The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-02-14
BLAMES L AND N. r. r.

Henry Watterson. writing IN the
Courier Journal Of the Kentucky DO.
litical crisis. lays the blame of all the
trOnble on tie Louisville and Nash.
vile railroad Ae writes az follows {:
The head and front of our present
troubles in Kentucky, at ooce the
source and the resource Of the revo
lutionary proceeding by which Re
publican government has been for the
time being struck down and mill
tsry dictatorship set up in ita place.
is the Louisville and Nashville Rail
way Company.
In the recent State campaign it
supplied material resources in such
abundance Az to draw out all the
dangerous elements of society and to
put into activity all the forces of
political adventure The two lead
ing parties to the contract were ns
nothing by comparison with it's gi
gahtic machinery for corrupting the
election The hordes of desperate
mountain men who were precipitated
upon the State capital could never
have got there except through it's
agency.
1t is at this moment the backbone
OF the movement to transfer the State
capital from the city of Frankfort, it's
lawful abode, to the little village OF
London, in Laurel county, situated
upon one of its branches in the heart
of the vendetta region, whose turbu.
lence has for years disgraced the
Slate. 1t is believed that the with.
drawal of it's support from the de
facto government would stop dan.
gerous and lawiess proceedings.
Six months ago. foreseeing some
thing of this situation, the editor of
the Courier Journal wrote earnestly
to the financial head OF the Louisville
and Nashville Railway Company to
protest against its intrusion into our
party affairs. having in vain sought
to 'dissuade Mr. Milton 81 Smith, its
local president He was then. and
has been for thirty years, the friend
oi that great corporation. The fnan.
cier (whose name is mentioned)
showed my letter the courtesy Of
submitting it to the executive board.
and did Mr. Watterson the honor to
send him copy of It's deliberations,
embracing the reasons of It's refusal
to consider mis- appeal in the affirm.
ative.
The sole purpose of the Louisville
and Nashville was at every ocs, aud
hsssrd to defeat tie election of Mr..
William Goebel to the Cover o orship of
Kentucky. Mr.. Goebel was mao of
unimpeached purity, of private life and
OF conceded professional ability
During teu years. service as sena.
tnr 10 the State Legislature no act of
his. excepting what is known as the
Goebel election law. had brought the
least reproach upon him. nor auy 10.
clean dollar bad ever been charged
against him, although money bought
Legislation has often flowed as free as
water at Frankfort But 10 some way
be had given deadly offenoo to the
management Of the Louisville and
Nashville. and this management felt
that it must destroy him
IL has certainly done this But, in
doiog it, it has brought. upon ,be people
of Kentucky the iocaioulablo wrong
aod the dire Disgrace of transactions
unexampled 10 the history of repubii
Gao government. There ia not At this
moment, nor has there been at auy mo.
ment, the least disorder. or menace of
disorder, except such ss has emauatsd
from the hand Of the de facto Gov.
Taylor.
The mountain men were brought to
Frankfort. if not by bis express com.
mand. yet by and With bis knowledge
aod consent. Their presence 10 Frank.
fort could have but one meaning aud
purpose. aud. as il to augment both
their meaning and their purpose, some
OF them. who nave been arrested by
'be local police for carrying oonoe led
weapons and for disorderly conduct,
we're. ia advance Of trial. pardooed by
the de faoto Governor.
The shot that killed Mr.. Goebel was
bred from an upper window of the exc
outive Offices, which swarmed with the
armed adberents of the de facto Cover
nor Admission to this building was
at oscs denied the civil sutborities; O
Gordon OF troops was thrown about it,
and there. under the pre,ence of being
10 q stale Of siege. the de faoto Gov
eroor has ever since held himself q
voluntary prisoner, though surrounded
by the State militia, called out By bin
self. and issuing thence proolam aiioos
disbandiog the General Assembly and