The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-11
DEFENSE OF GOVERNOR BARNES
Guthrie Capital Tells About the
y nous saddle Incident

cd
Guthrie, 0. T., July 10.-The Capital OF
this city has taken a hand editorially in
regard to the charge that Governor
Barnes insulted Governor Roosevelt at
| Oklahoma City. The editorial utterance
is as follows:
THE papers of Oklahoma City-and
through them the papers of the country
are having a good deal to say about
what is termed 1.-THE Saddle Incident >"
during the Rough Riders reunion. It
is stated that Governor Barnes, as the
commanding officers of the territorial mi
litia, treated Governor Roosevelt and the
Rough Riders discourteously, by demand
ing Of them the government saddles
which were sent down for the use Of the
governors staff. Governor Barnes has
made asst atement in the Capital, and
other papers, that he made no such de-
mand; that when certain saddles sent
down to Oklahoma City for his staff, by
mistake, were turned over to the Rough
Riders he made no complaint, and said
let the Rough Riders keep them. The
only foundation there is to this matter
is that Captain Finerty, Of the Oklahoma
company. met Lieutenant Goodrich OF
the Rough Riders and told them that at
O'Clock or thereafter if the Rough Rid
ers were through with the government
saddles. the governor and staff would like
to use them for a military parade. Lien-
tenant Goodrich responded that they
would soon be through with the saddles
and Finerty told Goodrich where to leave
them.
"All the talk about Governor Roosevelt
and any Of the Rough Riders being sur
prised at the actions of the governor or
being in the least disquieted thereby, has
no foundation excep. in the imagination
Of the Oklahoma City reporters and those
they Influenced by their misstatements.
Governor Barnes treated Governor Roose-
Welt and the Rough Riders with every
courtesy, and so did every pne of the
governors staff. The governor and the
attorney general met the Roosevelt spec
al train at Newton. and gave welcome TO
Roosevelt to Oklahoma very handsome
thing to have done on behalf of the
territory at large. The governor showed
every attention TO Roosevelt and assisted
in every way TO make The Rough Riders
reunion a success His men expended
more than $500 for new uniforms and
the reunion.
The First Regiment band OF thirty
pieces went down az a cost u the mem
bers O. over 5000 more than it real
lied for lis lebors-and played the &C
compartment for Madame Jennings for
her song star Spsnzled Banner play
"a the welcome 10 Governor Roosevelt
on the grand stand and the quick steps
for the Eighth regiments drili-and got
ranked as third among the bands present
Everybody but the locaI newspapers gave
high praise 20 the splendid music Of the
First regiment band.
Governor Roosevelt was greatly
pleased At the attentions paid him By
the governor and 50 stated. not only per-
sonaly . the governor. BUT 70 many
others. receiving these attentions as COM
Ing from the territory ~ large
TIE people az Oklahoma generally
treated Governor Barnes and MS STAFF
with much courtesy a7p-ectateinE al he
lid - assist II making the heuaion
success. But the newspapers o. Oklsho-
ma city. as nsua-. were devoid of cct--
tesy % the governor. manufactured this
scandal ard did everything p1ssi5Ia .
magnify it-a diTcct 6iscou-tesy - the
governor. The papers complain IA.
GoverRar Barnes was In5ecorous u the
ter-i.orv's guest, Governor Roosevelt.
which is absolutely disputed ~ al ne
fac-s and Governor Roosevelt himself
But that the papers ~ Okishorua city
have been d3scourteeas % Governor
FarnsS AMI staff, tae eue~ts r. Oklahoma
City At that time. IS without sisPute.
They havs not Only been discog- eoas.
9ct mslielous'y s.. doing the governor =
great injustice. tut this injustice IS 10