Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-07-23
WOMEN IN OVERALLS.
ON THE ROCK-PILE.
A Burning Shame and Disgrace.
G. c. Clemens ROaStS the Perpetrators.

ment of policecourt women on the rock pile
has caused great indignation at the state house.
The order was to the effect that unfortunate
women in the city prison who were unable to
pay their fines should be dressed in boomers
and sent out on the streets, or the rock-pile,
the same as men.
G. c. Clemens went to Governor Leedy, and
made most vigorous protest. He denounced
the order as an outrage upon humanity, and
declared that it would damage the cause of
Populism rreparaby
"The Populist heart" said Mr.. Clemens to
his excelency, els lacerated and bleeding for
humanity. Now for officials of the Populist
party to put women on the rock-pile for break
ing city ordinanc-Great God! Governor,
can scarcely contain myself"
Governor Leedy told Mr.. Clemens that he
would look into the case when he had time. 81
hope you WILL" said Clemens; 'and l want to
add that if any woman at Kansas City is placed
on the rock pile, I'll commence habeas corpus
proceeding for her release, and will make it
mighty hot for the men who perpetrated the
outrage"
of the riot in Topeka, some years ago over the
placing of two colored women on the rock-pile.
At that time, David Overmyer made speech
in denunciation of the act, and people say it
sent him to the legislature.
1t is claimed that, while Governor Leedy
says he is not in favor of women breakin rock,
he finds no fault with the action of the Kansas
City police board. Secretary State Bush,
Treasurer Hehebower and Auditor Bush vigor-
ously denounced the proposition State-Super-
intendent Stryker and Attorney General Boyle
were absent, and their ideas on the subject
could not be learned.
To newspaper reporter Mr.. Clemens eX
pressed himself quite vigorously He said,
among other things:
"Teegrams from Kansas City inform me
that the project has been abandoned there.
That does not satisfy me. There should have
been no such project for Populist officials to
abandon. Had the old Aboltionists elected
president, and one of his appointees, marshal
or district attorney, had become even more
Jealous than the shareholders in pursuing fugi
tive slaves, would that official have been per-
United simply to abandon his job?
"The Populist appontee capable of even
medtating this worse than barbarous project is
not Popust at heart. He should not be per-
United to represent, single hour, the cause he
has blasphemed. While live and retain the
slightest degree of my old-time ability to raise
sheol, there will be no women, in overals or
out OF them, on Kansas rock-ples, without
considerable tribulation to those who put them
there. That might as we'll be quite plainly
understood The soil once trod by John Brown
is too sacred for the bleeding feet of rock pile
woman slave, The Peoples party will never
condone even the meditation ii this nfany.
"Who are the women who are to be thus
misused? And what crimes they to eXpi
ate by their degradation? Are they the daugh-
tiers of the Rockeellers or the Vanderbilts?
Are they the erstwhile chums of the Duchess
of Marlburrought Do they receive paternal
remittances from the plethoric treasury of some
Rothschld? The women who are the victims
of every moral crusade's' persecution, and of
the ceaseless tyranny of the police, come not,
or come rarely, from luxurious homes. farm
er's daughter coming to the city to find work
meets at every step on her new pathway the
allurements of the lbertine. The poor mans
daughter-the light of his humble home-is
forced by hard times to engage in the fierce
struggle for bread, and everywhere the lecher-
GUS idler plots her fall. The woman who has
Welded to The libertine's false peadings has
not long to learn that
4" Every woe tear can claim,
Except an erring sisters shame
"Society closes its doors to her. She would
not find welcome in a church. She is cast out,
and women who claim to follow Christ and do
His bidding shun her approach. Therefore,
she has no protectors, and the state, which
should rescue her, becomes, through its police
men, her bitterest oppressors. The
PEOPLES party will not endure it, will not