The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-22
GOVERNOR BHCKHAMs STATEMENT
What He Proposes to Do in Kentucky
Mr.. Taylor Replies.

FRANKFORT, KY. May 21-Governor
Beckham gave out the following inter-
view tonight: ct am, Of course, very
much gratified at the decision Of the Su-
preme Court. never had any doubt as
to what the decision would be because 1t
seemed that the proposition of law before
them was so clear that no court could
take a different view from that of our
Court Of Appeals in this State and of the
Supreme Court.
1T has been a great victory. 1t is
triumph Of law and order over lawlessness
and desperation, a victory which Mr.. Goe-
bel and myself won I'm November at the
polls, by majority of the legal votes cast
in that election, a victory which was rat
flied by the representatives of this State
in their General Assembly, and which was
last declared legal and binding by the
highest court in the land. We have been
patient and long-suffering. but 1 believe
the result justifies our course.
ut has been my aim throughout the
contest, and / know that Ii would have
been the policy of my illustrious prede-
cessor, to carry on this fight in an orderly
and legal way, and in a way that would
save our beloved State from bloodshed and
civil strife. We have succeeded in that
policy, and / believe that the good people
throughout the State, regardless of party
affiliations. will indorse our conduct. AS
the Governor of the commonwealth, I
promise to be not only the representative
of great party, but the chief executive
Of great State. / shall be as liberal and
broad-minded as possible in administer
fncr fh0 ID Oh IS
highest ambition shall be to restore a per-
feet respect for law and order through
out the bounds of the State.
This decision also brings us face 10 face
with another great State campaign, and
I desire to say that while the Republican
party has sought to make it's battle cry a
plea for civil liberty that on our side we
intend to make an earnest and aggressive
campaign with our battle cry as a plea
for the protection of human Iife' and a
protest against the methods of assassina-
ton In the affairs of our State government.
We shall make no cutlery about civil lib
erty. but we will go before the good peo-
pie OF Kentucky and ask them that they
support us in our efforts to establish law
and order in this State and due respect
for the tribunals of Justice"
OI
Beckhams was shown to Mr. Taylor, at
the Denison last night. and concerning it.,
he said:
II have no criticisms to make of the
Supreme Court. That court does not go
into the merits of the controversy 1t does
not adjudge that Mr.. Goebel got majority
Of the votes and no lower court or tri-
bunal will ever so declare. Mr. Beckham
knows he did not get a majority of the
votes. and so does every other honest man
understand it. The Supreme Court simply
holds that ii cannot take Jurisdiction.
''The arbitrary action of the General As
sembly was the greatest crime ever COM
mitted against civil liberty. The Repub-
leans and liberty-loving Democrats have
been long-suffering and submitted to the
foulest usurpation ever perpetrated. The
fact that this wrong has been done under
the forms of the law makes il none the
less a crime The success of the Democrats
In Kentucky is a triumph of force and
fraud Owe the liberty of Kentuckians If
Mr.. Beckham desires TO rejoice because
he and his associates robbed me of an of
flee and overturned the will of Kentuckians
by brute force, 1 shall not envy him in his
delight