The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-19

9HHt6 aus y VI AhIpSnh hhN
the others rs judicial murder, calling
for the vengeance Of all good citizens,
these good citizens being presumably
those who now compose the Populist
party,
"Gnother thing that confirms me In
my belief that there IL a conspiracy to
obtain control Of the state In all its de-
paFtments Is something that came to
my knowledge only recently, There
was a meeting VI leading members Of
the Populist party only last week, held
in the office OF the secretary oil state,
which was attended by two dozen men
whose names are known all over the
state. Part of the proceedings OF that
meeting have boon made known to me
by O man who furnished mo much val
liable information two years ago, The
one idea set forth was to induce eastern
men TO send as much money TO Kansas
as possible, under the showing that
tho investment would be safe. In
this way the present striRgency would
be relieved, and money would be
plentiful. In the next legislature
a bill Is to be introduced and
passed, ii control OF that body can be
'secured. suspending the operation OF
all laws for tho collection OF debts and
giving the mortgageors indefinite time
for payments, letting taxes accumulate
US q lien on the estate against the
mortgage. In addition, the state laws
relating to banking, including tho con-
s|itutional provision. are TO be- ra'
pealed, 10 the end that the state gov.
ernment may b. permitted to issue an
unlimited amount OF credit notes on
the wealth ofthe state. Foreign prop
erty holders, including railroad corpo.
r]ations, are to be made to pay the taxes
necessary to run the state and coun-
ties, while the charges for freight and
passengers aro to be fixed by law, /
am not now pretending that there is
any sense In all this, but am giving you
facts Just as they occurred.
''The time h0s come when citizens
should awakento what's going on about
them, or we shall have q struggle that
can end only in n way, tho spilllng Of
blood, and much Of il at that, These
people do not care ioF precedent or for
the good namo Of the state, and they
hope to involve other states In the
struggle. Their cry rfrce silver ts not
honest They have seized this as u pop
ular thing in tho states which they
hope TO control, and thus blind the peo.
pie to their real purpose"
After this interview was written it was
shown to several mon who have been
prominent in Kansas affairs, for it was
deemed almost too improbable to be be-
lieVed, although the facts from which
tho gentleman drew his conclusions
wore %undisputed, In the majority Of
cases everything was Endorsed, and the
statements were verified, There were
others who had arrived atthe same con
clusions, but feared to give them utter
ance, hoping that there would come a
chuuge from IN awakening that at this
timo does not seem probable.
II is already evident that Governor
Lewetting designs r%eorRanizing the ma
tioual guard 80 that 1t will be a popu-
list force, armed for any emergency.
II was only u few days ago that 10
named tho colonel OF the Third regi-
ment, although the law especially pro-
vidss that that position shall be- filed
by election, the officers OF the regiment
being the electors. The governor has
also disbanied two OF tho best compan-
les in the service, ostensibly to reduce
the command, but, as new companies
were Immediately organized, the rea-
son given is hardly acceptable. The
companies dfsbanded were composed Of
some Of the brightest young mon in the
towns in which they had their head
quarters, and were both Democrats and
Republicans. The question of politics
had never been raised. The commits
sions issued to the new officers, who
have been given authority to raise
companies. were made out to men
whose violence in partisanship can find
parallel only in Populist ranks. No
recruits are accepted until youched for
by known Populist leaders.
Last winter the adjutaut general
asked for $780, 900 for military purposes,
the entire amount 10 DO available at
any time. The legislature appropriated
$4,000, in consequence Of which the
guard was reduced TO three regiments.
Ever since that time the governor and
his assistants have beon maturing a
plan TO make Of tho militia an auxiliary
force that would blindly obey the com.
mands of the executive, right or wrong. |
This has been deemed e~xpedient since
tho commander OF the militia last win.
ter refused to obey an order given by
Gov. Lewelling to remove from repre-.
sentative hall the legislature then
assembled in accordance with law.
Tho governor had given the house OF
representatives fifteen minutes in which
To dispense and vacate tho hall, inform.
ing the members that il they remained
there longer the blood that might be
shed would be their own, They did not
dispense, nor was blood shed. The gov.
ernor called TO his room the command.
ing officer OF the militia, eight COM
panies OF which were assembled in and
about the capitol, aud ordered him to
clear the hall Immediately, oven II he
had to fire on the members in order to
carry out the orders. This Col. Hughes
refused to do, claiming that II was not
his duty to commit murder, oven when
commanded by a superior officer. Then
It was that Tho governor made the
huntftattng compromise by which tile
legislature was permitted TO proceed
with Its business.
II was decided us aoon us the lcgis.
lature adjourned to recognize the
guard and secure officers who would
obey any orders. Tho brigadier gen!
erals wero removed and Populists up.
pointed IN their stead. One OF these Is
a foreigner who for the first tlmo has q
position OF trust in America Another
Is IN irresponsible person who attained
some notoriety in connection with Il
reasonable organization that was
driven out OF the state six years ago.
The work has now been begun that will