The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-04-26
EMPORIA NEWS
FRIpAY. APRlL %, SIS.



when Governor Anthony sent
troops here to suppress-nothiDg.
This was to be expected to some
extent, but we have been disap-
pointed In a few cases, where we
expected fairness aud argument, TO
ind the most absurd misrepresen-
tstions OF the facts. With the ex-
pressious OF none of our exchanges
are we more surprised than those of
the usually fair and clear-headed
Ottawa Republican. 1t thinks now
that our people have "cOoled of"
there is no honorable course left
but for them to beg the Governors
pardon. A nice proposition, in
deedI
We quote q specimen paragraph {:
And now what are the facts in the case?
AFTER the road had been closed for nearly
ten days 81 Emporia, several engines run
OF the track, and one disabled, public
meeting held by the strikerO. and other
hiRh-ha landed conduct INDUCED In which
the civil officers either could not or would
not suppress, and when IL became in every
way apparent that the strikers had every
thing their own way, Governor Anthony
sent q portion Of . militia company down
there.
The facts in the case are that the
road was not closed here by the &C
ton OF the strikers further than
was caused by their quitting work.
The delay of trains lasted only four
days, aud was caused solely 6y the
failure of the railroad company to
furnish engineers TO naOUe them. No
passenger train missed single trip.
There was no riot here, as the Re-
publican stated in another portion
of its article. There was little dam
age done, none whatever after the
local officers took charge of the
property. Does the Republican go
so far as to say that public meetings
cannot be held by those who have
grievances to discuss? 1t seems 80
when II denounces such gathering
as "high-handed conduct" The
meeting was altogether decent and
orderly, and this being q country in
which free speech is one of our
boosted rights, we do not see how
It could have been constitutionally
suppressed. One of the speakers
was q man who had lived here six
or seven years, and who had always
behaved himself. And we want to
state again, as we have stated be
fore, that whatever protection was
rendered to the property of the
company, was rendered by Sheriff
Conner and his assistants. The mi
lltiA did nothing after they came
here but take their meals regularly
and shoot an innocent minister. II
is . strong comment on the Cover
nor's action. and one which the Re-
publican and other papers overlook
entirely, purposely, perhaps, that 30
soon as the troops arrived here and
saw the situation the captain of the
company telegraphed to Anthony
that they were not needed at all.
This was the general expression
both of the officers and men to OUT
citizens. They were surprised to
see no riotous demonstrations what
ever, as "rumored," but all as quieI
and peaceable as usual. Now it
was the refusal of the Governor to
withdraw these troops after he
knew the facts, thus endorsing the
lying reports being sent out over
the country about our town,
that raised the indignation of
our people. We mistake the mettle
OF the people of Ottawa il they
had not done just az we did, under
the same circumstances. So would
the people OF any other Kansas
town.
The Republican next undertakes
to throw the responsibility of send
ing troops here on the Sheriff. AL
the point there Is in this is that tina
officer had taken charge of the
property of the railroad company
He was importuned by the Cover
nor and railroad officers, until b
asked for twenty stand of arms
He never asked for troops. HI
told the Governor he could get fit!
good men here If he wanted them
He had no arms for them-that i
not enough for that number. Ri
simply asked that his posse Nigh
be mustered as militia, so as to hay
them paid by the state instead o
this county. There was absolutel,
no condition of things here to jus
tify the expense of g posse and ev
cry body knew 1t. He was as mucl
surprised as anybody the next da,
to lsarn troops were nearing tn
city. This is the extent to whic'
the Governor can excuse himsel
on this score. It Is . very thi
foundation for his hasty viola
ton OF law and precedent. Tn
people Of Emporia and Lyon com
~ will average with ordidary com
munities In point Of sense and hon
esty, and It is no doubt very smal
for the Republican to indulge in 81
clamation points and Hsarkssm" 1
their expense, but that does not Il
the least argue anything for th
GoYernor's defense.
But here is the sentence in IL
Republicans article that ''caps III
clamax :"
IL IL also rumored that q son OF May
Watson Il 3 member Of the Engineer
brotherhood, and prominent among q
strikers, which, IL q fact may posstb
account for some Of the milk In The cocO'
nut.
John Watson came here q mel
boy In 1858, and has resided bel
ever aimee, and 1t will be refreshin
news to him, alter married life I
some ak or seven years, to learn b
hss . son wko is an engineer, an
belongs to the brotherhood, b
only child being 4 little dAughte
But this s'rumor" is too absurd