The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-18

tlNeS. Iney nave Deen tolu lnal III TINS SieS
10000 men have been intimidated by the
State military under the command OF
Republican Governor, when every iair-
minded man in the community knows that
the presence of the militia was an assur-
ance of good order and protection against
a riot that might be destructive of life and
property. Not one soldier was seen at the
precincts during the election, and not one
man could be found who would TESTIFY that
he was intimidated by them or knew any
one who had been. They did not leave the
armory during the day, and only marchSu
10 eight precincts three hours after ths
election closed. and for this the vote OF
ls9 precincts in the city of Louisville was
thrown out
''The claim of military interference in the
city of Louisville was sham and frauo-
This. however. and the charge that tissue
ballots had been used in some OF the RepuD-
Ecan mountain counties, constituted the
grounds OF contests instituted by GOeDel
and his Democratic followers. The claim OF
tissue ballots even more unfounded
than the charge OF intimidation. The vote
III those counties was the same as had peen
cast in other elections. and the same char-
acter of ballots had been used In Demo
cratic counties as in those thrown out. I'D
addition, those ballots were all furnished
by the State. and il is contrary TO all
principles of justice to put it within the
power of any county clerk to utterly dis
franchise the people of his own county.
The people of this State have not forgot
ten how the committees To try the guber-
Material contest were selected, nor their
ruling I'm excluding and limiting the time
for the presentation of evidence. They
have not forgotten how bare majority of
the Legislature, without notice, evidence
or hearing, adopted the finding of these
committees disfranchising thousands of the
citizens of this State.
The assassination of Mr.. Goebel was no
justification for such high-handed Proceed
ings. The people of the State. and the par
ties TO these contests. had right to a fair
trial of these issues. which could not be de-
stroyed by any vicious or blind political
fanaticism. The assassination was abhor-
rent to every manly instinct. and whoever
committed so cowardly and dastardly an
act deserves the severest sentence of the
law. But the issue before the people to-
day is not the assassination Of Mr.. Goebel,
for that can be tried by the court alone.
1.-The people are TO be asked TO approve
the acts OF a triumvirate and bare ma
jority of the Legislature which have dis
franchised thousands of the citizens of
State without semblance of legal justifica-
ton.
THE FINAL APPEAL.
Eve have appealed to every court in the
State and to the Supreme Court of the
United States and have been told that they
had no power to interfere; it mattered not
how fraudulent and arbitrary may have
| been the exercise of power by these men.
I'm democracy all power resides In the
people, and we have come back to the peo-
pie of this State in no selfish, partisan
| spirit, but fairly and frankly to lay the
| facts before them. This is matter that
rises above politics. 1t involves the per-
| sonal liberty of every man i'm the State of
Kentucky. Let that law remain upon the
| statute books that gives TO three men the
| power 10 control the appointment of every
| precinct election officer in the State of
| Kentucky; TO canvass the returns made by
its creatures and then to- decide all con-
| tested elections and you erect an oligarchy
as despotic and arbitrary any known
| in the annals of history.
1--WE must have fair and nonpartisan
| election law surrender our claim TO a re-
| publican form of government. Glory as
We may in the magnificent administration
| of Mckinley: congratulate ourselves upon
| the establishment of a sound currency and
| the return of peace and prosperity; recall
with pride how the American people, wear
arrogant Spaniard from the Western hemi-
sphere, and how they are now seeking 10
| give the blessings of good government ana
| republican institutions to- Porto Rico, Cuba
| and the Philippines. We must remember
| that these all matters of secondary i'm
portance 10 u.s.
| "Our interests lie closer TO home and ap-
peal directly to every individual in the
| State. What confidence can we have in
| the sincerity of the declaration that gov
| ernments exists only by the consent OF the
| governed when see without complaint
| a state administration forced upon our own
| people TO which they have never assented.
| Liberty is but mockery, II such con-
| dition can continue 10 exist. The infamous
| law which made possible this outrage
| must be uprooted if expect TO have a
| free government in this State. Utterly
| bad in principle, Ii has been demonstrated
| TO be even worse in practice. Ii is not sus-
| ceptible of amendment. We want no sub
terfuges: we want no evaslons, ana, least
| of all, we do not want minority representa-
| tions on the county boards, for have we
| not seen that the minority, represented by
| the most estimabe citizen of the State. is
utterly powerless against partisan and
| unfair majority.
..The people of the State must express
their condemnation of the wrongs that
| have been committed i'm their State and let
| Kentucky once more gain that position TO
| which she is entitled in the sisterhood OF
| States. We believe they will rise equal TO
1--WE appeal not alone to the Republicans
| and to those men who refused TO vote for
| Mr.. Goebe. but TO every citizen OF the
| State, regardless of party The Demo
| cratic party. under the old system OF APP
| pointing officers. carried this state In many
! an election. Give us fair and nonparti-
| san law. and If they can be honestly sue
| cessful the Republican party Will make no
complaint. Better a thousand times that
| party should be in power than that our
| present conditions should continue with
| the citizens of the State in political slavery
| under the domination of three men respon-
| sible TO no one.
| Judge T. u. Morrow was made permanent
chairman. Judge Morrow reused the con-
vention to a high pitch of enthusiasm i'm a
short but vigorous speech in which he de-
clared that the Democratic officials al
Frankfort held their office by the same
title by which a wolf holds a sheep that ii
has just taken from the fold"
DT ATEOpM TO THE POINT
The platform, which was unanimously
adopted, contained three planks, the sec
| ond and third. respectively. indorsing the
Philadelphia convention and its nominees
and urging the government 10 protect
Americans in China, and the first one deal
ing with the state campaign. 1t as
| follows:
1.-The Republican party OF Kentucky is
| confronted with a special and extraordinary
| duty in the election OF a Governor. The
| events of the past twelve months draw
| together all the friends of social order and
| civil liberty. Republican officials. elected
| by the people at the polls. have been de-
| MED their offices, and the people OF Ken
lucky have been deprived Of the right OF
| choosing their state officials. Republican
| members of the Legislature were unlawful
| ly unseated; the city of Louisville was de
| priyed OF the right 10 any part in the con
| duct of the government: the counties o
| Johnson. Magoffin and Martin have beer
! denied all voice in the choice OF our OF
ficers. The courts declare that the only
remedy for such invasion OF personal lib
| erty rests with the people at the polls. We