People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-03-30
4 COLD RECEPTION BT TIE GOV
ERNOR.
4 Small Army OF WorkiDgmen Agree
to Never Again Vote for Either 3
Democratic or Republic2n-The Money
Gratis Trembling In Their Boots
Petitioners Driven From the State
HOuse-The Leaven is WorkiDg-In-
( dicatiOns OF Trouble Ahead.

pluIOcraLlc nerves nave ever unue1-
gone. 1t was so sudden, so severe
and alarming, that not only the
daily press OF New England, but
of the whole country, have been COM
menting upon it.
On the day alluded to Boston's bri-
gade Of unemployed, in the faded and
ragged uniform Of poverty, hungry,
cold and destitute, marched to the state
house and delegated their leaders,
Morrison /. Swift and II. n. Cssson, to
wait upon the governor, present their
grievances, explain their desperate
condition, and demand that work be
given them by the state upon the
roads or some other public improve
ments SO that they might be allowed
to exist and not die with their fami-
lies from the slow torture of starva-
ton.
The governor was informed by their
representatives that 10000 destitute
citizens desired him to address them
from the steps of the state house and
promise them relief. After consid-
cradle pressure he responded, but in
stead Of affording them either
sympathy or encouragement, coldly
told them that their first duty was
obedience to the laws of the common
wealth" Said he, 81 doubt if there
has ever been meeting like this in
the history of the state. This is
government of laws and not of men,"
and further he said that it was impos-
sible for the state to promise any legis-
lation for their relief.
At the close Of his speech, heartless
as it was brief, Mr.. Swift shouted to
his followers, "As the governor is
powerless to aid US we will now 90 to
the legislature and lay the matter be-
fore that body" And through the
state house the surging masses pressed
into historic Doric hall, where they
were again addressed by their leaders,
who were acknowledged with in
cendiary remarks, such as, "We come
here to-day to petition the officials of
this state to give US work. If they do
not do this, we will clean out the
whole crowd" At this point (the
press reports allege) the crowd became
so boisterOus that the governor tele-
phoned for the police, and in a few
moments fifty bluecoats made their
appearance and attacked the petit
TONERS.
1t seemed imminent at this point
that blood would be spilled, right
under the gilded dome of the state
house, and the conflict, once precipita-
ted, might spread all over the country.
1t is alleged by the press that few
excited individuals shouted, kill the
police" Down with capital" "Clean
out the state house," But wiser coun-
sells prevailed and this army of ex-
wage earners retreated through the
hall and marched to the common.
That the governor and other state
officials were thoroughly frightened,
was very apparent Members of the
legislature rushed from room to room
OF the state house, wondering what
would happen next The gasernor
appeared second time, and told Swift
that mo governor of Massachusetts,
condos inundated by any mob, !" and
that he wanted him to understand
shat he and his followers could not
come in to the state house for the pur.
pose Of bulldoEing anybody, and that
he should hold him personally re-
sponsible for any disturbance that
might occur"
After the return to the common the
unemployed were again addressed by
Swift He made them promise, at the
close Of his speech, that they would
never again vote for the democratic or
republican parties He disclsimed
any intention to incite them to vic.
lence, denied that they were snarch.
lists, and declared their mission was a
peaceful one, to lawfully urge that the
state consider their necessities and
save them from actual starvation. II
was voted by this vast assemblagt
that next Tuesday they would NEE
again on the common, $4,000 strong
for another demonstration.
Three weeks ago these demonstra
lions were inaugurated with the an
nouncement that the unemployed
of the city would meet on Boston
common every Tuesday afternoon
The first week they succeeded il
mastering 2,5Oe, who marched through
the city, as ! stated in previous let
ter. The second Tuesday a terrible
storm was raging, which prevented
meeting Of any considerable size, bu
this week the number was augmentet
by many thousands. What will occu
next Tuesday nobody seems willing t
prophesy, but it is evident tina
the state officials, the police, bushes
houses and property owners Of tn
offr an4artoix a do0raa ~ oppro h or,