Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-26
THE KANSAS WRANGLE.
Speaker Douglass, a Former Washington
Gives the Constitutional Side of the Ffa

Speaker Douglass, Former Washingtonian,
Gives the Constitutional Side of the Fight.
The Wichita Eagle recently published the
following interesting interview with Mr.. Geo.
L. Douglass, speaker Of the Kansas constitu-
tional house of representatives. His views on
the political situation in his state will be read
with interest here, particularly as he is former
Washingtonian, a son Of Commissioner Doug
lass:
1.-The house Of representatives" said Mr..
Douglass, Consists Of 1875 members; sixty
three being necessary to transact business.
straight republicans, one independent republi-
can and three democrats, making in all sixty
seven members supporting the regular house
of representatives, Of which am speaker, and
ffty-eight populists constituting the other
body. This is the exact way the membership
of both houses stands.
"After the organization Of the regular house
Of representatives last Tuesday the ffty-eight
populsts, under the instructions of a steering
committee on the floor, got together and or
ganized what they call a house Of represents
tives. As they had only minority they sent
for the official roll in the secretary Of states
office. and Ben Rich, under the instructions of
the steering committee, erased the names of
ten republicans who had been regularly elected
and who held certificates, and wrote in the
names of ten populists who had been defeated
at the polls. some of them by majorities from
500 to 1000 They then called the names from
the forged roll, and the fifty-eight who were
actually elected, with the ten outsiders who
were not elected, organized what they call
house of representatives, and which the COVER
nor and senators have recognized In the
worst days Of the reconstruction period doubt
whether anything SO absolutely rotten as this
was ever attempted.
ssTt .ca II. -.
every liberty-loving and law-abiding citizen
will protest. The recognition, however. can
have no permanent effect upon the situation,
for il this rump legislature should attempt to
pass any bills they could never become laws
any more than if the city council of Topeka or
any other body were to pass bill and ask the
senate and governor to concur. II the theory
upon which this rump house was organized
should be sustained there is no use holding cleo
lions any longer, and we may as well save the
expense. The principle, if adopted would put
this state absolutely at the mercy of any crowd
of conspirators who could thrust themselves
into the house of representatives and Or
ganize legislature by making up a roll Of
members from city directory any
other repository of names. 1t is revolu-
ton pure, simple and unadulterated, and
no self-respecting man cognzant of the facts
can ever countenance it or do other than de-
nounce it. The democrats in the legislature
and throughout the state stand side by side
with the republicans in denouncing the fraud
and in demanding that the rightful and consti-
tutional house of representatives shall stand
firm for honor and principle and law. A large
number of the peoples party members of this
rump legislature are utterly Disguised with the
proceedings and express themselves en-
phatically to this effect in private con Sersation
They do not hesitate to say, as several of them
have said to me, that there can be but one house
OF representatives and that the majority body
is that house. The only thing that has pre-
vented their coming out boldly and denouncing
the fraud has been the extraordinary efforts
of coterie Of outside leaders to overawe and
prevent them from doing. But be-
lieve these leaders are losing their grip
and that the power Of the individual conscience
OF the members will reassert itself; il it does
not do SO 1t, Of course, means complete fail
ure OF all legislation during the session. for the
constitutional house cannot legislate without
the concurrence OF the senate and governor,
and the minority body cannot legislate at all,
even with such concurrence. The whole thing
has been brought about by q few political
schemers in the peoples party who are hoping
10 be United states Senator. As matters stand
in the two houses as actually elected the three
democrats in the house and the two in the SEN
ate hold the balance Of power in the election of
state printer and Senator. In order to get rid
OF this democratic balance Of power these plot
tiers have been willing to violate the law and
the constitution and to precipitate a resolution
in our system OF government. That they will
fail in the end Is certain as that majority of
the people of Kansas are believers in the sane
tity Of the law and the Constitution"