Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-03-02
The Victory Of Right at 1ope ka.

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lessness and the political infamy Of the
Populists at Topeka. It is well to look
at the motives which have Influenced
the governor and the senate and the
Dunsmore gang In their actions In
bringing such disgrace and ruin to our
state.
BY a bargain and sale made by John
Martin and few leading Populists
last fall fusion was arranged whereby
the INSCRIPTIONS Democrats whom
Martin could sell, were to support the
Populist state and legislative tickets,
In consideration that the Populisis
should elect Martin to the U. $ senate.
The result Of the deal was not quite Is
sat sfactOry as was anticipated. Ali
the Democrats could not be sod 30
cheap. However enough Democrats
voted with the PJpulists to elect n
governor and a State senate, but the
fusion lacked $500 votes of n majority
on the legislative tickets aud only
elected 81 Of the 1876 mrmbers Of the
house. This left the POpulists In the
minority on joint ballot. Something
desperate must be done or the greater
part Of the fusion designs must fail.
Frank Doster, an anarchist, G.. q.
Clemens, All anarchist and a moral
leper, W. @. Webb, a disgruutled Re-
publican Office seeker, Semple, man
who went to Chicago to sympathlze
with the Haymarket murderers, aud
J. Breidenthal, a TopolUbampO vision
aire, were selected by the governor to
devise some means whereby the will Of
the people as expressed ut the polls
might be- thwarted. There was only
one way this infsmy could DO accom-
plishtd and that WAS by fraud aud
force. With these weapons they set to
work.
On Jan. 10th there were In represen
tatlve hall 90 Republicans, Indepen
dent, 3 Democrats and 5s PUpullsts
holding certificates of election, and
who according to law and all preced-
ents were entitled to participate in the
organization of legal house Of repre-
sentatives. The 90 Republicans and
the independent proceeded to organ.
lze by electing Geo. l.. Douglass ss
speaker and otherwise perfecting their
organization. The 8 Democrats united
with the Douglass house within two
days, thus making an organic ,tion Of
81 members Of the l25 holding legal
certificates. This left the 81 POpullsts
holding certificates Of election short
OF majority. A minority has nc
power to organize house Of represen'
tatiyes, Having no power to organize
II house, they had no power to declare
or determine or judge Uf the eligibility
of any person tn membership In lega
house. Yet these So Populists AFRO
gated to themselves the right to organ
lze house and to pass on the claim
of persons to membership. A partisan
governor aud IA bitterly partisan senate
encouraged these So Popullsts in theiI
efforts at revolution by pretending I,
recognize their existence AS lega
house, and for more than six week.
this rump organization has pretended
to maintain its illegitimate existence
or course without the concurrence o
the senate and governor the legal hOus,
as presided over by Mr., Douglass coul,
enact no law whereby the legality o
their existence might be determined b,
the courts. The Republicans requisite,
, and implored the Dunsmore gang, tn
senate and the governor to attempt tn
passage OF an appropriation or som,
} other bill, 80 that an adjudication
might be had, and the farce ended
But the Popnlists, having no fait
4 whatever In the justice OF their posi-
ton, utterly refused for i've weeks /
do anything or pass any measure tina
1 would give an opportunity to question
Q the legality of the rump house. Tn
t Republicans at last grew impatient O
the delay and ordered the arrest of tn
Populist clerk, Ben Rich, with tn
expectation that he would institut
} proceedings of habeas corpus at one
: for his release and thus test the author
ity Of the Douglass house to arrest al
one. But this made the Populists ma
D and instead OF appealing 10 the cour: