none The democratic members fearing military
arrest are either in hiding at times or in session at
different places and times as OCCASION offers.
What is to be the outcome is mere conjecture The
situation is fraught with serious danger. What an
hour may unfold no one can forsee. The ambition
Of one man has lnaamed the passions of a passion
ate people William Goebel desired the governor
ship. His ambition matured by high expectations
suggested a revolution of the election laws and
they we're changed. Their administration drifted
by design into the hands of his friends and parti.
sans. His nomination followed and then the
election The result was unfavorabe but still his
hopes rested in the assurance of safe deiverance
by the election board. These though intensely
partisan were not dissuaded from conscientious
faithfulness to their public trust and declared
against their friend Not content with this public
Reputation of his title and fretting more under a
feversh desire long cherished, contest proceedings
began before asubservient Legislature of which
Goebel himself was member and president of one
branch. By them, in defiance of facts and under
the forms Of law, but devoid of justice he was
about to be declared entitled to the Office to which
he was not elected when theassassns bullet inter
rupted. OF the man, solely as man. we do not
DEAL His public acts are of public concern and OF
these there need be no concealment. With faith
full adherence to truthfulness it may with propri-
ETY. be insisted that the whole disturbance in
kentucky is directly attributable to the persistent
and ardent ambition of one man to be its governor
by the popular will. it atsanable under the pre-
tense of an election but not thus then by violent
1.r41 A.. ,.1,, he
polls There are none whose judgments or thoughts
are pure aud balanced and free from partisan bias
who, while they depore his death by the means
used, do not also condemn any course by whomso-
ever procured. which seeks to set at naught the
will of the voter when he declares himself upon
any public question or upon the choice of his of
fetal representatives. Oar governments, state
and national, are based upon the fundamental night
Of the elector to give public expression to his de-
sire aud when that desire is expressed and prop
erly ascertaned that it shall prevail without re.
straint or limitation. The Kentucky voter by his
ballot under vicious election law devised Cor a
special purpose nevertheless chose William Tay.
lor as governor and that choice should have been
respected and declared conclusive against all other
claimants The ambitious cannot learn too soon
that popular suffrage can not with impunity be dis
regarded and ignored. There is nothing more rep
rehensible or dangerous than meddling with the
sacred right of the ballot This is the method by
which the public may speak and the only method
and its voice should not only he hear but, wher
heard, obeyed.
That there was no proper determination Of the
popular choice has been persistently urged by par
tisan journals on the ground of armed interference
at the polls at the instance of the retiring gov
ernor This is charge which none but the sus
pcious would accept without conclusive proof NJ
such interference was used contemplated, MOI
was there any show of power beyond what wa:
deemed prudent and preservative of order in cast
of threatened interference b. the rabble. 1t may
be safely asserted that not ten men in the whole
state who desired to vote hindered In the dis
charge of that right by any authority of Governor
Bradley or under his procurement. 1t very cas-,
TO make poor excuse when a better one is no
available.
Governor Taylor, deeming his title to the
Office beyond question, has sought to assert ant
maintain what was committed to him by duly
ascertained majority of the popular vote and il
doing so deserves the support OF all persons with
out regarl to party ASSOCIATION.