The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-17
The Political situation in Kentucky.

The Kentucky Republicans will meet in
convention at Louisville today to nomi-
nate a candidate for Governor to succeed
to the office which they attempted to
hold by murder and assassination. Their
peerless leader w. S. Taylor. owing TO
circumstances over which he has no con-
| troll. will not be with them. When last
heard of Taylor had shaved off his mus
tache as means of disguise and was
lodging the detectives who are after him
/ with warrants charging him, upon the find
inss OF grand jury, with participation in
| the wretched conspiracy which removed"
William Goebel at the door of the State
House in Frankfort. At last accounts the
Governor Of New York, who is also Mr..
Mchinley's fractions running mate, was
protecting Taylor from arrest and return
to the jurisdiction of the Kentucky courts.
Ii is expected that the Kentucky Repub-
licans will have much to say in their
convention today about affairs in their
State. OF course they will disciaim respon.
sibi!ity fo- the hideous crime of assassina-
tion which precipitated anarchy in the
Bluegrass Commonwealth last winter But
their disclaimer cannot counterfeit the eff
feet of the fair. impartial trial of some of
the alleged perpetrators of that crime which
is now in progress at Georgetown They
will also indulge in the usual disavowals
of an alliance between their party organ
ization and the selfish, arrogant corporate
interests OF the State. which, having fall
ed TO rule the Bluegrass Democracy. now
"a
TO the desperate gang Of freebooters under
the leadership of Mark Hanna.
On Thursday the Kentucky Democrats
will meet in State Convention at Lexing-
ton to nominate their candidate for Gov
ernor. If wisdom, and not infamed SEN
ti.sentality, guide the conduct OF the
Democratic Convention the platform and
not the candidate will be the special OBJ
iect of concern. Upon the action OF the
Lexington Convention may depend the sa-
cred cause of good government for the
next four years, not alone in Kentucky,
but throughout the Union. The Goebel
election laws have been impressed upon
the national judgment as unjust in spirit
and unfair in operation 1t is true that
there Is a great deal that is false in this
impression, but this fact does not suffice
to make the national opinion of the stat
utes named any the less harsh. 1t is also
true that in the November election the
Federal election laws will supersede the
Goebel laws in Kentucky. but even this |
will not serve TO reconcile the country TO
the situation in the Bluegrass State.
There is no doubt at all of the intention |
of the Republican managers to take full |
advantage of this situation. if that course |
be necessary TO the reelection of Mr.. Nc
kinley. Under the enlarged powers of Con-
gress as the returning board in presi
Dental elections there is every likelihood
that II Mr.. Mckinley's reelection depends
upon the thirteen votes Of Kentucky
Congress next March will give those votes
10 the Republican candidate II the Goebel
election laws were upon the statute book
when the ballots we're cast in the Bluegrass
State. The common sense of the PROPOSE
tion then, demands the repeal OF the Coo
bel laws. Every interest of the Democratic
party in the nation. every interest OF the
Republic, calls eloquently upon the Ken
lucky Democrats to repeal or materially
modify these laws. There is now no time
for a campaign of education on the ques-
lions involved. We hope and trust that
the Lexington Convention will direct Gov
ernor Beckham 10 summon the Legislature
to Frankfort Immediately for the purpose
here set forth. With this done one of the
greatest dangers TO the triumphant cleo
ton of Bryan and Stevenson will be re-
earn the gratitude of the nation which
now is imperiled by the threat of the con-
tinuance in power of the most dangerous
cabal that ever controlled the Government
Of the United States.