The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-11-03

Governor LewelIing says that the best
evidence that the Santa Ee railway COM
pany ran the Republican party lies in the
fact that when the compromise arrived at
the legislative hall the Republican men,
bers expressed their delight. By the
same reasoning the Santa Fe controlled
and ran the governor, for the moment
the compromise was accepted the Associ-
! ated Press report of that date says that
Governor Lewelling said: "This is the
crowniug triumph of the Populist vic
tory"
Governor Lewelling says that the propc-
sition written by Peck was the same as
that which was submitted the day before
and that it was exactly what the Popu-
lists wanted. Well, Mrs. Lease is lady
whose Populism is unquestioned. and the
Associated Press of that date quotes her
as saying: "What kind of man is he,
anyhow Is he bigger fool than the Re-
publicans call him ?-telling US that we
are the legal house and then agreeing to
let the Republicans have full possession
of Representative hall, while eur men go
to private hail."
The quotation from Mrs. Lease is the
strongest evidence possible that Lewell-
ing's actions were iGf1uenced by other
| than Populists and it is nothing more
than fair to assume that the said Influence
was that of the attorney of the Santa Fe.
The press dispatch also says: "A Pop
ulist member today said: There is only
one way out of it now and that is to 90
out in the streets and shoot down enough
Republican members who hold certificates
to leave us in the majority"
Do not these statements prove that Lew
elling's COMPROMISE document was uneX-
pected by the Populists, and that it was
no Populist sentiment that prompted ii ?
Another paragraph of the Associated
Press dispatch said, referring to the COM
promise: ''Even the Populists admit their
chagrin and openly express their indigna-
| ton at what they call the governors
weakness" And still the governor says
that the Peck compromise was what they
wanted. and that they had to go to Peck
| as manager of the Republican party to
get it. The governor, before reading the
statements prepared for him by Mr.. Duns-
more. ought to read the Associated Press
| dispatches.
! The governor says in the very first line
/ vi HIS IcicTcuCt 70 tHc OOuSihSS CudEseS,
'"The Populsts always sought for COM
| promise" On the 18th OF February the
| governor addressed the members of the
house and in answer to question by Mr..
| Hook, as related by the Associated Press.
he said che would consider no compromise
and no appeal by the Republicans.
Hundreds of points could be picked out
of the dispatches of those trying times to
explode every statement the governor has
made in connection with the Peck matter.
| Taken whole the governors defense
| against the Douglass charges fell very
fiat and people who did not believe that
he was III league with George Peck's
political machine before believe SO now.
HIS STATEMENT IN FULL
The following is a complete report of the
| governors statement concerning the
Douglass charges. It is verbatum as he
delivered it:
| The Popu!ists always sought for COM
| promise. Repeated overtures had been
made to the Douglass house which were
as often rejected. The situation was be-
| coming more strained every hour, but on
| this particular night truce was arranged
with the sheriff providing that matters
! should remain i'll statue quo until morning.
| 1t was understood that the sheriff's forces
which numbered about l 200 should make
no attack under the cover Of darkness. and
Oh the other hand no attempt should be
made to eject any person from the Douglass
house. While it was the design of the
! governor to keep faith with the sheriff
| as with all others. no other course was
| open i'll this instance, AS it was under
stood that in Case au order of eject
ment was given, the forces of Colonel
| ,a1j atolu IN
the Republicans. After this truce
had been eutered into. and for
the first time in forty-eght hours, l went
! home to my family, 1--WE were boarding at
the Chesterfield hotel) Near midnight
was about to retire. when Colonel Sells.
the hotel proprietor, sent for me, and
| stated that George K. Peck desired an
audience with me, and that carriage was
| in waiting.
Prior to this time | had seen Mr. Peck
| twice-once being introduced to him in in Y
| own office, and the second time hearing
him deliver public address Oh his travels
| in Europe.
| therefore told Colonel Sells that was
not sufficiently acquainted with Mr.. Peck
| to warrant my going out with him, that
did not understand the nature of his mis-
sion and regarded him and the interests
| which he represented as hostile to the adj
| ministratiop. Colonel Sells construed my
! hesitation as a fear of personal violence
| and urged me to consent TO the interview.
| Notwithstanding the tears aud en-
| treaties of wife aud daughter who We're
alarmed for my safety, | consented to 90,
and together with Colonel Sells we pres
| emily entered what seemed to be a court
| room but being comparative stranger in
| Topeka, did not know what place it was
| Mr.. Peck then remarked that There was
| iminent danger of bIoodshed and dc
struction OF property, aud that he had
| called me to this conference to see IL a
way could not be devised to avert a dread
| full conclusion of this legislative contro-
| versy | told MIN I had offered everything
| which was reasonable, that / was still!
| hoping for compromise and willing to
do al in my power TO bring 1t about.
| He asked me wbatI would propose.
then stated and he wrote the terms pro-
posed in the paper read by Douglass last
night. These terms were the same in sub
stance that had been repeatedly proposed
| and as often rejected by the Douglass
| house Mr.. Douglass says now. the hall
was all they conte aided for. Not so with
the PopuliSts. They contended for princi-
pie They were willing to yield the hall
but they contended Tor chince to leSis-
late for the people. Their chief clerk had
been arrested There was a studied at
| tempt to decimate the Populist strength
by arrest and otherwise, until they should
have no quorum, then their power TO leg
islate would be destroyed. BY the terms
of the conference the pledge was extorted
from the Repu ublicsns that the Dunsmore
house should not be interieted with.
| This was what was sought at all times
By the Populists aud as evidence that this
| il what they contended for. cite the fol-
| lowing proposition which was sent TO the
Douglass house by Private Secretary Close
on tue 10Th OF February, the day before the
| final agreement. 1t Is as follows. and in
| snbstancs Is identical with the proposition