The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-08
BRACES MORRILL, UP
TOPEKA CAPITAL WRITES AN Ed
TORIAL On LAWLESS WICHITA.

Anarchy Alleged Against Wichita Is
Getting Contagious-It is Charged that
Atherton Talked Too Much About Re.
pudisted Bonds from Western Counties
Kansas News.
Topeka, Kan, Nov. 7-(Special. y
This morning the Topeka Capital has
the following editorial evidently design
ed as a brace to Governor Morrill,:
I'VE have not hitherto burdened the
columns Of this paper with regard TO
the rebellion at Wichita, but it was not
because We were Indifferent on the sub
jeot, or because we tolerated the idea
| for a moment, that one city or county
can be openly defiant of the laws with
out affecting the whole state. Persis-
J tent violation Of law like secession is
contagious If Wichita can success
| fully overthrow the law, why will not
other cities, where the liquor element
| is strong, do the same? And If one city
con say what laws shall be observed,
| why may not another city say the same?
Some people seem to have an idea that
the law is a foot ball which can be
1
other where it is more congenial. We
are satisfied that there is not county
| in the state but that is interested in
! he enforcement of the law in Wichita.
And besides a great many people in
| Kansas outside have property and
| friends there, who are deeply interested
| in seeing TO it that Wichita shall become
a law abiding city. Several months ago
/ a large petition from that city repre-
senting that the prohibitory law was be
ing constantly violated, requested the
! governor to appoint police commission
erS who would enforce the law. This
was done and the attorney general ap-
pointed an assistant for Sedgwick coun-
| tysto do what the sheriff of that county
refused to do. 1t is safe to say that
every means that the liquor power and
| its minions (and their name is legion),
could invent was brought into requisi-
! ton to defeat the purposes Of the COM
mission and the assistant attorney gen.
eral. There was great hilarity at first
among the jointiStS, saloon keepers and
! their coadjuaors, but they son began
| to see that their business was decreas-
| ing and their own pockets drained by
| attorneys fees, ETC., as well as a great
amount of costs accruing against the
city and county. They endeavored to
make the people believe that these costs
were chargeable to the enforcement,
! but everybody saw that they were prop
erly chargea1ble to the violators of law.
| The expenses of the civil war were not
chargeable to The friends of the Union
hut to the rebels.
Something must be done Confer
enceS We're called; compromises were Of
fered and rejected. Three good men
who would do right were proposed to
| replace the present commission But
| the friends of law declined. Then a
committee was sent to the governor and
he no doubt was implored to make a
change. They wanted men who were
mot Objectionable" The present COM
| misSionerS and assistant attorney gen.
eral had made themselves objection
able" These gentlemen seemed obli-
vious to their ridiculous position-com-
! promise with liquor selling. The COM
| mittee when they returned, as we be-
| Heve without any authority, reported
that the governor would probably yield.
But the governor did not, and cannot
| yield. His own views as to his duty TO
enforce the law, and his desore for the
maintenance of the Republican party,
| will prevent it
''As between laws and outlaws there
is but one course to pursue.
| THE way, and the only way, to have
peace and prosperity in Wichita, is for
the people there to cease their resist
ance to law. A gallant fight is being
made against great odds. Let it be
strengthened by all lawful authority
TALKED TOO MUCH.
A story circulates here that the ex-
ecwtive council recently gave State
| Treasurer Otis L. Atherton a hauling
over the Goals for permitting himself to
be interviewed about the Scott county
bond transaction, whereby the perma-
nent school fund has been impaired
probably to THE extent of 800, 900.
The bonds were purchased by Score
tary of State Bill Higgins, Attorney
General ]. n. Ives and Superintendent
of Public Instructions Winans, consti-
tuting the board of school fund CON-
missioners under Humphreys second
administration The objection to Ath-
| erton'S interview was that IL would
give the Populists something else to
howl about" The opinion prevailed in
| the council that the present admins
tratfon already had enough to answer
! for without having to explain the con-
duct of the Humphrey crowd.
Atherton said that he had not looked
at it in that light and would be more
nothing has been said about the Scott
county bonds. Meanwhile the officials
/ of Scott county are getting ready TO
/ push their suit to have the bonds de-
/ clared Illegal
SHUTS OFF ON POSTAGE.
| Pension Agent George W. Click yes
| terday took q stand against pension at
/ torneys who have been endeavoring TO
make the government pay postage on
the vouchers sent TO the office. These
! attorneys, Mr.. Click says. have been in
| the habit of sending in bunch of YOU
| cheers on which the correct postage is
/ 20 or IS cents, with only cent stamp
on the envelope. The vouchers were
| promptly delivered and Mr.. Click had to
! pay the unpaid postage. Every quar-
1 ter more and more packages came IN
t with unpaid postage until Mr.. Click
/ was forced to take stand against IL.
! He yesterday refused to take from Post
/ master Arnold a number OF these pack
| ages. and they Will be returned TO the
/ attorneys for correct postage Mr.
| Click says this will cause some delay
| in getting the checks 70 the pensioners
/ interested. but IL VIII save the pension
4 agency 500 a year at least in postage.
MORRILL'S THANKSGIVING.
! Governor Morrill, has issued the fol-
4 lowing Thanksgiving proclamation:
! Stae OF Kansas. Executive Depart
nnent. Topeka, Nov. 8. 1SS5.-Recogniz-
/ ing our dependence upon the Infinite
! Father OF US all. II is especially fitting
( that one day should be set apart in the
/ closing weeks OF the year 10 BE devoted
TO services Of Thanksgiving and praise
/ to Him who guides and directs The des-
| tines Of men
! Now. therefore. I. r y. Morrill,. gov
( erno- OF the state Of Kansas IN ac-