The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1900-09-25
MT. STERLING KENTUCKY. TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 25 1900


into both their past and present pur-
poses and also TO examine thoroughly
the foundation on which they base
what they call civil liberty.
This cry OF civil liberty lie based up
on pretended objection to what is
known as the Goebel Law, and fell
low-citizens, in so far as the Goebe
Law is concentration which Mr..
Goebel was not really responsible-I
am perfectly frank to say that its en-
actment was mistake; that whether
the law was right or wrong the con-
dition of the public mind in Kentucky
was not such as to demand or even to
receive such legislation.
But in the operation of the Goebel
law, it has been shown that while it l.
not worse than that of some other
States, notably that of Ohio and Vir-
GINA, yet 1t does give what the ma
jority of the best men in Kentucky
think is due to political opponents and
that it's provisions are liable under
unprincipled and designing men to be
used for selfish purposes. Nobody
saw this quicker or knew it better
than Mr.. Goebel himself. l was with
him certainly not more than fifteen
minutes before he received the fatal
shot-having gone to confer with him
about the order of argument which
was that morning to begin before the
contest boards. In discussing the po-
litical situation, l then urged upon
him, so soon as he should be declared
Governor, the necessity and import
snce, in my opinion, of conveuing
the Legislature and making such
amendments to the Goebel Law as
experience and discussion had shown
were necessary to the harmony of the
Democratic party in Kentucky.
Mr.. Goebel frankly conceded all
that had said and assured me that in
very short time after he was inaug-
urated as Governor he purposed aud
intended to cal! special session OF
the Legislature, one of the objects of
which should be to remove from the
Goebel Law the objections, which had
been so strenuously urged against It
by the people of the State and have
no doubt that, had he lived, he would
have carried out this intention and
this declaration, but Mr.. Goebel has
been killed-murdered atrociously.
The Democratic party in this State
has always been a party that demand
ed fairness and business and honesty
not only in elections but in all public
affairs.
For the purpose of using what linn
tied influence might have, l went to
the Legislature during the tendency
of legislation in regard to that law
and urged upon the few people with
whom | had personal relations and
possibly might have personal influ-
epce, to vote against its enactment
and while not pretending to be wiser
than other people, | then foresaw the
opposition which it would arouse
among the thinking men of the State.
Whatever else may be said about
the Democratic party, whatever may
be said that is unkind or ungenerous
about the people of Kentucky, nobody
questions either the physical or moral
courage of the people of the State of
Kentucky and when the people of this
commonwealth believe they are right
and that wrong has been done, no
party influence, no party power can
stifle the utteraDce of their convic-
lions or their protest against that
which they believe wrong.
There were moving causes behind
this clamor against the Goebel Law.
1t was direc.ed by men who were
shrewd enough and smart enough to
utilize the patriotism and courage of
many OF the test men in Kentucky in
opposition to his Goebel Law and to
cause them to sever the affiliations of
long years and to separate themselves
temporarily from the Democratic par
ty in which they so firmly believed
and for which they had always made
true.t and most stubborn defense.
The Democratic party, in manly
straightforward ard patriotic way,
has called the Legislature together to
consider this question of the election
law and to provide law which, at
least to fair aud just thinking men,
will be as bipartisan as such election
laws usually are.