Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-03-16
The kentucky Disgrace.

The situation in Kentucky grows worse
embroglio there lies the possibility of civil
war, of the two parties fighting pitched
battles in the centres of population and of
one grand feud running through the mount
ain counties. The issues are obscured not
only by the fury of partisan feeling, but
deliberately obscured by the cunning of
the Democratic extremists. The question
is "Who killed Goebel?' To this the an
swer of his partisans is that the leading
Republican state officials know who was
the murderer, and the secretary of state is
among those arrested on information given
by an attache of Cincinnati paper, prob
ably "a reporter with theory" Gov.
Taylor has issued pardons to the arrested
parties, asserting in his statement that
they are the victims of a conspiracy.
Here is another of the novel complica-
tions in which this controversy abounds.
Gov Taylor pardons men for crime of
which they are simply accused, not con-
victed. Beckham, of course, will not rec
ognize Taylor's action, and the wrangling
of factions, fierce enough now, will be in
tensfed by the struggle, one to convict
and the other to release the accused.
If Gov. Taylor's course is peculiar, that
of the Goebelites has been at variance with
the law of Kentucky, for apparently no
official inquiry as to how Goebel came to
his death has ever been held. Such at
least is the statement of parties in posi-
tons to study this dark mystery at close
range. If any coroner's inquest was held,
the record of such an inquiry has not been
made public, though apparently Kentucky
still maintains that method of investiga-
ton, for we hear of the coroner giving the
certificate for interment required in such
cases. The object of the Goebelites is now
to bear down opposition and stifle inquiry
at the same time, for there are many
strange stories current in Frankfort as to
the manner in which Goebel came by his
death wound.
That the conduct of the Goebelites has
provoked remonstrance from those Ken.
lucky Democrats who have not lost all
sense of either justice or expediency is ev'
idenced by the following editorial which
appeared in the Louisville Courler-Journal
of March 8:
The Democrats of the House have voted down
bill repeating the Goebel election law, some OF
them explaining that, while they may re IN "a
yor Of amending it, they are opposed 10 It's OUT
ws appear ana return n 20 s re smens the cSoe
k.gll
bel lawY The Senate has passed the Johuson Din
which does not touch the evils or the doeDe
law. So far as the present session of the leg
stature is concerned, the Democrats have evl
IDENTIFY made up their minds TO let the GoeoeI laN
alone. This is very serious MISTAKE me D Gna
ocrats may let the Goebel law alone but the Goe
bel law will not let them alone. IL was al tney
could do to carry the state once under tine manu-
cap of that law; how do they expect TO carry y .
second time, when the opposition 10 the law III
creases rather than dlminishesl marx inns ply
dction: If the election next ia Is held under th
ioebe election law, and il the vote OF henLuca,
Is necessary for the election OF Repuohesal
President KentuckV's vote will be counted 10
the Republicans, it matters not what the return la
may show Nothing in future politics is sure
than this.
The Kentucky Democracy appears &c
have broken away from the control OF sacl
men as Watterson and to have commltte'
itself to course of which even Blackburn
himself can not approve, for the latIe
urged that the first step towards restora
ton of order should be the repeal OF Tn
Goebel law.-TBoston Transcript.