The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-02-01
MRS. NATION ON THE WARPATB.
Tongue Lashed All the Kan.as
State Officials.

ior nls failure to close the salOOna of
Kansas. Then, in turn, she visited the
offices OF Attorney General Goddard
county Attorney Nicholas and Sheriff
forter and demanded OF each that tbev
| close the saloons.
when Mrs. Nation entered Governor
Stanley's Office she was followed nv a
crowd OF newspaper reporters and
others.
PREACHED the Governor q Sermon.
by turns she administered to Governor
Stanley tongue-lashing for bis iailure
to uphold the laws against li0uOr aeIl-
ing, or begged him for aid to carry on
her crusade. She put her questions With
tierceness and answered them herself
without giving the governor time To
utter complete sentence in his own de-
tense.
Mrs. Nation accused Governor Stanley
ol branding her a law-breaker, and de-
manded to know if he had a better
method than she OF ridding the state of
saloons.
"Do you think my method is right?"
she asked.
No, do not" replied the governor.
one?" ''''
AS the governor turned in his chair To
make answer everyone listened intentIy.
NO, don't think have" he finally
replied.
Continuing he managed to edge in a
few words more
What can | do? am powerless.
The law does not allow me to do what |
desire. The law gives me no privileges.
What can | dor"
IF necessary call out the militia" was
Mrs. Nations prompt reply.
Then the crusader began a phillippic
that caused Governor Stanley's anger to
rise, and the crowd grouped about his
desk to look on in wonder.
You can close every Joint in Kansas
ii you will, Governor Stanley" she said
with fervor. "YOu can do it if you want
to, but you won't. But you are a law
breaker yourself if you don't. You took
your oath OF office to keep the law"
As Mrs. Nation proceeded she became
more vehement and her voice quivered.
She rose from her chair and looked full
III the face Of Governor Stanley and
pointing her finger at him called him
"law-breaker" and "perjurer" without
the least show OF fear. She repeated
these words OF accusation again and
again. He tried to make reply, but she
gave him no chance, the words OF in
centive pouring from her with a rush
that would not be stemmed.
Finally his temper gone, Governor
Stanley arose from his seat and shouted
back:
"4ou cannot come here and talk that
way to me. You cannot talk this way.
| say. You are a woman, but / won't
stand it. You will have to leave"
81 am mother | am a grand
mother, and | represent the mothers OF
the state"
"You don't; you don't represent
them" almost shouted the governor.
The words flew back and forth with
such tierceness that it was impossible to
distinguish them. The room was in an
uproar.
Then Mrs Nation talked more calmly,
pleading with the governor to aid her.
You come with me and help smash
saloons, she urged, and then she added:
Devil Has a Cinch.
"lf you won't help US, if you won't
help me I'll go around and I'll smash,
smash, smash, governor. The devil
seems to have a cinch on the men, but
he has not cinch on the hatchets and
rocks"
Finally Governor Stanley volun-
teered:
"YOu get the prosecuting ATTORNEYS of
the different counties to put the Joint
keepers in Jail, and III use my power, as
governor, to keep them in, and I'll see
that they are not pardoned out"
This promise instantly transformed
Mrs. Nation. She fairly beamed with
Joy, and thanking the governor, started
for the office OF Attorney General God
dard. The encouragement was en-
gagged, but she forced her way into his
private Office and introduced herself
with these words:
1--WE want you to close these Joints,
these murder shops" She demanded
that he remove those officials who neg
lected their duty in allowing the sa-
looms to run, and when he evaded her di-
rect questions and referred her to the
county attorney, Mrs. Nation said
'Mr. Attorney General, you're not
dodging are your Now don't dodge"
With parting injunction to do what
he swOre to do in taking his oath, Mrs.
Nation, followed by an army of people,
with a bOdyguard of newspaper men,
started for the county attorneys Office.
"The governor and attorney general are
dodging," she said, "but there's no
lodging my hatchet."
She had lost her wraps and her veil,
but she wasted no time looking for
them.
To County Attorney Nichols she re-
peated her demands and finally said she
wished to swear out a warrant for the
saloOnkeeper's wife who had attacked
her Saturday night with a broomstick.
Tackles the Sheriff.
With few words of warning Mrs. Ma
tion and her train were again on their
way, this time headed for the Office OF
Sheriff Cook.
The sheriff was soon in a rage, and at
last, boiling over with anger under her
scorching attack, he broke away, and,
rushing toward newspaper man in the
crowd who pointed at him, tore the Of
lenders collar and made a motion to
strike him. Others interfered and Cook
turning to Mrs. Nation, asked her to his
private Office to continue the argument
alone.
Chief of Police DodRes
The chief of police was picked out for
the next onslaught, but his Office was
found locked and Mrs. Nation addressed
a crowd that had gathered north of the
city Jail.
Mrs. Nation made short address ar
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