The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-02-09
KENTUCKY'S DEAD GOVERNOR.
He Stood Opposed to the Brute Power
of Money.

We yield considerable space 10 |
day to the following splendid tribute !
10 Kentucky's dead Governor 1t is !
from the pen of brilliant Henri Wat
tersOn. 1t is not only thrilling
story graphically told, a beautiful
pen picture, hut studied more close
ly it presents much food for serious
thought apd-prompt, resoIute ac-
tion by the people of this great re-
public; for, verify the day is not far
distant when the government mnst
absolutely and with an iron hai
control the corporations. or the cor
rorations will literally control the
government. Mr.. Watterson's ar
ticla reads:
There have been so much Of pas
sion, and so little of reason, dOmi-
ratIrg the politics of Kentucky the
last few years. that, in the presence
of the awful tragedy before which
all 'rue Kentuckians of all parties
and all factions staud reverPnt and
uncovertd d, it il hard to speak with
out miscOnetI uction, impt ssible 10
speak without misreprest ntatiOn.
Yet, in the presence of these
troubles that have come upon us al
most unawarts, we venture to ask a
parley with our bitterest enemy {;
and, be fore he lifts his hand to strik g
us down, 20 eDtreat him to paus q
just for a moment, and then if he
wants to strike, let him strike and
let the strike be mortal. 1t is OF
William Goebel that we wish to
speak.
He lies dead at Frankfort. He
can never again speak for himself.
We take lieve to speak not for him,
but in his behalf; in the defense of
the good name which he wished to
leave behind him. now dear only to
the bereaved ones OF his own family,
though honored by his political
associates; for he lived lonely.
Isolated life; was cheek by jowl
with no one; a simple student who
"enired m be p leader and states
man. He was ambitious. The
: eu., gist of Caesar called it a grevious
fault, and grlevously has William
| Goebel answered it. But there are
kinds and degrees of ambition. He
wisht d TO do the State some service.
! He thought the best way to attain
;his end was 10 represent the inter
ests of the great body of the people
against the growing aggressions Of
the chartered companies. 1t cost
him his life. He has paid the debt.
He is gone.
But being a student, sustained by
the leCitude of his convictions along z
with the KNOWLEDGE of his research
es, he set himself against the aggres-
sions o, the chartered companies iik e
a statesman, not like an emprist He
did rot seek " himsically or corrupt
ly to oppose them; but, rather, to
moderate their excess, to restrain
them within the bounds Of their
chartered rights. To accomplish a
task so needful and difficult required
not merely legal learning ana acu-
men, but personal courage Of the
first der; because in the capitals OF
all our states there are lObbies
which, when the artfices or corrup-
ton fail know how to handle the
appliances of intimidation; in the
Older states the machinery Is black
mail; in the newer. the menace OF
personal danger. Mr.. Goebel feared
none of these. He went his way
dIsdaining them. He did his work
in their despite. Because of this hr
became a leader, and the only leader
in Kentuckey whom corruption
and corruptionists seriously feared
They could not huy him and could
not bully him. They had to cause
him to be killed: and like the blow
ing up of the Maine in Havana har
Dor. his death will be the signal fol
such Just retribution to them as came
to Spain. 1t throws a fias hight UpoT
the whole subject of the relation o
) the public corporations to the State
, and To the people. 1t is as a sigma
, to honest and patriotic men of al
parties to unite against the grOwinl
danger of monopoly.
IF William Goebel had survived
these tragical times nothing cOulC
have stood in the way of his goinl
to the head of the peoples column
for physical and moral emancipa
2 tion fTom the brute power Of money
! His death unites the Democrats o
the United States. All of us. from
Maine to Texas, from New York T.
California, will dip our handker
chiefs in his blood, sworn to figh
the fight out on that line 1t IL take
the whole of the coming century
That il all that we can do for hin
now; but, standing over the grave o
this brave and pure young spirit
maligued beyond recall, bounded {
that grave by men who knew bette
this we can pledge ourselves tn dc
The grief of Goebel's taking of /
domestic. The issue is national.
William Goebel was hot a man {
! attract the public. He was not a ma
10 convulse an audience or to set tn
table in roar But his brothers an
sisters loved him and he was so goo
a son that, after mis- mothers death
be kept her membership of be
church alive aud paid for her pew. a
10 she herself had still been liviul
He had the misfortune 10 he born q
poor. German pareutage. Before h
wa five and twenty, he WAS the la
! partner Of the late Gov. Stephenson
the very Ultima Thule Of the patri
2 cianism Of Virginia and Kentucky
l. q. q.