The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-12
The Kentucky Situation.

The kentucky Situation.
The action Of Gov. Taylor, of Ken
lucky, in Diminishing the militia and re-
converting the legislature at Frankfort
clears the situation to a very great ex-
tent and eliminates the fear Of any APP
peal to arms for the settlement of the
controversy. while, as a matter OF
course IL presages the ultimate carry
ing out of the Democratic conspiracy to
reverse the result OF the election. What
ever may be said Of Gov. Taylor's ac-
ton in ordering the legislature to con-
vene at London, his position is now alb
solutely correct, both as matter Of law
and OF morals He is still the governor
of Kentucky. both de jure and de facto.
He has been regularly elected. The
majority of the Democratic members OF
the returning board refused to become
parties to the conspiracy to count him
out. canvassed the votes honestly, gave
him the certificate of election, and he
WAS uuiy sworn INTO OFFICE
The contest. instituted under the
forms Of the law. is. as a matter of law.
stil pending and undecided. The con-
test committee which arbitrarily and
without any shadow OF Justification, but
strictly In accordance with a prear-
ranged partisan conspiracy, decided
against him, refusing to his attorneys
even an opportunity to present their le-
gal arguments, has never as yet rem
legislature, the action of which Is
necessary TO give the decision any bind
INK effect The legislature OF the state
has never been in session since the re-
port of the committee was prepared,
Unless the session held at London was
a legal session, and as no quorum has
ever been present there, the legislature
has never been In position to perform
any legislative or quasi judicial act
As far IA the proceedings were con-
oerned under which Goebei was sworn
In as governor. there was not the faint
est pretense OF the legal requirements
having been followed A paper was Sc
eretly circulated among the Democratic
members of the legislature. signed by
the individual members wherever they
were found. on the street. In bar-rooms
and In their private apartments. deelar-
ing Goebei elected and this is put for
ward az a solemn legislative act. II is
true that subsequent caueuses of the
Democratic Legislators were held, in Sc
cret. behind guarded doors, to which
Republican members of the legislature
we're not invited and OF the meeting Of
which they had no notice, and these se-
eret party caucuses pretended to ratify
the street action. and also to declare
Beckham elected as lieutenant COVER
nor
Entirely aside from the merits OF the
controversy. IL must be apparent that
all OF these proceedings. as far as they
purport 10 be the acts Of the legislature
OF Kentucky. are without any force or
legal eject, and that the status Of Mr.
Recsham is simply that - a contestee
before the legislature for the Office ~
lieutenant governor. whose case is yet
60 De determined by that body.
Heretofore the Democrats OF the Ken
lucky legislature have declared that IN
their conspiracy to set the late cleo
tion aside and 20 cleo, the governor OF
the state OF their own volltion and in
defiance Of the popular wish. they have
proceeded within the forms of the law.
II they persiS, IN their refusal 20 return
90 the seat ~ government 20 resume the
interrupted session os the legislature.
and ccatiuue 20 recognize Reckham as
governor ~ the state In advance q the
completion 81 the conspiracy 90 seat
him. they can hardly claim % DE- gro-
cvseiing under the law Their attitude
& that % Instruction against the pres.
ent legal and existing government ~
kentucky. and has no shadow q tQxti-
fieauien. for no obstacle row Hes in the
way % their carrying cut their criminal
conspiracy 80 uaseat Gov. Taylor and
sim keep within The strict letter = are
statute law. All that thsy viii have 90
do is 20 ixnsvr their previous pretended