New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-27
AN EVIL HERITAGE.

Kentucky is suffering from an evil inheritance
William Goebel the famous political burglar"
is dead; but his crimes live after him and the
school he founded survives to plague the state
whose traditions he defed and whose self-re-
spect he shattered. Mr.. Goebel introduced IN
Kentucky the theory that it is a politicians
business to take what he can, and to take it
boldly and without apologies. This programme
has its Inconvenience under a popular form OF
government for the voters sometimes fail TO
appreciate what they owe to leader with
gift for hypnotizing delegates and flching nomi-
nations. 1t was part Of Mr.. Goebels policy.
therefore to forestaII the voters natural mis-
takes of Judgment and to relieve him Of re-
spOnsbty which could cause only yeXatiOn
and friction. The Goebel law was devised,
under which leader controlling the election
machinery could easily and safely square tha
popular verdict with his own ideas of what was
best both for himself and the public
As a candidate for Governor the first trial
OF this ingenious labor saving law Mr.. Goebel
saw majority vote officially returned for his
Republican rival. Undiscouraged by that fact,
he turned TO other provisions of the statute, and.
with the connivance of the legislature, had his
opponents election set aside. An assassin's
bullet laid him low just as he was about to be
come Governor and dictator in Kentucky. But
his system. unfortunately did not perish with
him. if we are TO Judge from a most remark
able picture of conditions In the state just
drawn by one Of Goehel'S foremost allies and
supporters This caustic critic OF the evils OF
Gopbelism is the Hon. Trey Woodson. thus de
scribed by Colonel Watterson in recent issue
of The Louisville Courier.Journal": MIR. Trey
'.WoodsOn. owner and Editor Of The Owens
.'boro Daily Messenger and of The Paducah
Daily Democrat and member Of the National
Democratic Committee for Kentucky" He is
also justly designated by Colonel Watterson as
"a high priest" IN the Goebel-Beckham- Black
burn organization. Mr.. WOodson is at present
greatly dissatisfied with the way things are 60
ing inside the organization, and he has appealed
to Colonel Watterson to join him in an effort 70
reform" the state machine. Says this Demo
cratic National Committeeman:
Since Mr. Watterson's declinatior to run for
Governor in 1903 account Of the formidable
and obnoxious machine. matters have gone from
bad TO worse in Kentucky. We have had not
only a swapping of offices among officials on the
slate of the machine, nominated by a notori-
ousy fraudulent primary-twelve thousand or
more votes being stolen alone in the CITY of
l|oulsV1le-but the Frankfort oligarchy has set
ltself up not only to future state officers
from among its present number and our United
states senators but all Judges regular and spe-
cIaI' TO influence Judgments in the courts to set
aside Verdicts. 20 secure continuauces or forca
lilais' 10 stand by feudists who have stood bv
II, 70 uctate 10 counties, cities and villages their
governing officers. TO bride party committees and
legislators with offices, to throw enormous Co.
ruPIoh Iuhds INTO local contests to trade anon
eVery PrefogatNe of the executive office and
taxing boards of the commonwealth W
Mr.. Woodson says that this Outrageous con-
dition' VIII not be tolerated much longer and
asks Colonel Watterson to intervene on the
ground that otherwise Kentucky, like Missour,