Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-02-17
THE sIFU ALTON IN KENTUCKY.

'efoucss win my friends from every
section OF the State, have conclude ed
20 allow this controversy to take its
que course, vigorously contesting ev.
cry inch OF ground. and upholdiog the
lights OF the people to the uttermost.
II those rights be DESTROYED. the re-
sponsibi'ity for that destruction must
rest with those who sit in Judgment"
These words were given to the pub.
lie by Hon. w 8. TAYLOR, Governor of
Ken'ucky on Saturday, Feb. 10, 1900.
They are in keeping with his past
lofty position and set at rest all oues-
tions IS to his attitude in the future
When we heard of the rumors OF com
promise we felt then that il they were
true, he was masking g fatal blunder
and was sacrificing the rights OF the
people which had been entrusted to
his care.
His duty was to remain firm, hold
his ground against all corners and eff
the rights be destroyed. the responsi-
bility for that destruction must rest
with shose who sis IL judgment"
The history Of the trouble in Ken
tueky is long story. Still, it would
no doubt be we'll for our readers to
note that Governor Ia, LoR of Ken
lucky succeeded where Governor Rus-
SILL of North Carolina failed.
Governor BRADLEY (Republican) was
Chief Executive of Kentucky and dur
ing his encumbency, Senator GosBRL,
DEMOCRACY who controlled the legis.
lsture had passed a most Infamous
election law, modelled after the mon
streus one in this state.
The Democratic convention met and
there were three candidates in the field
for Governor,-HAEDrN, STONE and
GoKBzL. h RDIN was in the lead. and
STONE was next. Neither had enough
votes however to elect. GoKBRL had
the least Of all.
He entered into deal with S~exR,
by which he [SroNEl was to be nomi.
mated for Governor and thus beat HAR-
DIN.
This was agreed, bus no sooner had
he secured the machinery Of the con-
vention than he proceeded to unseat
enough delegates to give him the
strength desired, and then deaf to all
appeals, he had himself nominated for
Governor, to the chsgrin and disgust
OF the people whom he had betrayed.
The indignation increased and as
time passed, the friends of HARDIN and
SroNE declared that they would not
submit and demanded that WILLIAM
GoEBEL retire from the ticket. They
emphssiz' d this protest by the calling
Of another convention and the nomina-
tion OF JOHN You're BRewN az can
didate for Governor.
The Republicans in the meantime
had nominated w. 8. TAYLOR. Then
began one OF the bitterest campaigns
ever known in Kentucky.
During the year of 1895, GoEBEL had
shot and killed JOHN SANFORD, one of
the leading Democrats OF Kentucky.
As result sASFoRD's wife became in
sane and is now in an asylum. This
was used against GoxBEL and thr 1ugh-
out the commonwealth, he was de-
nouRced 40 murderer.
He refused positively to withdraw
and as the campaign proceeded, his
enemies saw that to support BRowN
would be to aid GoEBsL's election and
they accordingly threw their strength
to TAYLOR, Republican, who was
elected.
There was great excitement in Ken
lucky. The result had to be passed
upon by GoEBKL's Board of Election
Commissioners, and it was openly de-
clared that in spite of the fact tina.
TAYLOR was elected even on the face
of the returns that they would award
the certificate of election to GoEBRL.
The condition of affairs approached
civil war and even GoRBEL's pArtisans
hesitsted and by vote of two out of
the three, the certificate was awarded
10 TAYLOR and during December, '99 he,
was insugurated Governor OF Ken
lucky.
Now GoRBRL who was o member of
the State Senate had SO fixed it that
all contests for Governor and Lieuten-
rnor should be decid ed by the
legislature. He accordingly proceed
ed to make arrangements to have the
Office declared vacant, and himself in
stalled in the place, after he found
that the body was in the control Of his
Now, il should be remembered that
the GoEBEL election law was made for
GoEBEL. In it, he had given the Gov
ernor the power to adjourn she legis-
lature to any other place in the state
in the case OF war, insurrection or riot.
Although Governor TAYLOR showed
that he was fairly elected, the legisla-
tive committee decided against him.
The legislature however did not ratify
or vote on it in regular session and it
therefore did not affect the Governor.