The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-24

DriveI in Regard to the Open and Manly
Conduct of Affairs in Wichita by Her
Own Free Thinking People.
Topeka, Kan, March 23.-In this
mornings Kansas City Times. its Tope-
ka correspondent gives the explanation
for the vicious attack OF the Capital
Sunday morning. on Major Morrill, and
Wichita. The Times says:
The executive council has decided that
| the control of John r. Mulvane, shall
not succeed Arthur Capper's Mail and
| Breeze as the official state paper This
information does not come directly from
| the council, but the Capital today, in a
! double-leaded editorial, lands heavily on
| the neck of Governor MorrilFs admin
| istration, which is regarded as first
rate evidence that Capper will continue
10 draw pay for the publication of all
| advertisements and notices necessary
| for the transaction of business at the
state house. When Mulvane took charge
or the Capital few weeks ago, it
| adopted an independent policy, and
gave the administration frequent jolts
in the ribs, greatly to the surprise Of it's
|
| anything Of that sort. All of a sudden
the paper changed its tone and gave
the state officers taffy in big chunks 1t
was soon learned that Mr. Mulcvane
wanted the council, which is composed
OF the state officers, to make the Capt.
tai the official paper. From that time
until today the administration has had
warm friend, admirer and supporter
in the Capital. Meanwhile, Capper was
working to have the Mail and Breeze
continued as the official paper. The pub
lie was not informed as to the result Of
the contest until the Capital fired a
broadside at the administration today.
The Wichita rebellion was made a pre-
text for the aatack. The Capital said,
among other things:
For six months the state has v7a+ch-
ed with interest the contest between the
governor and attorney general and the
law observing element of Wichita on
the one hand, and the saloon element,
championed by the editor of the Eagle,
on the other. Until few weeks before
the state convention the battle seemed
to be rather in favor of the administra-
ton. Between twenty and thirty sa-
looms were closed, and there were a
number Of convictions, which ALWAYS
has powerful moral effect on the law
breakers. With the cowardice charac-
teristic of their class, so long as perjury
seems to be acceptable to court and
jury, they feel secure; but once a jury
shows its intention to render honest
verdicts, the salOonkeepers give I'D
without serious resistance. The efforts
to enforce the law in Wichita had ap-
parently reached this point when there
VISA sudden, mysterious collapse.
Then came the state convention. and
the people of Kansas were treated to
the edifying spectacle of the forces of
the administration working together
with the resubmissionists to elect the
head of the Wichita rebellion a delegate
at large to st. Louis. The want of dig
nifty, self-respect and consistency in
such a combination as this at Wichita
has not escaped the severe criticism 1t
deserved from the decent Republican
newspapers of Kansas. Every Republi-
can in the state who has respect for
principle and backbone felt Inundated
by the ready compliance of the mem
bers of the state administration with
the demands made upon them by the
leading politicians of the party to hon
or and reward the chief nullifier in Kan
sas.
Even this surrender of self-respect
might have been winked at, however.
If the bargain made at Wichita had in
cluded mutual concessions. The Repub-
leans of Kansas are generous and will
ing to make large allowances. If the
convention had been followed I'D by A
vigorous policy of law enforcement they
would have been satisfied Of the evident
desire of the governor to compel the OBJ
serVance or the law at any sacrifice Of
personal feeling.
But the policy of Wichita since the
convention adjourned has been a more
complete surrender than the frantic eff
forts to elect Marsh Murdoch a dele
gate. Police commissioners favora BILE
10 the law have been removed or have
resigned and others appointed who are
known TO be opposed to the principle Of
prohibition. Policemen who performed
their duey under promise of protection
by the old board, are turned out and
policemen who were discharged by the
old board for refusing to perform their
duty or who resigned rather than per-
form II. have been reinstated. A chief
of police friendly TO the law is removed
to make a place for man said by a
prominent Wichita citizen in a recent
interview to be a notorious gambler,
the Pete Kline Of Wichita Joints have
been closed; but they have reopened as
saloons.
Rather than to compromise the ad-
with the saloons of Wich-
ita the governor might much better
have removed the commissioners, and
let Wichita have her own way and bear
the responsibility on her own shoulders
The present situation in that town is a |
scandal to the governor and the state
No defense or excuse can be made for f. |
1t is a humiliation II every friend Of the |
administration and affords ammunition /
for charges by every enemy of the Re
publican party that its professions are /
and hypocrisy.
Governor MOrril must recognize the /
power of the sentiment against the pres |
ent policy at Wichita, even If he does |
not recognize its justice. He cannot af- |
ford to be a party 10 the farcial pre- |
lenses Of law observance at Wichita. II /
he is tired Of the effort 10 enforce the |
law, the least he can do for the sake o. |
himself and his administration Is 20 |
wash his hands Of the Wichita fight, re- |
move the police commissioners alto /
gether and retire as gracefully and n as |
good order as possible. But = he and 1
General Dawes have regard for the SEN
tinent Of the reS9ecta BILE element OF the 1
party they will enforce the law n Wich-
ita as a governor and attorney general 1
who are in earnest can do"