The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-17

The threatening situation of affairs in
Kansas is not unexpected. The Populist
governor. Lewelling. is responsible tor the
outcome of the whole matter. The official
report Of the Kansas state board Of an
vassers showed that the Populists had
elected the governor and had . majority in
the senate, but had failed to carry a major
itv of the house. When the legislature
met the official returns of the state board
of canvassers showed hat sixty-four Re
publicans. fftyeight Populists and two
Democrats had certificates of election and
were entitled to participate in the organi-
xation Of the house. The subsequent
seating of Rosenthal by the Republicans
decreased the Republican total to sixty
three aud made the Democratic total three.
Thus the Republicans had a majority of
two. and could organize the house, choose
the speaker and various officers, and
gain control of the various committees
When the Populist secretary of state
refused, finally. to read the list of MEM
bcrs-elect according to official returns Of
the state board of canvassers. the Repub-
lican members. being In a majority, at
once effected an organization which the
Populist members would not recognize.
They effected a second or Populist organi-
cation, and thus there came into being two
rival houses occupying the same hall with
their respective speakers welding gavels
at the same desk. The senate and gov.
ernor. being Populist. recognized the Pop
nlist house. but the three Democratic
members of the lower branch SCOT decided
to recognize the Republican organization.
The right of this controversy is clearly
with the Republicans. as their organiza-
ton Of the hous was beyond question
legal, and the Populist house was the law
less creation of a mob. A clear majority
of all the members elected, including one
independent and one Democrat, with a
quorum of Republicans alone organized
the house in strict conformity with law.
The Populis;s, with confessedly less than
aquorum of the whole number, pretended
to elect a speaker, and then this minority,
calling itself the house, proceeded to vote
out OF their seats without any inquiry or
hearing enough of the duly elected Repub-
lioans, and to vote into seats enough Pop.
ulist, who had not been elected to make
up a pretended quorum. The Populist
governor. in utter def ance of law, refused
recognition to the duly organized majority
OF members and recognized the mob minor
ity Legislature" rs II its lawless proceed
ings made il the legal house.
The Republicans have over and over
again offered to submit the question of the
legality Of the Republican house to the
courts. but the Populis.s refuse to con-
sent, and the governor, who recognized the
"mob" legislature. refuses 10 promise to
abide by the decision Of the courts:
he assumes IS al executive to ar.
hitrsriiy decide which house is legally
organized, and neither he nor his
followers will consent TO submit the
question in dispute as TO which bodv Is
'ths mob legislature 10 the decision of
the state courts. Lawlessness. Of course.
breeds disorder, and the governors re-
fusai TO allow the courts 10 settle
question which the courts only
Fan fairly settle, is responsible for =
most disgraceful and deplorable situation.
Until the courts Of Kansas are legally
mbverted md her laws ~extinguished, no
party can afford TO resort to isw.ess revo-
,utionary methods TO enforce minority
rule. The governor should 20 10 the courts.