The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-04
MIR. TAYLOR.s MISTAKES.


1 Mr.. Taylor, who is claiming the office
of Governor of Kentucky, is showing
great lack of judgment, If he is being
guided by his own opinion of what he
ought 20 do IN the trying situation in
which he finds himself, and if he is de-
pending upon the advice of political friends
he is being badly advised. on Friday he
offered a reward of 500 for the arrest aud
conviction of the man who shot Mr. Goe-
bel. In view of the fact that Mr.. Goebel
was contestant for the office which he
claims and the further fact that Mr.
Goehel was shot from the building, in
which the executive offices of the stale
are situated. a building that was occupied
at the time of che shooting by Mr.. Taylor
and other Republican officials of the
state, he ought not to have waited so
long before offering a reward for the Grim
nal. As an excuse for the delay, he said
the authorities Of Franklin county
had not asked him to offer
reward. The excuse is not salts
factory He would have stood better
in the estimation of his fellow citi-
zens If he had not offered it. There was
no good reason why he should not have
offered on the day of the tragedy the
reward which ne offered on Friday.
The failure to offer reward, however,
is not the only mistake that Mr. Taylor
has made. He made a mistake when he
permitted the coming of a thousand or
more armed mountaineers to the capitol
to intimidate the legislature 1t may be
said that he had nothing 90 do with their
coming. In view of the fact That they
were Republicans and that what they did
was in Mr.. Taylors interest, the world
will believe that it was through his infu-
ence or with his consent that they visited
the capitol
Mr.. Taylor also made a mistake when
ne called TO the capitol military organiza-
tons Differed by Republicans and COM
posed principally of Republicans An
other and stll greater mistake was made
when he adjourned the Legislature to
London, a town in the mountains, and re-
fused to let it meet in Frankfort. Not
less grave was his mistake in refusing to
permit a process of the courts 20 be
served upon him, and having arrested the
officer who attempted to give him notice
that injunction proceedings had been be-
gun against him.
Il is probable that the sympathy of the
country was pretty generally with him
until he began to resort to illegal methods
and to the use of the bayonet to keep
himself In the office of Governor Sym
pathy would have remained with him #
he had adhered 20 peaceful means in as
sorting his claim to the office. The Amer
lean people are against violence, and they
almost unanimously condemned him when
he began to resort to violence and illegal
measures. They do not approve the
means adopted in the Republics of Cen
trail and South America for settling diff
ferences between parties respecting the
right TO control the government
Whatever may be said against Goebel
and his methods for getting the guberna-
torial office, 1t must be admitted that he
proceeded strictly in accordance with
the law. He neither used nor threat
ened violence. The grounds on which the
Legislature declared him to be entitled to
the office of Governor are not yet known
TO the public, but it is a fact that it de-
cided the contest in his favor, and. under
the law, he was the Governor.
Mr. Taylor's course has been so marked
by violence ever since 1t became evident
that the Legislature would decide against
him that it is not surprising that Henry
Watterson, In an editorial article in the
Courier Journal, says that many man
has been hanged upon less evidence than
mat which connects Mr.. Taylor with the
assassination of Gov Goebel"