The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-02-24
A Visit From the Governor.


to beseech him to interfere in behalf of
order. The imprisoned republicans
could only wait for some one from the
populist ranks to vary their monotony,
for all republicans were barred who
could not get an order for admission
from the Acknowledgement. After lunch
had been served through lowering ropes
to friends without, and the members
had settled in their seats for the night,
one of the sergeants announced that
Gov. Lewelling wanted admission. A
committee of citizens accompanied the
governor and the republican guards adj
mitted him.
Gov Lewelling was as composed as
he always shows himself to be- He
walked deliberately up the aisle with
determined look, apparently master of
the situation. Every member of the
house arose when he entered, in obedi-
ence to command from Speaker Doug
lass, and as much courtesy was
shown on either side as if the gov
ernor had come in obedience TO
an invitation to greet a guest of honor.
Gov. Lewelling went directly to the
speakers stand and was presented by
Speaker Douglass He began his
speech by stating positively that he
would consider no appeals from the re-
publicans, but that if they did not va
cate the hall at once he would send the
military force to put them Ou% The
governor said:
Gentlemen, have formulated moth
l.. 80
the hall, have come to you as cit
izen. No man can deprecate the pres
ent situation more than |. regret the
situation that exists / entreat you as
citizens of Kansas, as men of honor, as
1 know you are, to appreciate the diff
ficulties which may arise in the future.
There is only one course to be pursued
1t is impossible for any receding by the
executive from the course he has taken.
necessary for me to call upon the mill
tary to order this hall cleared.
ut has been said repeatedly that you
were waiting for some bills to be passed
to get this matter into the courts. A
bill has been passed. If there is a solu-
ton it is at hand. 1 appeal to you and
urge you to surrender this hall to the
legal authority of the state. l don't
want anything of a riotous nature to oc-
cur. beg this of you, especially those
who are not members"
Speaker Pro Tenn Hoch, who was on
the floor, at this juncture interrupted
the governor by saying:
Governor, pardon me moment. L
appreciate your coming both as gov
ernor and citizen of this state. Gov
ernor, would it not, pending a decision
of the courts. be fair and honorable for
both sides to vacate this hall? appeal
to you as governor, as my governor, in
this critical crisis. This is the fair
thing in this matter by us as well as by
the other side VIII it not be fair by
all parties to surrender this hall pend
ing a settlement"
Gov Lewelling replied: 'In asking
you to surrender this hall into my keep
ing tonight, my personal friends, / ask
you to give the hall into my keeping
tonight. This is all have to say"
Mr.. Hoch attempted to ask a ques-
ton, but Gov. Lewelling interrupted:
ut is not for me to enter into this con-
troversy. There are several militia
companies in the state house, and 1
hope that 1 Will not be compelled to
call upon them"
Mr.. Greenlee, of Reno. here asked:
Governor, will you abide by the de-
cision of the supreme court"
Gov Lewelling would not answer the
question and left the speakers stand
Ex-Gov Osborne here asked permits
sion to make few remarks, which
permission was granted. He said: Il
am not here for the purpose of making
an address. At meeting of prominent
citizens of Topeka DR. McVicar, f. Ben
nett, P. G. Noel, John R Mulvane and
myself were appointed a committee to
wait on the governor. In that meeting
of citizens and here tonight did not
and do not think it proper to discuss
the merits of this difficulty. We are
tonight on the verge of a revolution.
The people OF this state must be pre-
pared to read in the morning papers of
a flow of blood in the streets of Topeka
unless some hand is raised to avert this
many scenes, but none so serious
as this, which is far more dangerous
than when Pap Price raided at our
doors at Kansas CITY. The governor
has told you that It will be his duty to
call the militia to evict you, and 1
know, and he knows, you are prepared
to resist"
He then said it was the feeling of the
people outside of the hall and the sem
timent outside of this city that there
should be no resistance; that the men,
bers should not bring on civil war.
Closing he said:
do not force upon us a war liable to
be more destructive than this section of
this country has ever SEEM"
Gov. Lewelling, with his private sec
rotary, Fred ]. Close, and the citizens
committee, who had been close listeners
to all that had been said, at the conclu-
sion of ex-Gov. Osborne's remarks arose
and marched out of the hall.
Gov. Lewelling and his friends had
not reached the door before there
were a half dozen republican men,
bers on their feet protesting against
surrender.
The adjutant-general sent kilograms
all over the state ordering the captains
of militia companies to assemble their
men and report to him at Topeka
Several local companies reported and
were placed on duty at the state house
and the republican house was virtually
in a state of siege, although retaining
possession of the hail
When Gov Lewelling called on Sher-
riff Wilkerson, of Shawnee county, for
aid that officer declined to act as the
governor had failed to ask his consent