Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-13
Sharp Contest for State Nominations
in Both Parties.
DEMOCRATIC SLATE NOT MADE UP
Pretty Well Settled That Yerkes
Will Lead Republicans.
TO CHANGE ELECTION LAW

LOUISVILLE, Ky, July IL. Is

LOUIS WILLIE, KY, july IL, 1900
Both the democratic and republican state
conventions will be held next week, the
former at Lexington Thursday, July 10.
and the latter in this city on Tuesday, July
II. Politics is once more the all-absorbing
topic in the state, and soon the stand
ard bearers of the respective parties have
been named campaign that may become
as memorable that of last year will be
inaugurated.
1t takes no political prophet to foretell
the nominee for governor of the republican
convention. There being no opposition to
Internal Revenue Collector John w Yerkes
of the eighth district, he will be chosen by
reclamation. The republican leaders are
now in this city comforting on the plat
form and as to the probable action of the
convention other lines.
Ex-Gov. VIM. o. Bradley will be the tenn
porary chairman, and ex-Lieut Gov. John
Marshall will be the permanent presiding
officer Mr.. Marshall was the ticket
with w. S. Taylor and enjoyed the emolu
ments of the lieutenant governors office but
two months. He is very popular with his
party and was talked of for governor until
it was learned that Mr.. Yerkes would ac-
cept the nomination, and all elements
agreed upon the Danvile man.
The democratic convention will probably
attract more attention than any state po-
litical event in some months. There will
material nomination, with one two dark
horses looming up in the background.
The Democratic Candidates.
The announced candidates are Governor
Beckham, who succeeded to the office after
the assassination of Senator Goebel; Judge
John d. Black of Barbourville, the noun
tain candidate; eX-Chief Justice of the APP
pellate Court Joseph Lewis Judge Tarvn
of Covington and Judge w. b. Smith of
Richmond, who the lone democratic
elector sent from Kentucky after the last
presidential election.
The contest within the party for the CUB
ernatorial nomination has been spirited
one. The candidates have all admitted that
the Goebel election law should be modified
or amended: but MessrS Tarvin and Black
have favored an absolute repeal of the law,
which, they say, cost the democratic party
the state last year They want an abSo-
lutey fair and bipartisan election law.
and insist that such law is essential to
the success of the candidate named at Lex
ington and to the welfare of the party
hereafter.
Gov Beckham. seeing the capital the
other candidates making out of the
proposed modification or repeal of the cleo
ton law, has determined to foreStall his
opponents, who would have the Lexington
convention adopt resolution urging Beck
ham to call an extra session of the legis-
lature to modify radically change the
law. Beckham will within the next few
days issue calls for elections in those legis-
lative districts where vacancies exist, and
will follow this with a call for an extra
session, giving as his reason the belief that
the election law should be modified before
another state election is held. The legis-
lature will meet not later than September
l for this purpose
Claims of Beckhn Supporters.
1t Is a little hard to predict whom the
Lexington convention will nominate, as the
4,-;. i, G,,ic with
favoring no unless it be young Mr..
Beckham. Beckham's friends insist that he
is the natural heir to the Goebel strength,
and that the Goebel machine may be de-
pended upon to land him as the nominee
However. there is such an intense feeling
over the election law, and the various dem
ocratic elements have become split up.
that 1t is difficult to estimate what per
cent of following the candidates have.
Judge Lewis. who is a veteran democratic
leader, is one of the strongest men in the
race. with Judge Black next. Judge Tarvin
will not have much following, it is said
his position on the Goebel law is too radi-
cal. the party not being in a position where
it can actually permit the law to be re-
pealed and non-partisan one passed, but
being willing to take some middle ground.
as suggested by Senator Blackburn, which
would indicate their purpose to correct the
most glazing faults in the law.
1t is said that JuStus Goebel. eldest
brother of the murdered state senator, will
probably be temporary chairman to prove
the loyalty of the party to the Goebel fam
lily.
Position of the Republicans.
The republicans will make their fight
civil liberty, against the Goebel election
law, which, their platform will assert, has
disfranchised thousands of voters in the
state who supported the republican ticket
without having their votes counted.
Mr. Yerkes, who is stirring speaker and
an aggressive campaigner, will open the
ball with a speech at the convention here
after his nomination. 1t Is expected thai
he will from that day forward let no grass
grow under his feet in his stamping tour.
Some of the best-known speakers in the
country will be brought here to aid in the
hot political battle. A supreme effort will
be made by both parties to secure the vote
of Kentucky The fact that the state went
for Mckinley in the last presidential cleo
ton and that the state republican ticket
makes it an uncertain battle ground. No
efforts will be spared to arouse the voters.
and to that end picnicS. barbecues, school
house debates, etc. are being arranged to
drum up crowds for the orators.
1t will be a fight that will wax warm from
the first and the count of the vote will be
watched with more interest than in any
previous year in the states history, not
even barring last year.