The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-04-19

THE OSAWA1OHIE. BUSINESS.
Paola Repu5lSlan: The Spirit has
commenced very violent attack upon
the administration Of the insane asy-
ium. This is probably The inItIatoFY
movement 20 a change In the official
management inaugurAted by the Demo
cratic board OF charities. II IS. OF course.
what was 10 be expected after the cleo
ton Of Click by Republican votes. That
was to be q "rebuke''-so these Repub-
licans said-to the temperance law and
order tendencies OF the Republican par
". The Democrats smiled. They ac-
cepted the votes, but they were think
ing Of the Offices and of political power
all the time. And now they are taking
pains 70 consolidate and make perma-
nent success given them by RepublI-
can votes. Click and his gang began
their work by getting control OF the
state penitentiary and its fat contracts,
and now they have begun on the insane
asylum, The Leavenworth Times says
the scheme up there was TO eventually
use the penIlentiary forces in local pol,
itics; and that is the plan at OsaWato-
mile. They think the asylum is a pO-
| liilcal Eorce, and without references 10
the public interest or the welfare Of the
insane they propose TO use II as such.
The first slap toward a change was to
set the Spirit on, to create an excuse Tor
the secretly intended change.
The first rumor we heard that Indi-
Gated probable onslaught was one that
Dr.. Gossett. OF Paola, wished TO be DR..
Knapp's successor as superintendent.
This was probably blind, for on
Wednesday the cloven foot was COM
pletely shown during q meeting OF the
board at Osawaiomie. A resolution
was offered requesting Captain Reuben
Smith, the steward, TO resign on account
Of the charges" against him. Meal
lister and MaloneY voted in its favor,
and Sharpe and Ham against. The
president, Martin, then voted in its IA
vor, declaring Il carried. Csptsin Smith
declined TO resign-and rightly, too, We
think. We are not snrpusea at this
action of the board.
But we are surprised to learn that it
was all "fixed up" in case Smith re-
signed, to appoint John L. Oldhom, Of
Paola, 70 the vacancy. Oldhelm is q
sort OF protege Of ex-County Clerk
Sheridan, editor of the Spirit, WHOSE
deputy he was, and this shows the
Gsimus of Sheridan's charges" against
Knapp and Smith. 1t was simply part
of q concerted plan to put Republicans
out and Democrats in. Civil service. re
4 form, you know! There is the undercur
rent Of Paola bank fight n the matter
also, as the steward has some deposits
but this is outside of the discussion jus
now.
Who IL this Oldham, anyhow, that the
great state OF Kansas, with her eighty
organized counties and million popu
lation can find no better man for this i'm
portant trusts He is an Office hunting Eel
low who has been Republican, Re
former, q Greenbaeker and Democrat
who has been rejected three severa
tunes at the polls by the people OF Mi
ami county; a man without force or in
dividuality, or The proper experience fol
such place. A mere nobody who II
put forward as the tool of others, and Il
break the ice for other changes. If 1
change Is to be made, for heavens sak'
give Us q man to succeed Captain Smith
We have In times past criticized boil
Superintendent Knapp and Steward
Smith, but observation compels as to
say they are both honest, efficient anC
able ofIicials, and 1t is little less than {
crime to remove them.