The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-02-24
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
The Case Plainly Stated by the Republican
House-Protest From the House

The Case Plainly Stated by the Republican
House-Protest From the House.
After gaining possession of Repre-
sentative hall at Topeka the republican
house adopted the following address to
the people of Kansas, prepared by
Speaker Douglass:
STATE OF KANSAS,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
TOPEKA, Feb. Is. 1898.
To the Law-Abiding Citizens OF Kansas:
An organized conspiracy to subvert
the constitution and laws of the state,
and to overawe the lawful house of
representatives, is at this moment in
full operation at the capital of the state.
The lawful authority of the house OF
representatives was yesterday openly
and flagrantly defied by an assault upon
the officers of the house in the discharge
of their duties. The assault took place
in the presence of the governor and was
led by j. T. Willis, ]. w. Breidenthal
and other lawlessly disposed persons
This morning when the house of rep
resentatives was about to meet its
members were confronted at the foot of
the stairway leading to the house by a
force armed with rifles under command
of the acknowledgement of the state
The members of the house of represent
atives after severe struggle, forced
their way to the entrance of the hall,
and after battering down the door,
which was barred against them, entered
the hall of the house and proceeded to
business At this writing they are still
there, but are hourly threatened with
a conflict with the forces of anarchy
and revolution who openly proclaim
their determination in advance to dis
regard any Judgment of the courts con-
trary to their own wishes, and to con-
tinue in defiance of the constitution
and the laws.
The members of the house of repre-
sentatives have earnestly sought to
bring the questions involved TO an issue
in the courts, only to be met with open
proclamation of disrespect for and de-
fiance of the courts.
The cause of the constitutional gov
ernment is at stake and it becomes
every law-abidiug citizen to take his
stand in behalf of the principles of free
government. In this condition OF af-
fairs deem it proper to apprise you
that your representatives need at this
moment your moral aid and active sup
port. GEORGE L. DOUGLASS,
Speaker.
4 PROTEST.
Mr.. Greenlee, of Reno, offered the
following, which was adopted:
Whereas, Under our governmental system,
both tate and national, three coordinate
branches are recognized, to-wit: the legislative,
executive and judicial each having well defined
spheres OF action. dependent OF tle other, and
Whereas, The executive branch OF our state
government by its governor has in times Of
peace, and for partisan purposes, invoked the
aid Of the military forces Of the state to coerce
the legislative therefore
Resolved, That we, the representatives of the
people OF the state OF Kansas, in session ct the
hall OF the house OF representatives, in the city
Of Topeka, do enter our most solemn protest:
and hereby denounce tho executive OF this state
as a usurper OF authority and as attempting 10
place the civil authorities OF the state in sub
lection to the military thereof
Resolved, That, should the state executive
succeed in his nefarious schemes, "the govern
ment OF. for and by the people" will have per-
ished in Kansas and on lis ruins will be en-
trenched a government OF military force dom
mated by the executive. and Ihc utter cXtin-
guishment Of ths legislative aud judicial
branches of our state government