The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-04
ALL UNWARRANTED.
Whole Course of the Govern
ment in Idaho Condemned.

Washington, June 4-The minority
report on the Occur dAlene inveStiga-
ton was given out today by Represen-
tatives Lentz of Ohio and Hay of Vir-
ginia who drafted it. The following is
6. summary of its main features.
The minority point out that the evil
dence taken during the investigation
shows that there was absolutely no
rioting in ShoShone county, Idaho, April
%, 1899, that when the United States
troops arrived upon the scene quiet had
been restored and no resistance was
being made to the state authorities who
were arresting as rapidly as possible
those who were suspected of being inn
picated in the crime of April r. 1899
It is maintained by the minority that
the troops sent TO Idaho by the presi-
dent of the United States continued to
be under the control of the president
and that the military COM
mander in command could only
use the troops in aid of the
civil authorities of the state
to preserve peace and order and pre-
vent resistance being made by lawless
persons to the process Of the courts and
the proper civil authorities of the state.
The president of the United States has
kept and is still keeping soldiers in that
community and by so doing is uphold
ing a tyrannical course Of conduct pur-
sued by the governor Of Idaho.
THE minority point out five fragrant
instances of abuse of power and viola
ton of law by General Merriam, the
commander of the troops.
General Merriam sent on May 3
about $50 troops to the town of Burke
and arrested without warrant the en-
tire male population of that town, con-
sisting of about 800 persons. It was an
outrage on the liberty of the citizens
which has no parallel in the annals of
this country.
Gen Merriam sent a detachment of
troops into the state of Montana for the
purpose of arresting fugitives from
Iaho, an inexcusable exercise of arbi-
trary power by General Merriam.
Lieut. Lyon acting under the orders
of his superior officer. by threats of vio-
! lence forced certain citizens to work in
! the Tiger-Poorman mine against their
! will. No such fragrant invasion Of the
right of the citizen can be cited in the
| history of this country.
Major Smith suppressed the Mullan
Mirror, a newspaper published at Null
| ian, thus denying free speech and free
press. This was a gross violation of
! law wholly unjustified.
The permit system, in fact blacklist
| system. approved by General Merriam
| and kept in operation to this day by the
| presence of the military forces of the
| United States is a violation of law which
| can not be defended
In summing up the minority say they
ARE satisfied from the evidence adduced
| before the committee, that General Mer-
| Ram was wholly mistaken as TO his pow
| ers and duties, that his conduct has re-
suited in the gravest injuries to the lib
| erty of the citizens and the rights of n
! diVidualS. Innocent men have been KEPT
| in prison for months without trial and
| have been finally discharged without an.
| charges being preferred against them.
ttAt one time or another there were over
| LOO men in the prison at Warmer known
| as the Bull PEN
They were kept there many months
| They were not tried. They were not
| charged with any crime: they were held
and guarded by United States troops. Il
| was the duty of Gen. Merriam and OF
| the president of the United States &c
| inquire into the causes and the reasons
| for the detention of so many American
| citizens No such inquiry was evel
made. Such Indifference is hard to un
derstand and harder to excuse.
THE plea that Gen. Merriam was
acting at the request of the governor
of Idaho and his state representative
Bartlett Sinclair, is not good. Neithe
the governor nor Sinclair had the RICH
to violate the law. And Gen Merriam
knew it, or should have known it
Although the governor of Idaho ha:
for a year and more been governing
Shoshone county by martial law. he ha
never called the legislature together
he laws of Idaho provide that a ses
sion of the legislature can be called OF
20 days notice
The minority hold that the president /
not justified in keeping United State
sold1ers Indefinitely in ShOshone count
At the mere will of one man, when tn
legislature. representative of the people
could have and ought TO be convened an
their wishes aSeertained-