The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-12-15
WHO ARE MIGRANTS

Gov. Lewelling Lays Down the Law to
Boards of Police Commission srs.
Topeka, Kan, Dec 5.-Gov. LEVEL
ling yesterday gave out one of the most
remarkable circular letters ever issued
by a state executive. The letter is ad-
dressed to all boards of police commits
sioners in the state and will probably
cause an endless amount of talk. The
letter is as follows:
EXECUTIVE LETTER
T, all Boards OF Police Commissioners:
In the reign OF Elizabeth the highways were
filled with the thongs of the unemployed poor
who were made to move on, - and were some-
times brutaly whipped sometimes summarily
hanged. as sturdy vagrsnt" ''incorrigible
vagabonds In France, just previous 10 the
revolution, the punishment Of being Door
and out OF work was, for the first
offense, a term of years in the galleys. for the
second offense the gallevs for life In this
country, the monopoly of labor-saving ma
chiner and its devotion to selfish instead OF
social use. have rendered more and more human
beings superhuous. until we have q standing
army OF the unemployed numbering even in the
most prosperous times not less than 1,00J, ,OJO
able-bodied men: yet until recently il was tho
prevailing notion, as it is yet the notion of all
the work-people themselves and those Of other
ing able bodied and willing to wo k can always
find work TO do; and section 571 OF the general
statutes of 1889 is disgraceful reminder how
savage even in Kansas ha been our treatment
OF the most unhappy OF our human brothers
The man out of work and penniless is, by
this legislation classed with confidence men
Under this statute and city ordinances Of SINH
lar import thousands of men, guilty Of no crime
but poverty, intent upon no crime but that OF
seeking emplog ment have languished in the
city prisons Of Kansas or performed unrequit-
ed toll on rock piles as municipal slaves, be-
cause ignorance OF economic conditions had
made US cruel The victims have been the
poor and humble. for whom police courts are
courts of last resort-they cannot give bond
and appeal They have been unheeded and un-
cared for by the bus world which wastes no
time visiting prisoners in Jail They have been
too poor TO litigate with their oppressors, and
thus no voice from this under world Of human
woe has ever reached the ear of an appe late
court because II was nobody's business to be
his brothers keeper.
But those who sit in the seats OF power are
bound by the highest obligation to especially
regard the cause of the oppressed and helpless
poor. The first duty OF government is to the
weak Power becomes fiendish il il be not the
protector and sure reliance of the friendless to
whose complaints all other ears are dull 1t is
my duty to see that the laws are faithfully
executed anu among tnose laws Is tue con
s.itutlohai provision that no lnstr unienlai
VI uie slate sna'i uenS lo any per Ison Mhnin
us Jurlsuiction lhe equai ProtecIon Oh tne
la"s Anu VINO neeus 10 oe toiu .na' equ',,
proteclion Oh the laws uoes not pre'aii
"here TINS innunah VaRiancy II" Is en-
lor- -eu' ~ separates men INTO TWO ulss,he'
iisses'uInerentla'eua as tnose VINO are pennIieSs
anu .noSe WIZ are no,' IN 81 .,e
ernihls- oliy tne Ia,'el uie ehti'leu " y, 'ne
I'oertv suaran'eeu py the constltutioh 10 70
iounu III " CITY "i'nou' s'sioie nieaus vi sup
port or sohe ns.tina.e BUSINESS, Hs,. 10 inc IN
voluntary eonui.lon Oh some mlilions at @ lhls
moment anu uhuer Inc Jaw we proceeu 10 pun
lsu 'heh ior oeIns sesina Inns W oonuI I1ionS
which We as people nave lorceu upon tnen,
haNe nouceu III poilce court Reports tlat
sIeep'ns III i ooA car 10 annons 'ne 'arIeIes
oi this h-lhous crihs oi oeihS poor- Sone Po
nee Judges nave usurpeu sovereign power not
pernltteu lhe hi2hest iunctonarles ol tue state
OF OF tne natloL' am victims Oh inuustriai con
aitlons nave oeen peremptorhy oruered 10
leaVe Town
Inc riSht 10 go lreeiY from piice 10 piace In
seareh Oh employment OF even ooeuienee 10
mere wnim' Is pirt OF tnat personal noerty
guaranteed oy Tue constitution OF tne Ohiteu
states 10 every hunan oelng on american
SOIL III DloeeneS preler poverty II 20