The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-02-13
A State Government Threatened.

| A State Government Threatened.
The threatened trouble in Kentucky
may probably be avoided by enforce
ment of the constitution of the United
States. 1t has many times happened
within the last half century that the
provisions of that venerable charter of
| liberty, when studied in the light of
new and seemingly unavoidable embar-
rassments, have been found to provide
Il remedy and safeguard for liberty.
| No sober man of either party doubts
that the Goebel law, as it was en-
pioyed to aid the Democrats in the
election and is now used by them in
the Legislature, is perfectly answering
the intention Of its author, who meant
to make it impossible for the majority
OF the people to control their state gov
ernnhent, if that majority proved to be
Republican. The majority did prove to
secure certificates of election for DEM
ocratic candidates through the fraudu-
lent use of the law We're defeated. The
official returns declared that the Re
publican governor was elected, and the
number of Democrats in the Legisla-
tune who hold that conviction is SO
large that several members who were
duly elected must be turned out in high
handed violation of law, as one was
ON Saturday, before n majority TO de
clare Goebel elected can be mustered.
In the presence of such crimes
against self-government it is always
difficult TO determine how far the letter
of the law can be obeyed without de-
stroying its purpose and spirit. More
than once in the history of peace low
ing aud free commonwcalths it has
been found necessary to resort TO arm
ed force TO prevent the perversion of
all law. But every good citizen never
theless realizes that no such step can
ever be taken or tolerated while there
exists any other mode of preserving
the liberties of the people. Until Ken
tuckians have exhausted all remedies.
and know that nothing but their own
arms can maintain their freedom, they
are under the most sacred obligations
to obey the law, however basely con-
trived and executed for criminal ends.
The constitution of the United States,
Article w., Section 4, provides that
the United States shall guarantee to
every state in the Union republican
form of government" No refining or
pettifogging can get rid of the plain
meaning of these words. No official,
judge or congressman of the United
States can without violation of his
oath, shrink from any duty which the
plain meaning of the words devolves
upon him. In some form the people of
Kentucky, who are in process of being
robbed of a republican form of gov
ernment. have the right to obtain from
the United States relief and security
in the exercise of their rights as free
citizens of II self governing state.
1t is not well TO attempt here TO de
termine which of the different modes
of interposition is most fitting. The
question can be taken to the Supreme
Court of the United States, and that
would be the most natural remedy IL
the court, upon entering the case. finds
itself empowered to enjoin all parties
from proceeding further in their project
to overturn free government in Ken
lucky until the question can be con-
sidered by the courts and decided.
But unavoidably that is IA slow pro-
cess. The Congress of the United
States also has n certain power and
duty If there is not visible any other
and sufficiently swift and certain mode
of preventing the overthrow of q re
state of Kentucky. Congress cannot
shrink from its duty in the matter.
Neither can the Executive, if there
prove to be steps which it is within his
power to take while Congress is in ses-
sion. That he would have large power
for the defense of elf-govcrnment in
any state against overthrow were Con
gress not in session all are aware. But
it is enough here to point out that the
constitution puts plain and solemn
duty somewhere; whether upon the
President or Congress or the Supreme
Court in tins case has to be considered.
The good citizens of Kentucky have a
right to believe that their liberties will
not be taken from them while the en-
forcement of the constitution is intrust-
ed to those who are now charged with
it.
Freedom.
Senator Bacon of Georgia is anxious
to give the Filipinos freedom. That