The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1900-02-13
VATTHRSON
RulOuizss Kentucky's Dead Gov
ernOr.
His Death Unites the Democrats
Of the United States"

-0,2
There have been so much of pas
fSion, and SO little of reason, dominat-
eSng the politics of Kentucky the last
few years. that, in the presence of the
awful tragedy before which all true
kentuckians of all parties and all fac
pms stand reverent and uncovered, it
hard to speak without misconstruc-
Jpn, impossible to speak without mis-
representation. Yet in the presence
of these troubles that have come upon
us almost unswares, we venture to
ask parley with our bitterest enemy /;
and before he lifts his hand TO strike
us down, to entreat him to pause just
fer moment; and then if he wants
70 strike, let him strike and let the
!. strike be mortal. 1t is Of VIM. Goe-
bel that we wish to speak.
4 He lies dead at Frankfort. He can
never again speak for himself. We
take leave to speak not for him, but
in his behalf in the defense OF the
good name which he wished to leave
behind him, now dear only to the be-
resved ones of his own family, though
honored by his political associates !;
tor he lived lonely, isolated life;
was cheek-by .jowl with no one; q
simple student who aspired to be a
leader and a statesmsn. He was am
billions. The euiogist of Caesar call
ed it grievous fault, and grievously
rAss VIM. Goebel answered it. But
|. here s-5 kinds and degrees of zmiDi-
| lon. He wished to do the state some
Service. He thought the best way to
attain this end WAS to represent the
interests of the great body of the peo-
pie against the growing aggressions
Of the chartered companies. 1t cost
MIN ms lie. Sie mas psid the deDt.
He is gone.
But, being student, sustained by
the rectitude of his convictions along
with the knowledge of his researches,
he set himself against the aggressions
of the chartered companies like
statesman, not like an empirist. He
did not seek whimsicaly or corrupt
ly to oppose them but, rather, to mod
crate their excess, to restrain them
within the bounds of their chartered
4 rights. To accomplish task so need
2 kul and difficult required not merely
legal learning aud scumen, but per-
sonal courage OF the first order; be
cause in the capitals of all our states,
there are Hobbies, which, when the
articles of corruption fail, know how
to handle the appliance of intimida-
ZION; in tine older States the machin-
cry is blackmail; in the newer, the
menace of personal danger. Mr.. Goe-
bel feared none of these. lie went
his way, disdaining them. He did
his work in their despite. Because OF
this he became leader, and the on
l. leader in Kentucky whom corrup-
ion and corruptionists seriously fear
ed. They could not buy himvSnd
they could not bully him. They had
to cause him to be killed and like the
blowing up of the Maine in Havana
harbor, his death will be the signal
for such just retribution to them as
came to Spain. 1t throws a flashlight
upon the whole subject of the relation
of the public corporations to the State
and to the people. 1t is as a signal to
honest and patriotic men of all par
ties. to unite against the growing dam
ger of monopoly.
II William Goebel had survived
these trsgical times nothing could
have stood in the way of his going to
the head of the peoples column for
physical and moral emancipation from
the brute power Of money. His death
unites the Democrats of the United
States. All of us, from Maine TO Tex
as, from New York to California, will
dip our handkerchiefs in his blood,
sworn to fight the fight out on that
line il it takes the whole of the COM
ing century. That is all that we can
do for him now but, standing over
the grave Of this brave and pure
young spirit-maligned beyond recall,
bounded to that grave by men who
knew better-this We car pledge our