New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-21
THE ISSUE DRAWN IN KENTUCKY


The platform of the Kentucky Democrats is
a remarkable production. Its rehearsal of the
proceedings which terminated in the installa-
ton as Governor of Mr. Beckham, who has
been nominated to succeed himself. is, in par
ticular one of the widest and weirdest pieces
of fiction that ever emanated from a political
convention. That it will conciliate Kentucky
voters, who know all the facts and thoroughly
comprehend the chief issue in their State this
year, no intelligent outside observer is at all
likely to suppose. There is n general impress
sion that Governor Taylor in his efforts to
retain the office to which beyond doubt he
had been honestly elected did not invariably
act with the highest prudence and sagacity but
in seeEnparfson with the monstrous usurpation
which his adversaries finally accomplished
urderbthe forms of law his faults were trivial
indeed srTHfis is the view of the matter which
the Republican party in Kentucky unanimously
takes, and its recent convention showed that
there are many Democrats in the State whose
hostility to GOebelism has been increased rather
than abated by its triumph the will of the
people and the verdict of the polls
The one feature of the Democratic platform
which is really significant is its promise that
the Goebel law shall be amended, and that in
the mean time the Republican party shall be
represented State and County Boards of
LlecJlOn commissioners. mat this pledge is
accompanied by the statement that the abom-
Unable statute under which the people were
cheated and the Commonwealth brought to the
verge Of revolution was enacted for the pur-
pose of preventing Republican frauds is not
surprising. Such a pretence deceives nobody.
but it was doubtless felt to be due to the
memory of Goebel. The important thing is that
his followers thus confess their knowledge that
the law which bears his name is odiOus to the
people of the State, and admit the necessity for
campaign purposes Of declaring for free and
honest elections.
The real character of the law which the Ken
lucky Democrats promise to amend in order
that it may more efficiently prevent Republican
rascaity has been set forth with accuracy and
appropriate vigor by that eminent Kentucky
Democrat Colonel Henry Watterson, as follows:
Granting that with the machinery Of this bill
in his (Goebel's) hands his ambition may be
probably will be, gratifed, what should it profit
him if he gain the rulership of the universe and
lose his own soul, and along with it his good
name, as the slayer of civil liberty? But
the Goebe bill will never be enacted into law
The Democrats of Kentucky have not sunk so
low as that. There is a limit to the fury
Of factiOna passion. There are bounds set upon
the prosperous rapacity of sectional leadership
Inc people cannot have gone COMPLETELY and in
curably mad. There is yet some grace left in
the manhood Of Kentucky to rise in it's might
and say TO this wicked attemDt TO steal it's
blrthrlght of freedom in open day and before it's
eyes, II Forbid
1t seemed reasonable to expect when this pre-
diction was made that it would be fulfilled
But the GOebel bill was passed and the major
ity by which Mr.. Taylor was elected Governor
was not large enough to dissuade his opponents
from putting the machinery of the law in mo-
ton and stealing the State Offices But we still
believe with Colonel Watterson that the Deonle
of Kentucky cannot have gone completely and
iT1SpT1 A
reason to think that they will establish their
sanity next November and put in the place of n
usurper, with title which nobody will dare to
dispute the able and honest man whom tha
Republicans have selected to lead patriotic cjti-
zens of all parties in the fight for civil liberty.