Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-11-07

ty much everything which men shoult
not do and which even the men en-
gagged would In their cooler moments
and better judgment discontenancs
and disayow. And this was, In tht
beginning, as true Of the one party al
the other Ultimately, the inilameC
ambitions and interests involved
preclpiated a struggle for corrupt ad
vantage and thence, it deepened int
something very like civil war, culmina
ting In an actual reign Of terror at the
capital Of the state.
ELECTION ACT FORCED ON eoEBEL,
'eThe RECONSTRUCTED and ill-starred
election law, which bore the name Of
the party leader whose tragic death II
foreshadowed and procured, laid the
ground plan for these disorders; but
the act in question was neither con.
ceived, nor projected, nor prepared by
William Goebel. 1t did not meet the
sanction Of his clearer discernment.
He was urged to reiectit, and he came
very near rejecting 1t. He was a
young, ambitious man. He was in
the saddle. He doubted, and, con
sidering the wild elements about
him, he had reason 10 doubt, whether
his leadership would bear the strain
of his opposition to this pet measure
of the extremists Of his party. He
finally accepted it, gave it his name
and identified himself with the mis-
adventures by which 1t was at once
enyironed.
AMBITION OF MURDERED MAN.
"At the end of a long and fierce con-
test in his own party, William Goebel,
the son of humble and poor German
parentage, became the Democratic
nominee for Governor Of Kentucky. A
proud position at all times and under
all circumstances, it seemed to the
poor lad, for but a lad he appeared to
be with his beardless face and his shy,
studious ways, a very pinnacle, which
he could look into paradise. 1t had
been the dream Of his childhood, his
youthhood, his manhood. To reach 1t
he had been eager toclimb mountains,
to traverse and to tread down forests,
to meet all corners. IL was claimed by
his enemies that he got the nomina-
tion unfairly. AS a matter Of fact he
did nothing TO his adyersaries that
they were not ready and trying to dc
to him.
''It is claimed by his enemies that
he was not elected Governor. AS
matter OF fact, both parties were do
ing their utmost to compel the cleo
tlon-the Democrats through the ma
chinery Of the state government-so
that what might have been the result
had there been a perfectly regular and
orderly election nobody can say. But,
from the day the returning board met
at Frankfort to count the vote and de-
clare the result, the purpose OF the
Republicans to use force II necessary
to carry their point became manifest
and, thereafter, a reign OF terror In
their favor was established.
REPUBLICANS RESORT TO FORCE.
"Throughout this reign Of terror the
Democrats proceeded at least accord.
ing to the terms and the forms Of law.
That they did so is attested by both
the court Of appeals OF the state and
the circuit and Supreme Courts Of the
United States. Meanwhile, the Repub-
Iican Governor, Professionally inducted
to Office by the Democratic returning
board, holding this Office tentatively,
however, and under legal protest and
contest instituted by the Democratic
appellants against the ruling Of the re-
turning board, proceeded to intrench
himself, not for legal, but for a physi'
cal contest.
OFFICE AN ARMKD CAMP.
.The executive Office was converted
into an armed camp. A lawless body
OF men was collected and brought to
Frankfort to serve as supports to two
or three companies Of militia which,
oelcered BY Republicans exclusively,
were already assembled. The Demo
cratic Legislature became a prisoner
in its own capital, its members in I'M
minent peril Of their lives and It's
committees chased about the streets
nv squads OF soldiers. The court Of
appeals warned Of impending assassi-
nation, had 10 come to Louisville "a
hold its sessions, secure against threat
ened murder and military surveillance,
aThe inevitable came 70 pass Al
this array OF force, with its menace Of
death, proving insufficient to over
awe the Democrats OF the Legislature
resort was bad TO the final stroke,
prearranged to do It's deadly work in
| this precise event; and, pud Of
smol,e ont OF a window Of the execn'
five ofice, occupied by the Republican
governor and his Republican friends
| -. r,..f l. shnf down IN his