The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-04
GOV. MOUNT. ExPLAINs.
Tells Why He Avoided Direct Reply
TO Gov. RecI<hann.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, April Sin re-
gard to the Kentucky situation. espe-
claiIy respecting his attitude toward re-
QUESTIONS. Gov. Mount tonight issued the
formal statement:
AT no time have I been actuated by
craftsmanship in the matter Between
the governors of all the states there is
a code of unwritten ethics that, from
long observance, have become practically
as firmly established as the statutes. Inc
rules of executive practice are uniform.
In the consideration of eXtradition appli-
cations the power or a governor Is alto
gether arbitrary If he is disposed to avail
himself of that prerogative although this
is rarely, il ever done.
In answer to repeated and persistent
questioning i have publicly stated that
I could not, under existing circumstances
recognize Mr. Becl<ham as the legally
constituted governor Of Kentucky. In
this my sense Of right and justice has
been based on conditions, not theories
MIR. Taylor received a decisive majority
OF the votes cast at the election Of 1892
and, IN spite of desperate opposition, he
board to have been duly elected gov
ernor. Subsequent events up to this time
have materially changed his status.
Beckham's title was conferred upon him
by the questionable methods Of a leg
islature acting under law that has
been almost universally branded as In
famous. 1t remains TO be seen II the
courts Will sustain the legislature III
arbitrarily promoting Beckham to the
office of governor through the medium
of a train Of tragic events. Ii the final
decision is in his favor, his recognition
will follow as a matter of course, and
of right under the law, but until such
decision is rendered he must be regarded
and accepted as a contestant whose claim
to the goVernOrship is seriously doubted
by all conservative and right thinking
people.
In the telegraphic correspondence with
Mr.. Beckham today / expressed my senti-
ments as clearly and as forcefully as my
command of the English language would
permit By reference to that corre-
spondence 1t will be observed that Mr.
Beckham proposes to honor a reQuisi-
ton from the governor of Indiana, pro-
ylded | viii. In turn, grant any requisi-
ton from Beckham. l could not consent
Mr.. BeCkham's title to the office had
never been questioned, Such a compact
would be wilfully unfair, mischievous and
unlawful. 1t would be nothing short Of
Gals 10 perform certain acts regardless
OF the merits of the case or of conse-
quences. Mr.. Beckham did not stop to
consider the fact that there Is a mate
rial and important difference between prI-
Vate interests and public duty. More
over his proposition is in conflict with
the constitution of the United States
which provides specially that there shall
be no treaties or private contracts en-
tered into by states by their official rep
reSentatiVes. The time will never como
certainly not under the present adminis-
Irauon, when Indiana will be an ASYLUM
for criminals. but it would be un-Chris-
tian and inhuman to permit maddened
partisans of another commonwealth to
drag away citizens, even though only
temporarily abiding here, to a place OF
persecution-where. self-confessedly. law
is travesty and justice is a mockery.
The enormous reward offered for the
conviction OF Goebers slayer Is Of ITSELF
mOnstrous eyil-an incentive of moral
and physical assassina tion-the sacrifice
or innocent men to personal greed and
partisan. aVarice."