The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-29
THE GOEBEL LAW.

The so-caIled GOebeI election law Of
Kentucky was enacted for the pur-
pose of preventing ballot-box stuff1ng
and other election frauds by the law
less element of the Republican party
in that state. 1t failed to accomplish
the object sought, for, according to the
press of that state, the corruption and
debauchery practiced by the Repub-
licans at the last election surpassed
anything in the history of Kentucky.
The Democrats admit that the law is
a failure and propose 10 amend it,
probably at a special session of the
legislature. They declare it TO be their
purpose to modify the law in such a
way as to remove all grounds for
charges of partisan unfairness.
After such furious Nominations
against the Goebel law as have been
INDUCED in by the Republicans of Ken
lucky and of the nation. the natural
expectation would be that they would
heartily approve any promise of it's
amendment in the interest of fairness.
But it develops that they do not want
it changed and strongly oppose the
proposed modification. The truth is
that they need this Goebel law as an
issue. By raising a great hue and cry
against the alleged unfairness of the
measure, by posing as the victims Of
political oppression. the Kentucky Re
publicans hope TO distract attention
from their own dark and bloody rec
ord and to remove from public memory
tablish government by assassination.
The Republicans have another pur-
pose in view in opposing any modifiea-
ton of the Goebel law, and in this pur-
pose they are backed by their national
party. The Louisville Courier Journal
explains that it is the intention to
throw out the electoral vote of Ken
lucky and to deny the Democratic con-
gressmen from that state their seats
in the lower house, on the absurd plea
that under the Goebel law Kentucky
has not a republican form of govern
ment.
Hence, while Republican organs and
orators may rage and rant over the
alleged iniquities of the GoebeI law. il is
greatly to their party's advantage that
the law remain unchanged, and they
propose to place every obstacle posi-
bic in the way OF its amendment.
This Goebel election law, that has
been pleaded in justification of govern
ment by assassination, has been made
the subject of much reckless discus
sion by Republican newspapers It's
most Objectionable feature. and the
only feature that can justify a charge
of unfairness, is the provision making
it possible for the party in power to
deprive the minority party of repre-
sentation upon the election boards. The
Democrats propose 10 eliminate this
provision, and il will then conform TO
the election laws of a majority of the
states.
Dishonest partisan journals have put
forth many grossly incorrect state
ments concerning the law. For in
stance, it is stated that, when an eiec-
ton is contested. on the grounds of
fraud, as in the case involving the cleo
ton of state officers last. winter. the
Goebel law permits no appeal to the
courts from the decision in such a con-
test. This statement is made in the
face of the fact that the Republicans
actually did appeal from the decision
in the contest of last winter. The de-
cision of the court of appeals was
against them, several of the Repuu-
lican judges joining with the Demo-
cratic judges in confirming the right
of the Democratic state officials. The
Republicans then carried their case
up to the supreme court of The United
States, and in that high tribunal the