Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-10-27
A STARTLING DISCLOSURES.

A STARTLING DIscLcsuRx.
Topeka Commonwealth
When the Commonwealth denounced
the leaders Of the union labor party IN
Kansas as men utterly unworthy of con-
hdence, breeders of dissension and strife.
socialist;c and anarchis.ic in tendency, we
were vigorously attacked by the union
labor press Of the state and denounced
by democratic newspapers and speakers
for what they were pleased to term "po-
Etical intolerance" At the time, and
until now, the basis OF these charges
against the union labor party leaders, was
the, past history as sympathizers, aiders
and sbettors Of the Chicago anarchists.
and the feet that they have, at various
times openly avowed their belief in so
cialiam or anarchy.
Some days ago the Winfield Courier
published ritual, large part Of which
was in cipher, of seen ct military" Or
der known as the National order Of
Videtts." The order Was anarchistic
and reasonable in character, the mem
beers placing it above their country and
government, swearing by an osth, the
violation of which was death by the
hands OF their comrades" ''never to re-
veal to any human being. except q COM
rade, any thing may see or hear while
assembled in biv (bivouac) or any of the
secrets OF our order, or the existence of
the same, end that I ,ril al,roys implic-
lilly obey the orders of this Nuic'Loc and
the officers thereof" At the time of the
publication of the ritual BY the Courier,
it implicated the Vincente, the editors
and publishers of the patent shests Of
all of the union labor party newspapers
in the state, and Ed s. Moore, the chair
man of the union labor party in Cowley
county, as among the members of "Na-
tional order of Videtts." It was also
shown that the ritual was printed in
the establishment OF the Vincents
at Winfield, the type being set at night
by young woman sworn to secrecy.
and who afterwards became the wife of
one of the Yincsnts.
The publication of the ritual OF the
order, and other facts about it, created q
great sensation in Winfield and in Cow
ley county. The first issue of the Vim
cents newspaper, which has the very
suggestive name, the american Non
Conformist, angrily declared and in the
most positive terms, that they had moth
ing whatever to do with the "Nationsl
order Of Videtts;" that the ritual was
printed under contract with st. Louis
man, and that SO far as their knowledge
extended there was not g chapter or
lodge Of the order in existence in the
state of Kansas, and that they did not
know that attempts had been made even
to organize them. They pretended to be
totally ignorant Of the 'National order
Of Vidett's", and most vigorously de-
the Courier for connecting their
names with it. Ed. 8. Moore, another
Winfield man who was implicated, when
declared that he knew moth
ing of the order except that he believed
sn effort had been made to organize a
chapter in Cowley county, but that it
he'd failed.
The Commonwealth did not publish
his information at the time, knowing
hat without positive and irrefut-
able proof it would be difficult to
the public that even q ridicu-
lously small per cent of the
people of Kansas were identified with
she organization, especially as it would
be denounced as political thunder and
made light of by the democratic prees.
While the ritual was proof
positive of the existencs of this
snarchistic order, yet, proof Of
ts extent and evidence to show who
we're it's leaders and members and its
secret purposes and intents we're lacking,
without which it's publication would do
title good except to startle the public |
md cause it TO wonder who these secret
,nenies Of our country and our govern
nent were, and where they lurked md
and plotted.
All Of this proof has finally |
,een obtained by the Courier and was
published in that paper Of Yesterday.
It appears elswhere in to-day'sC Common
oealth, and is positive, absolute and
rrefutable in it's character. The "Ns-
iona Order of Videtss" is laid bare to
he world. It's extent in the state of |
Kansas, its secret purposes and objects,
re now as plain as day. The names Of
t least hundred Of Its leading men,
,ers are made known to the people of
he state. For the safety of the lives and
Of our people, for the safety of
'ur institutions and the perpetuity Of
'ur government, the Commonwealth
rusts that every citizen of Kansas will
read through the evidence sd-
Luced and the irrefutsble exhibits made.
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