The Goodland republic., 1893-11-10

as q fear or pefSOn61 violence ana uIBoQ |
me- to consent to the interview.
Notwithstanding the tears and en-
treaties of my wife and daughter who
were alarmed for my safety, consent /
Cd to go, and together with Colonel
Sells we presently entered what seem
ed to be a court room, but being a
comparative stranger in Topeka, I did
not know what place it was. Mr.. Peck
then remarked that there was iIninent
danger of bloodshed and destruction
of property, and that he had called me
to this conference to see If way could
not be devised to avert a dreadful con-
cIusion of this legislative controvers-
ary, 1 told him I had offered every
thing which was reasonable that was
still hoping for compromise and will
ing to do all in my power to bring it
about.
He asked me what I would propose.
/ then stated and he wrote the terms
proposed in the paper read by Doug
lass in his speech. These terms were
the same in substance that had been
repeatedly proposed and as often re-
jected by the Douglass house. Mr.
Douglass says now, the hall was all
they contended for. Not SO with the
Populists. They contended for princi-
pie. They were willing to yield the
hall, but they contended for chance
to Iegislate for the people. Their chief
clerk had been arrested. There was a
studied attempt to decimate the Popu-
list strength by arrests and otherwise,
until they should have no quorum,
then their power to legislate would be
destroyed. By the terms of the con-
ference the pledge was extorted from
the Republicans that the Dunsmore
house should not be interferred with.
This was what was sought all times
by the Populists, and as evidence that
this is what they contended for. We
cite the following proposition which
was sent to the Douglass house by Pri-
vate Secretary Close on Feb. 16, the
day before the final agreement. 1t is
as follows, and in substance is identi-
cal with the proposition dictated by
me to Mr.. Peck, and finally signed by
myself and the Douglass house com
mittee on the following day which was
Feb. II.
TOPEKA, Feb. 16, 1888.
The governor offers, in the interest
of peace and harmony, that he will
withdraw the state militia, and not al
low the Republican house and its en-
ployes to be interferred with by the
Populists.
Provided, that all proceedings that
have been commenced by the Republi-
cans arising from the arrest of Ben @.
Rich, be dropped, and that the Popu-
list members and employees be not dis
turbed by the arrest of officials or
otherwise, and the sheriff of Shawnee
county discharge his deputies and does
not interfere, nor try to interfere, with
the acts of the Populists and state Off
cials, including militia, and this agree
ment to continue in force until the
close of the present session of the leg
islature. LID. LEwELLING, Governor.
Now compare with the compromise
dictated to George R. Peck, which is as
follows:
Compromise as agreed upon at con-
ference on night of Feb. 16, 1893.
TOPEKA, Feb. IL, 1893
First-It being the understanding
that the house presided over by the
Hon. J. NJ Dunsmore has secured a
hall in which to meet, the house presi-
ded over by Hon. G. L. Douglass shall
remain in the possession of Represen-
tative hall undisturbed and unmol-
ested.
Second-The house presided over by
Mr.. Dunsmore shall in like manner be
undisturbed and unmolested in the
possession of the hall which it has sec
ured, and if it desires select a room in
the state house for it's meetings other
than Representative hall.
Third-No arrests to be made by
either house of the members or officers
of the other.
Fourth-The militia to be immedia-
tely relieved, including the new recruit
| - SWO4h 41iS SSIANA OuO pOSSS W
be Immediately disbanded.
Fifth-The militia companies now
enroute for Topeka to be Immediately
telegraphed to by the governor to re-
| turn to their homes.
(Signed.) L. D. LEwELLING,
Governor.
6. L. DOUGLASS,
D. w. EASTMAN,
J. X CUBBISoN
Thus, it viii be seen, the compromise
embodied the identical proposition re-
jected by the Douglass house at p. m.
of the same day, but when that august
body was instructed by its corporation
master to accept it's propositions, it did
so Immediately amidst great enthu-
siasm.
1t was quite apparent on that mem
orable evening that 1 was at last in the
presence of the real Republican party
of Kansas. Mr.. Douglass has tried to
convince the people that he, himself,
was leader of men, and devoted to
the interests of the people, but the re-