People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-02-03
ANOTHER STATEMENT.

The following statement from GoV.
Lewelling concerning the legislature
was printed in the Kansas City MOI
Mail on the DIST 1t was addressed to
the people of Kansas:
The daily press Of your state and the means
Of reaching large classes Of people through ex-
pensive mass meetings are all under the exclus-
i've control of those who seek TO weaken the
cause Of the common people by denounclng IN
scrupulOusly your chief magistrate anG your
state senators. The daily press teens with IN
fammatOry utterances containing the 0asest
falsehoOis. Mass meetings managed By IN
scrupulOus agents Of frightened greed and ad'
dressed by men salaried by unscrupulOus avAr-
ice have been held in various cities and have
passed resolutions filed with untruthtul asser-
tons and vicious insinuations concerning those
TO whom you have entrusted the responsible
ties Of administering your state government
In this state Of things your executive deems it
his duty TO advise you Of the actual facts con
.'cning the recognition by himself and your
senate Of the house OF representatives,, and
upon this straightforward statement Of thelasi
weeks occurrences at your capital he is will
ing to be judged by every candid mind
After reciting the early proceedings
Of the house in organizing the governor
says
FG weeks before the time for assembling the
legislature, those now inspiring these attacks
upon your chosen servants had openly declared
their determination to override the will OF the
people by electing a republican United States
senator. Although, conceding the republicans
every seat they had claimed, the peoples party
had a clean majority on Joint ballot Through
the republican press at the capital we were
b7aZenly told how this audacious yillainy was
10 be accomplished. Behind locked doors and
with none but republicans present, tie from
COney county was dissolved by giving the re
publican the certificate. The county clerk Of
Haskell county transpOsed the votes Of the two
candidates for representative so as to return as
elected the defeated republican candidate, and
this was by the then secretary concealed from
all but republicans until the canvassing board
had passed hastily upon the returns and the
certificate had been hurriedly issued and mailed
to the republican candidate.
The governor quotes from republic
an paper the report of the meeting Of
the state canvassing board and then
continues:
The state canvassing board adjourned and
the supreme court decided it could not call the
board together to correct the mistake or fraud,
which the county clerk afterward under pres.
sure OF public opinion, sought TO correct or I'M
do By means which these two instances will
illustrate, the republican canvassing board con.
trived to issue certificates to sixty-foUr repub
licans These constituting majority, were to
organize the house and proceed TO arbitrarily
unseat enough peoples party members 10 give
the republicans majority on joint ballot
This very scheme was badly set forth in
the republican press Peoples party men
threatened retaliation by unseating re-
publican senators, but the republican
leaders answered through published in
terviews that there were more peo-
pies purity members in the house to I'M
seat than there were republicans in the senate.
These threats Of defeating b. high-handed out
rage the expressed will of the people were open
ly aud persistenily made up TO the very hour
the house ass mbled, and the action of the state
canvassing board as well as subsequent con-
duct showed plainly the threats were not idle.
Why, but for the purpose of executing this
scheme, did republican rush TO Mr. Semple's
slde without waiting 10 hear him utter a word
as to his intentions: Every member was in the
hail. What could Mr.. Scmple have done but
put q motion, as in any other organized assem-
bly,, for all to vote upon and for majority to
decide: Tae determination was apparent that
the republicans should at any hazard organize
ord n tIn
making an unelected majority on joint ballot
a
But this is not ALL No one holding certif.
cate of election has been for a moment been
denied participation in any Of the proceedings
under the speakership of Mr. Dunsmore The
republicans have persistenty excluded them.
selves by refusing o answer to their names
when called, and by ignoring the speaker and
claiming to constitute, by themselves. the
house OF representatives The constant refer.
ence to two houses is misleading: there has
been but one house, there can be but one In
That house every duly elected representative is
entitled TO seat, tue house his been one: the
duality has been confined to those alone claim
ing TO be the officers of that one house. The
question for decision by the senate and by
"
should be recognized as q speaker. as speaker
pro tenn and as chief clerk When my COM
munication addressed to Mr.. Dunsmore was
delivered 10 him, did not recognize either a
popullst or republican house. did but reeop-
nize Mr. Dunsmore as speaker of the house az
representatives in its entirety provided for by
the constitution Of Kansas Who are entitled
TO seats in that body, by reason OF certificates
or OF evidence OF another character. is oues
ton have no right to determine aid which I
have not pretended to decide The house itself
IL made by the constitution the exclusive Judge
OF the election returns and qualifications Of its
own members, and when republican members
urged me to decide them entitled to the organ
hation because they held certificates they sim
ply invited me 10 an act Of gross usurpation.
Isought to bring about compromise but op
every occasion the republicans were unyielding
IN their determination that should recognize
their alleged organization. Why we're they so
tenacious oil their supposed election OF speaker
why were they unwilling to undo what had
been done and let all participate in electing a
speaker: They had proclaimed to the world
their determination to control the organization
OF the house in order TO commit an outrage nm.
on the people. Being thus compelled TO recoo.
nize one Of the two persons claiming 10 he
speaker or leave the legislature unorvanized
and impotent to discharge its function. 7
recognized Speaker Dunsmore, whose election
had been more orderly and who had
been from the very first recognized nv
your secretary Of state; but, limited to sucb a
eholce' do not shrink from saying that in view
OF the publicly-avowed purpose of the republic.
an press and leaders, should had no otba,
reason determinedme, have recognized Sneaker
Dunsmore in the interest of the people and ~
their constitution. was not bound 10 become
particeps criminis in such an outrage. I had
been recreant to my duty to the people had
not done all in my power TO thwart the contem.
plated orazen wrong did thwart il. and 7
boldly proclaim that am proud that did nra.
vent the great crime, which, but for nv reeoC.
milton Of Speaker Dunsmore, would have hesn
rendered possible of consummation.
The governor concludes by SAVING.
Your chief magistrate cannot for moTnon,
doubt that you will countenance such condrc,
as that Of determining 10 compel him 10 mn,
the overburdened taxpayers of the state 10 The
expense OF using force TO secure submission IN
the authority you have conferred: nor viii Won ~
Snph q