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KENTUCKY. 



The resolutions declared : " We affirm that the 

 existing election law in Kentucky, enacted by a 

 Democratic General Assembly in 1898 over the 

 objection of our Republican Governor, is viciously 

 partisan, subversive of fairness and honesty in 

 elections, hostile to the principles of free govern- 

 ment, removes safeguards which have heretofore 

 protected and guaranteed the right of suffrage, 

 denies to our courts the power to protect voters 

 in this State against the perpetration of fraud 

 at elections, commits broad power to irresponsible 

 commissioners not chosen by or accountable to 

 the people for their acts, and imperils the sacred- 

 ness, efficiency, and power of the ballot. We 

 therefore set forth as the supreme issue before 

 the people of this State the repeal of this revo- 

 lutionary law, and the Republican party pledges 

 itself to its repeal and to the restoration of the 

 system under which free and fair elections have 

 heretofore been the rule in Kentucky. We cite 

 the election law, the Penitentiary bill, the Mc- 

 Chord railway bill, and many other measures in- 

 troduced and attempted to be passed by the last 

 Legislature of Kentucky as proof of the type 

 of legislation to which the people of the State 

 will be subjected should the Democratic party 

 come into power under its present leadership, 

 legislation alike hostile to political honesty and 

 purity, and to the material prosperity and ad- 

 vancement of our Commonwealth." 



The State administration and the conduct of 

 United States Senator Deboe were commended, 

 trusts were denounced, and the Republican party 

 was congratulated on its legislation for their 

 suppression. The national administration and its 

 policy were approved, and further it was said: 



" We believe in popular education and the fos- 

 tering and improvement of our public-school sys- 

 tem, and we favor a just and equitable law by 

 which the cost of books shall be reduced to the 

 lowest price consistent with due regard for their 

 merit. But we are opposed to the school-book 

 law passed last year by the lower house of the 

 Legislature, because under its provisions desired 

 relief will not be secured, but a more complete 

 monopoly will be established." 



The convention of the People's party was held 

 in Frankfort, July 27. Some effort was made 

 toward fusion with the Democrats opposed to 

 Goebel, but the sentiment for independent action 

 \vas too strong, and an entire party ticket was 

 nominated. John Y. Blair was named for Gov- 

 ernor; for Lieutenant Governor, W. R. Browder; 

 Auditor, Samuel R. Graham; Treasurer, A. H. 

 Cardin; Secretary of State, Benjamin Keys; Su- 

 perintendent of Instruction, John C. Sullivan; 

 Commissioner of Agriculture, W. J. Hanna; 

 Attorney-General, John T. Bashaw; Railroad 

 Commissioners, R. H. McMullen, John H. Reed, 

 and W. G. Patrick. 



The resolutions declared in favor of Wharton 

 Barker and Ignatius Donnelly as candidates for 

 the presidency and vice-presidency in 1900, and 

 said: 



"We heartily sympathize with those honest 

 Democrats and Republicans of Kentucky who 

 refuse to submit to bossism in their several par- 

 ties; especially do we approve of all efforts to 

 rid Kentucky of the odium of the unfair and 

 disreputable law known as the ' Goebel election 

 law' passed by the recent Democratic Legisla- 

 ture, indorsed by the Democratic convention at 

 Louisville, and to the retention of which the 

 Democratic party of Kentucky stands committed, 

 now on the statute books of this Commonwealth; 

 and we regret to see that Hon. William J. Bryan, 

 for whom the Populists of Kentucky voted in 



1896 for President of the United States, by his 

 public indorsement of the ticket nominated at 

 Louisville and the platform there adopted, as- 

 sumes the responsibility of indorsing the criminal 

 attempts of the corrupt element of Kentucky 

 politics to subvert the ballot. 



" We denounce the infamous Goebel election 

 law as a revolutionary and undemocratic at- 

 tempt to subvert the ballot, to enthrone in Ken- 

 tucky a corrupt political ring, and to practically 

 destroy popular government. Therefore we de- 

 mand its speedy repeal and the enactment of a 

 law which will preserve inviolate in this Com- 

 monwealth of Kentucky the right of a free, un- 

 trammeled ballot and a fair and honest count." 



The convention named G. W. Reeves for United 

 States Senator. 



The Prohibitionists held a convention at Louis- 

 ville, Aug. 2, declaring for complete legal pro- 

 hibition of the liquor traffic, demanding the repeal 

 of the Goebel election law, denouncing the State 

 administration, and favoring woman suffrage. 

 Their ticket was: For Governor, O. T. Wallace; 

 Lieutenant Governor, William H. Zeigler; Secre- 

 tary of State, W. M. Likens; Attorney- General, 

 Gen. James H. Beauchamp; Treasurer, J. R. Pile; 

 Auditor, Rev. Samuel M. Bernard; Commissioner 

 of Agriculture, A. W. Carpenter; Superintendent 

 of Public Instruction, G. E. Hancock. 



The Socialist-Labor party made nominations 

 for some of the State offices, as follows: For 

 Governor, Albert Schmutz; Treasurer, James De- 

 laney; Auditor, R. P. Caldwell; Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, Jasem O. Hearn. 



As it was feared that the day of election would 

 be marked by rioting, and possibly by bloodshed, 

 so strong was party feeling and so highly wrought 

 the excitement, the State troops were ordered to 

 be prepared for an emergency, and were in at- 

 tendance in Louisville. The result of the elec- 

 tion was for a long time in doubt, and notice 

 was served upon the commissioners in Jefferson 

 County before the official count was finished, 

 Nov. 17, as follows: "For the Democratic candi- 

 dates we now give notice that at the close of the 

 count and before any certificates be issued we 

 will move the board and all other authorities 

 that may consider this election to declare null 

 and void the election held in the city of Louis- 

 ville on the seventh day of November/ 1899. 



" 1. Because of the usurpation of William O. 

 Bradley in calling out and illegally using the 

 militia and overawing and intimidating the 

 voters and officers of and at said election and 

 interfering with the progress of said election and 

 with the duties of the officers of said election. 



" 2. Because S. B. Toney unlawfully usurped 

 power in requesting said William 0. Bradley to 

 call out and use said militia for said purpose 

 when said call was entirely unnecessary, and the 

 civil authorities were able and willing to exe- 

 cute any order made by said court. 



" 3. Because said militia was used for the un- 

 lawful purpose aforesaid. 



" 4. Because said election was not a cival elec- 

 tion, but a military election. 



" 5. Because the said military was unlawful in 

 every respect and a criminal usurpation of power 

 by said named persons, and thereby the civil 

 power was subordinated to the military power, 

 and an overt act of a treasonable nature against 

 the Constitution of the State of Kentucky was 

 committed." 



With the vote of Louisville thrown out, there 

 would have been a plurality for Goebel. It was 

 charged also that ballots cast in some of the 

 strongly Republican counties were on tissue 



