The Saint Paul globe., 1900-02-06
REASON IN KENTUCKY.

The improvement which has taken
place in the situation in Kentucky will
afford the country much satisfaction.
The crisis evidently has passed, and there
is now a reasonable prospect of peace
full solution.
The statement made by acting Gov.
Taylor to the Associated Press Is
valuable chiefly In the evidence which 1t
offers that he and his associates have
felt the weight of public disapprovai.
The American people will not stand for
military government. The occasion
which produced the proclamation OF in
surrection has passed, No one now can
reasonably foresee violence. The death
of Mr.. Goebel has had an influence which
has allayed the bitter hostinties which
Immediately preceded and followed his
assassination. Public sentiment all over
the country demands a return to civil
methods of government. The civil tri-
bunals exist for the adjustment of such
difficulties as now prevail.
This truth seems, however, still lost on
the acting governor, if one is to judge
of him by the following passages from
his recent statement:
''The liberties of the people must be up
held under the law, if possible, but the
liberties of the people must be upheld.
No partisan court has the right to tie the
hands of the chief executive of the state.
and any attempt to do SO will be disre-
garded. The lives and liberties Of the
people are, in part. entrusted to the chief
executive. 1t is as much his duty to pro-
tect them from fraudulent judgments,
written to overthrow the will of the peo-
pie. as it is to protect them from an in
lvading force" ,,y., ,y-,resYsx-
This sort of talk would be silly If it
were not dangerous in the mouth of a
man exercising the functions Of state
executive. That partisan judges exist in
Kentucky no one will deny who has OBJ
served the progress of events for some
weeks past. Judge Toney, of Louisville,
has left little ground for dispute on this
score. The Gl b @ some weeks ago felt
called on to direct attention to the pc
culiar terms Of the writ Of Injunction is
sued by him against Democratic election
officials. And since that time accord
ing to the sworn testimony Of young
lady who was present, that judge In is
suing his injunction, and while 1t was be-
ing prepared, addressed the Republican
attorney applying for it by saying: "Put
anything you want in it. Bob. and make
it as strong as you like, and I will sign
it." But if the fact that individual judges
are capable Of being Influenced in their
official conduct by their political pre-
dilections is to operate so as to justify the
governor Of a state in ignoring the state
judiciary, the end of responsible state
government is reached.
If the Democrats of Kentucky continue
in the peaceful courses they have pur-
mand the sustainment of the intelligent
Judgment of the country. The holding Of
the legislative session in London, under
the conditions which now prevail In the
state capital, must inevitably end in farce.
II is little more than farce even now.
The governor has placed himself and his
political associates Of the legislature out
side of the law. He may refuse access
to the legislative chambers at Frank
fort as long as seems to him advisable;
but the duty Of the Democratic members
is to hold themselves in readiness to as
semble there and nowhere else. By TAX
ing no precipitate action, refusing to be
put in the position of a trump legis.
lature, and holding themselves amenable
to sny peaceful solution which may even
tuate from conferences among the repre-
sentatives Of the contending interests.
they are certain In time to vindicate the
Justice of their cause.