The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-24
Gov. Mount Is Right.

The action of Gov. Mount, of Indiana,
in refusing to honor a reauistion, Is
sued by Gov. Beckham. of Kentucky
for the person of former Secretary Of
State Finley. charged with completely
in the murder of Goebel. will meet the
approval of conservative men all over
the country, without regard to their po-
litical affiliations. Partisanship has gone
mad in Kentucky, as the result Of Goe.
belism. to which the Democrats of that
state are apparently irretrevably COM
that state It is hardly to be considered
civilized community Certainly it has
not a republican form of government,
except in name. 1t ranks with Haiti,
Santo Domingo. or some OF the worst
governed Of the Central American coun-
tries.
The governor of Indiana is doing well
to proceed with caution. in considering
applications. issued by bitterly parti-
san executive. for the purpose of bring
ing back to that state a political op-
ponent. to be tried before a partisan
court and partisan jury. or to be
lynched without any Of the formalities
of the law, by a partisan mob elated
by temporary success in defeating the
will of the people. and actuated by the
desire to get rid at any cost of the lead
ers OF the majority party in the state,
who have endeavored to restore decent
and honest government there.
When the partisan majority in the
Kentucky legislature offered a reward
of 800, 900 for the arrest and conviction
of the murderers of Goebel. it deliber-
ately invited the commission of perjury
for the purpose of endeavoring to fix
publican party. With this enormous
corruption fund in the hands of such
an utterly interruptions crowd as the
Goebelites of Kentucky have proved
themselves to be, and with the an
nounced purpose on their part to en-
deavor to fix the crime upon their lead
ing political opponents. it is certain.
without even an element of doubt. that
! the conviction of these men will be had
without regard to the facts. If ever they
are brought for trial before Kentucky
Democratic partisan Judge or before
partisan jury. selected as was the grand
Jury which returned the indictments
against them.
| The popular will in Kentucky has been
overcome by open fraud and the shame
| less abuse of power by a partisan ma
| iority in the legislature, many mem
bers Of which owed their seats in that
body to equally shameless and unblush-
| ing frauds. The treasury Of the state
! has been looted 70 raise an enormous
! sum with which to purchase manufac-
! tured testimony Men who would be
! guilty OF such crimes against free gov
! eminent as have already been perpe-
| trated In that state will stop at moth
/ ing to insure their retention of the pow
err which they have seized. Trials un-
| der the circumstances existing In that
/ state would be mere mockeries and
/ travesties OF justice. Gov. Mount sim
| ply refuses TO shut his eyes to these
/ open and notorious facts. and very
/ properly refuses 10 surrender a Ken
! lucky citizen. now in Indiana, into the
hands Of his political opponents.
/ BY way Of retaliation, the governor Of
/ Kentucky will probably refuse to recog-
/ nize future acquisitions for Indiana
criminals who seek refuge in his state
/ The effect Of this will probably be to
make Kentucky haven Of refuge for
& criminals from Indiana. Under pres
ent conditions in Kentucky. they VIII
/ certainly find themselves In congenial
company when they cross the borders
, Of that state.
Neeley's counsel says that the propo-
sition to try an American citizen in a