River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-02-15
WILL NOT SIGN AGREEMENT.
Taylor Decides to Leave Question of
Kentucky GOvernorship to
the Courts.

Frankfort, Ky, Feb. l2.-Gov. Tay-
Tor has definitely decided not to sign
the Louisville agreement. He made the
declaration Saturday afternoon as he
came from the legislative hall, in
which he had all morning been in con-
ference with the republican commit
teemen gathered at the capitol 10 dis
cuss the situation. He has decided to
allow the matter to be settled In the
courts and will abide by their action.
Later on he issued the following
proclamation:
element recently prevailing in this city
having TO some extent subsidized, and there
appearing now to be no necessity for the
general assembly to remain in session in
London, l do hereby by this proclamation
reconvene the same in Frankfort. KY,
February y, 1900. at u o'clock, noon.
(Signed) wv, S. TAYLOR.
Governor of Kentucky"
Immediately after Gov. Taylor came
from the hall orders were issued to
the troops to return to their homes
and Col. Williams at once sent mes
sages ordering cars to be prepared for
their transportation.
Saturday afternoon the governor ex-
planned his position in a formal state
ment issued from the executive man
sion, he having retired to his home:
II have only his to say: After mature
deliberations and conferences with my
friends from every section of the state. l
have concluded TO allow this controversy
tn faEa ffG dina aonrCa vigorously pnnt4Gt-
ing every inch of the ground and unfolding
the rights of the people to the uttermost.
If those rights be destroyed the response
bility for that destruction must rest with
those who sit in judgment.
1T is due to say that the eminent gen.
tlemen, my friends, who secured the prop
osi.ieus rssSitins from tsrc Louisvifie CON
ference, acted In perfect good faith, from
the highest motives of patriotism. and did
the best they could"
Louisville, KY, Feb. 12.-Acting on
the recommendation of Gov. Beck
ham contained in a message which
was read in both houses Saturday, the
democratic legislature decided to con
tinue its sessions in this city. Gov.
Beckham declared that because of the
presence in the state buildings at
Frankfort of armed men acting under
unlawful authority he was unable to
guarantee to them the personal safe
ty and peaceful surroundings under
which a session of the general assem-
bly, should be held.
The new alignment of the parties
seems to be as follows: The republic
ans will stand on the legality of Gov.
Taylor's proclamation adSourning the
legislature, to meet at London, and
will hold to be illegal all acts of the
democratic legislature since the date
of that proclamation, chief among
which are the adoption of the reports
of the contest boards and the declara-
ton of the election of Gov. Goebel and
Lieut.. Gov. Beckham. II the democrat
ic legislators go back to Frankfort the
republicans will insist that John Mar
shall, and not l.. Ii. Carter, is lieuten-
ant governor and president of the sem
ate. They are free to take the matter
of the g~overnorship to the federal
courts if they can make a case in
which such an appeal will lie. Mean
while they will press the suit before
Judge Taft involving the minor state
offices.
The democrats will dispute the le-
gality of Gov. Iaylor's proclamations
a%djourning the legislature Il London
and back again to Frankfort. They
will contend that the Legislature was
dispersed by soldiers and adjourned to
louisville by its own action in adopt
ing with a working quorum a concur
rent resolution to that effect; that its
acts have been legal, including that by
which Goebel was declared governors;
that by another concurrent resolution
it may return to Frankfort when con-
ditions warrant, as it is the only au-
thority by which its sessions may be
transferred from one place to another;
that under the law the Legislature is
the court of last resort in a contest for
the offices OF governor and lieutenant
governor. Meanwhile Beckham will
be recognized by this Legislature as the
legal governor.