The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-29
HICKMAN IN THE LEAD
rrprCATIoNs POINT To A LARGE
 ATTIC MAJORITY.
Republicans Greatly Handicapped by ; the Goebcl Trial Revelations State Out of Lseht Under
 the Youxg Governor.

l.
 Louisville. Ky Special to Washington l Post. f The Kentucky campaign will end on Nov. 3. when there will be an election for Governor and other State officers. and members of both houses or the gem Ieral assembly. As election day ap- breaches the contest between the Re- publican and the Democratic parties be- comes more heated and at this time 1t appears that the Democrats have de- cfded advantage, and that the State will give the Democratic ticket a large ma jority. The Democratic nominee for Governor is the incumbent. Governor J.. C. w. Beckham. a young Democrat, and a man possessing many qualities which will, 1t is predicted. make him a national figure.
 Mir. Beekham is only 34 years or age and stepped into the Gpvernorship from the position of lieutenant governor when William Goebel was shot down by an assassin's bullet on tiIe Capitol Square at Frankfort. At that time the State was Fin a condition approaching anarchy. The ! members of the Legislature had been driven from the Capitol by w. s. Fay lor's soldiers The members of the Court of Appeals had been driven from their meeting places; disorder reigned in Frankfort, and the State militia was divided on political lines. Half of the soldiers declared allegiance to Taylor fine others following the leadership of
 Beckham. Out of this condition. Beck ham, backed up in his position by the highest courts In the land, brought order out of chaos. The Democrats assert that Mir Beckham has been conservative. has given the State a business-like adminis- traitor, and has been the Governor of the whole people, instead of Governor of party.
 Beckham's Record.
 The Democrats are waging the present campaiEn on this record of the young Governor, and on the fact that. this young man has. during his administration. wip- ed out the entire debt of the State, and will, when his term expires, have suf- ficient amount of money on hand to en- able a reduction of the tax rate. and an increase for the State school fund. They also point with considerable pride to the fact that under Governor Beckham the State prisons have been made an asset to the Commonwealth, and are now pay ing a revenue into the treasury, whereas, under all previous Governors the prisons have been a load on the Commonwealth, and hHve cost the State much money in keeping them upI
 They attack the Republicans on. the ground of the assassination of William GoebeI. and the fact that a former Gov ernor w S. Taylor. and a former secre- tary of State. Charles Finley, are now fugitives4 from justice In Indiana. indict- ments of murder resting against them In Kentucky, charging them with eomphc- ity in the murder of Governor Goebe1 The Democrats also condemn the Re- pubiieans for the use of soldiers ana or the bayonet during the troublesome time at Frankfort and declare that they nave vet to hear from a Republican who mas aided in the apprehension of Goebers as sassins They deny the charges that Caleb Powers, Jim Howard and Henry Youtsey have been convicted by packed
 t1ries. and assert that 30 per cent. of the witnesses who have appeared against these men have been Republican ohce- holders. Three juries, composing thirty six men, have passed on the guilt or lh- nocence of both Powers and Howard ana both have been convicted at each one or these trials.
 Republican Campaign.
 The Republican nominee for Governor is Col Norris B. Belknap, a Loulsvllle hardware merchant and millionaire. The Republicans are making their fight on these grounds:
 That the office of Governor was stolen from Governor Taylor. and was given to William Goebel; that the alleged murder CTS of Goebel have been convicted Dy
  judge; that Governor Beckham has used the uarSfoning power too freely, and has thus brought about condition of law Iessness in Breathftt county and other feud districts of the State; that Cover
 nor Beekham in paying S1,O0e to law
 yer for the collection of Kentucky's civil
 war claim, amounting to A,3Oo,0OO. used the States fund too extraVagantly. and l that a fee of not more than $5'OO0 should | have heen maid for this service, Colonel Belknap is a son-fn-laW or l General Simon Bolivar Buekner, the old | Confederate leader. and former Cover | nor of the State. Colonel Belknap has i been aided in making his campaign by | former Congressman w. c. Owens and w. M. Beckner. Democrats, who left | their party in the celebrated Goebel- | Taylor contest.
 | Governor Beckham has brought to his support many hundreds of those who left
 the Democratic party in the Goebel-Tay- l Tor race. and has been assisted in his
 campaign by such men as United States
 Senators Blackburn and McCreary and all
 the members of Kentucky's delegation
 in the lower house of Congress. Both men have made a vigorous and
 active campaign. and excepting the Goe- ! beI-Tayfof contest. the most strenuous
 and most heated In the history of the | Commonwealth. Beckham's campaign | manager IS JuuBe w. EAdSCl' "lO lS
 a born leader. and one of the most as- tute of Kentucky's public men.
 Hunter as Manager.
 Belknap's campaign manager is Dr. w. I Godfrey Hunter. known everywhere as | the gum shoe" statesman. the man who came near beating Joe Blackburn i for senator in 1895. and who was placat-
 ed by Mckinley with the American mis-
 sion at Guatemala. Dr. Hunter, by the way, is now trying to succeed the late Vincent Boreing in Congress from the l Eleventh district. and on account of his l use of the Federal machine in Kentucky,
 has split the Republican party in this | district and there are now two candi-
 dates for Congress there. Dr. Hunter
 and James Edwards, Boreing's former | law partner.
 Judge Hager was asked for a state
 ment of his opinion as to the result of I election. Said he: We have made a 1 vigorous and active canvass, and I am satisfied that the Democrats will re-eleet .