The Topeka state journal., 1899-08-26
APPEAL FOR MINERS.
Clerk of Cherokee County Replies to
Governor Stanley.

Governor Stanley.
The appeal for relief for the hurricane
sufferers in Porto Rico issued last Satur-
plants in southeastern Kansas. the fol-
lowing letter having been received by the
Governor W. E. Stanley. Topeka, Kan:
Columbus, Kan, Aug. 23.-Dear Gov
from our people for the suffering Porto
RtcanS and designating the county com
ward the same, and which, I assure you,
will be promptly attended to and every
to so worthy call; but at the same time,
my dear governor, you must not measure
contributed, for, Notwithstanding we have
grown to be one of the wealthiest counties
IN the state ana snow the largest increase
in population for the last twelve months.
just at this time and by reason of un-
toward circumstances our nome demand
es of our charitably inclined.
You doubtless are not aware, dear gov
ernor, that the great labor strike IN the
in Cherokee and Crawford counties, and
to which your attention was early invited
Interfere "a l.. TANNER > is still in nro-
gress and a matter of serious cons!dera-
opportunities of thousands of miners,
their wives and little ones is involved. and
appeals more strongly to our philanthropy
than even the storm-wrecked and unfor-
tunate islanders.
nd would suggest, dear governor, that
you also include in your broad and gen
erous appeal for suffering humanity the
er, victims OF the rapacious Big -Four
Coal companies in Cherokee and ~CraW-
against conditions unbearable and becom-
ing worse or submit to practically Volun-
we1l get a niger in your place. ''strike
if you dare, and well ship in the Mig
manhood and the rights inherent to SOW
ereign citizenship under the constitution
abiding, resident, property-owning, indus
trious. tax paying and wealth producing
double and treble up in rooms that each
may earn pittance. or to leave their
of labor whilst the places they formerly
occupied have been filed with imported,
ignorant, pauper, ex-cOnVict negroes from
the penal camps and pen1tenuarleS of
Georgia and Alabama, grouped and
guarded in stOckades and armed with re-
peating, lOng-ranged guns, with which
they come out with or without provoca-
the neSce ana y7elfare Of The common
wealth and community, a threat of ter
ror and unspeakable danger to the white
riot and bloodshed, a reign of terror hor-
rible to contemplate in its nearnesS and
possibilities-and all this, my dear COVER
nor in defiance of humanity. morality and
these Counties eVerVWhere. and more than
tuted authorities of Cherokee and CraW-
ford counties and Of the ,judicisry OF this
promptly def1ed and was as promptly sus-
tained by an imported federal judge with
injunctions, and the mill grinds on train
load follows train load of negroes of the
Pana variety and injunction follows in
junction.
Property values in towns and cities
where these imported blacks are located
have decreased immeas urablY, resident
miners are sacrificing their little homes,
stalwart young men are being driven
away to join the army of unemployed a
blight rests upon one of our greatest in
duStrfes and is extending to others, a re-
duction in assessed values must neees-
sarily enSue, and thus, my dear COVER
nor, the good people of Cherokee county,
whose broad charities are only limited by
their ability to give, find at their very
door a home demand of increasing pro-
portions.
And if you have anything left of your
contingent fund after ouSting any re-
naming fusiOnists in office that you may
discover running pOpulist hatcherieS. or
hasherieS, and when you have bluffed out
or disposed of Farmer Black and his little
investigation. and settled that KlOnGike
of the United Mine Workers of America
in Cherokee and Crawford counties.
And in the meantime you might attend
the big la Dor day celebra ton at Weir City
September 4, and explain to our people
there how and why these big Four
coal companies and their imported injunc-
tious federal judge, have been permitted
to override and defy our district Judge
and legally authorized county officers,
and slip into this state and these counties
an armed horde of the very slum of ig-
from other states and maintain them in
our midst. an armed, irresponsible mob,
against the peace and dignity of the state.
and then, incidentally, you can make your
appeal in person for the suffering Porto
RicanS-
Again assuring you of our hearty CO.
operation, Notwithstanding our crippled
abilities. as above stated and resulting
from your inaction if not acuuiescence.
l am S. w. SWINNEY,
Clerk of Cherokee County, Kansas.