The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-16

prove it. 1 am 80 years old and this i
the first time in my life that my integ
r:ty has been assailed. I handled taou
, sands of dollars every year while / hat
charge of the state reform school TO
girls for twelve years, and when / lef
there 1 mad recommendations from ever,
member Of the board of managers.
came here ten years ago and you al
!: know what my career is here. I vii
leave my cause with the people whf
. know me best.
When Governor Lewelling had left
"the carpet" Representative Merrill wa:
called and he responded MrtMerrn wa:
in a happy state of ignorance. Abou
200 questions were fired at him but ne
couldn't answer them he said, "as
don't know anything about that mat
ter" All ne did know was that in his
opinion the Democrats and Silver Re-
pu5Iicans did not do the square thing
but voted mostly with the Republicans
| after being elected by the reform forces
When Mr.. Rutledge rose TO his feet ne
| was 50 loudly cheered that il was evil
dent he was all right in his legislative
| record although il is well known fact
mat he was a cold oyster in the Carried
university matter and in other matters
| Of interest to Wichita. The great ova-
ton given him was probably not meant
for him but as back-handed lick at
/ Lewelling Mr.. Rutledge said he was
! approached frequently by railroad in
! fuences while he was in Topeka but tina t
! he had the courage TO resist them. In
! speaking about the future he thought
/ that If an extra session is called the leg
islators viii pass maximum freight
| bill
"If you don't we will hang you"
shouted one be-whlskered gentleman in
front OF him VINO was seriously indig-
nant over the whole Populistic legisla-
tive farce. IN reply to this and other re-
marks Mr.. Rutledge stated that the
members Of the extreme east and west
of the state are against maximum legis-
lation for the reason that rates would
be burdensore at both ends
When Silas Rutledge had retired
Colonel Nicholas Bird threw a dynamite
bomb into the meeting and il came near
causing a stampede. The colonel ex-
pressed it as his opinion that 1t was the
most remarked bic meeting he had ever
attended. He said he had been sick since
early n November and could not read
the newspapers and hence did not know
what had happened. He could see,
however, that something was very
wrong He said that Mr. Lewelling
showed great ability in evading the
points upon which the people wanted
light. He said that Lewelling had spok-
en- about getting up in the night and go
ing in his nigilt-shirt to Governor Leedy
TO advise him what to do. He did not
tell how, when ne was governor. anoth-
er distinguished gentleman came in the
middle of the night to see him. This
was an allusion 10 that CHASTITY skeleton
IN dwellings gubernatorial closet-the
story of how he entertained and nego-
tiated with General Solicitor George
Peck OF the Santa Fe, n his rooms dur
Ing the legislative war. 1T is time"
said Mr.. Bird, 'that the people should
rise upon their leaders and arra:gn them
for political malfeasance. We will not
feed IN excuses" shouted Colonel Bird,
and several people got mighty nervous.
He said that If the P0pul,sts were not
serious about maximum freight rate leg
islation then they ought not 10 go before
the people championing ii or on that .s
sue. When It was suggested TO Colonel
Bird that the legisla ture will be conven-
ed again for that purpose he grew red
in the face and said: why shall the
dog return TO IT'S vomit? - Notwithstand
ing that statement he said he thought
Governor Leedy had abdomen enought
to display some sound judgment and he
will not permit the people TO be chumped
much longer
Stratton thought the meeting ought to
talk about the future and not about the
past. He wanted Leedy TO call some OF
the smart men of the party around him
to frame a maximum freight rate bill
and then he thought the people should
meet n conventions. line up their sena-
tors and representatives ard make them
vote for Il or show good reasons why. |
He said that this method Of proceduer
would De in line with the principle of |
the initiative and referendum so dear TO |
the hearts oe the people.
Some one asked him why he thought |
that legislature that rejected the prin- |
ciple OF the initiative and referendum !
last spring would reject I this summer. |
The question was a corSer and Judge |
Stratton ignored It.
Rutledge took the floor again and ac- |
cused Populist newspapers of not max |
ing an Intelligent dafsnse OF the acton
of the legislature in passing the good
measures il did pass. We would do bet |
ter. he said. but the Democrats baked |
and fl:rted with the Republicans
After a long controversy on what the !
people generally understand by maxi
mum rates, which controversy was par
in by Leweiling. Sankey. I. P.
Campbell, Stratton and Farmer Doolit- /
tie, resolutions were passed commencing
Jhe acton OF the reforme-s who voted
for the school text book law. the stock
yards I'LL and who acted generally in
harmony with the Abilene platform and |
that portion Of it relating 10
maximum freight rates; condeming such
men as sought to enact laws in harmony
with their own peculiar views: endors-
Ing Governor Leedy for vetoing the
Harris b,ll and calling on him 10 can a
special session of the legislature to pass
a bill prepared by him and such wise
men Of the party as ne may chose to
assist him.
In the discussion over the resolutions
Judge Sankey turned his desperate ewes.
overshadowed by their massive evs-
oro~S on Governor LeweIiinE and said:
The railroad commission Is nothing but
a roosting place for stale and decayed
He said The iss, LEGISLATURES
was Labelled ana stamped for Doodle. He
said the servants of the Le ,ple should
beware % what the people have in mind