422 



KANSAS. 



they succeeded in reaching the hall only to find 

 the doors locked. Sledge hammers were brought 

 into use, and, the doors being forced, they en- 

 tered and took possession of the hall. As soon 

 as the Populists learned what had been done, 

 Gov. Lewelling was notified, and he promptly 

 called out the militia and instructed them to 

 proceed to the hall and eject the Republicans 

 from the floor. 



Meanwhile the latter, fearing trouble, pro- 

 ceeded to bolt the doors and barricade the en- 

 trances to the hall. Several companies of the 

 militia soon appeared and were drawn up around 

 the Capitol, awaiting orders, and cannon were 

 brought out from the arsenal. The Republicans 

 found themselves besieged. The heat was turned 

 off from the hall, and no food was allowed to 

 pass through the militia lines. At this juncture 

 Gov. Lewelling appeared before them and urged 

 them to abandon the hall and prevent a con- 

 flict, but was met with a prompt refusal. The 

 commander in chief of the State militia, Col. 

 Hughes, was a Republican and a member of the 

 House. Late in the evening of this day he ap- 

 peared before his colleagues and informed them 

 that he would sooner resign his command than 

 carry out an order to eject the Republican 

 House, and that a majority of his command 

 would withdraw from the militia with him. He 

 further intimated that orders to the guards, so 

 far as they related to the taking of provisions 

 into the hall, had been relaxed. Hardly had this 

 been said when a string was dropped out of every 

 window, and in shorter time than it can be told 

 baskets filled with substantial lunches were 

 hoisted up, and the Republicans broke their long 

 fast. 



Telegrams were sent by the Governor to vari- 

 ous parts of the State, ordering out the militia, 

 while at the same time, in response to other tele- 

 grams, hundreds of Republicans hastened to- 

 ward Topeka, bound to see that the Republican 

 logislators were protected. It soon became evi- 

 dent that the Governor could not rely upon the 

 militia, which was officered largely by Repub- 

 licans and could not be trusted to obey his or- 

 ders in ousting a body of men with whom these 

 officers were in sympathy. The feeling on both 

 sides was intense, and the slightest friction 

 would have precipitated a conflict. Cooler heads 

 sought to effect a peaceful solution of the diffi- 

 culty, and on Feb. 16 various propositions were 

 submitted on both sides and discussed. Finally, 

 on Feb. 17, an agreement was reached by which 

 the Republican House was given undisputed 

 possession of the hall, and the Populist House 

 agreed to hold its meetings elsewhere ; no arrests 

 were to be made by either House of the mem- 

 bers or officers of the other ; the militia was to 

 be disbanded, and the posse of Sheriff Wilkerson 

 to be dismissed. This truce left the real diffi- 

 culty still unsettled, but the Republicans had 

 already made up a case for the court. On Feb. 

 15 the sergeant at arms of the Douglass House 

 had arrested L. C. Gunn, of Topeka, on the 

 ground that he had refused to appear before a 

 committee of that House when summoned. He 

 applied to the Supreme Court for a writ of 

 habeas corpus, and the case was heard on the 

 following week, Gov. Lewelling and the Popu- 

 lists being represented by counsel. A decision 



was rendered on Feb. 25, two of the three judges 

 (both Republicans) deciding in favor of the 

 Douglass House, the third judge (a Populist) 

 dissenting. In the face of this decision it was 

 impossible for the Dunsmore House to maintain 

 its organization with any pretense of right, and 

 on Feb. 26 it disbanded and those of its mem- 

 bers who held certificates of election joined the 

 Douglass House, recognizing its legality. Seven 

 weeks of the session had already been consumed 

 in this wrangle, and only a few days remained 

 for legislation. But this time was well utilized. 

 One of the most import enactments was an Aus- 

 tralian-ballot law, applicable to all elections for 

 national, State, district, county, city, and town- 

 ship officers. It contains the usual provisions 

 for nominating candidates by conventions or 

 nomination papers. Except in case of municipal 

 elections, the county clerk shall have charge of 

 preparing and printing the official ballots. The 

 names of all candidates shall be printed on each 

 ballot, the nom'inees of each party being ar- 

 ranged in a column under the party name. 

 Plain white paper, through which the printing 

 can not be read, shall be used. Voters shall in- 

 dicate their choice by marking a cross opposite 

 the name of each candidate of their choice, or 

 by writing in a name and placing a cross op- 

 posite thereto. Each polling place shall con- 

 tain voting booths, and the door or curtain shall 

 be closed when the voter is preparing his ballot. 

 Employees are allowed two hours without loss of 

 pay in which to vote on election days. The 

 polls shall be open from eight o'clock in the 

 morning till six o'clock at night. 



An act to prevent corruption at elections re- 

 quires every candidate and every political club 

 and committee to file sworn itemized statements 

 of election expenses with the county clerk with- 

 in thirty days after every election. It was made 

 unlawful for a candidate to hire any one to work 

 in his interest on election day, and various 

 forms of bribery were defined and punished. 



Several acts were passed designed to drive 

 money lenders from the State. One of these 

 provides that all debts not payable in legal-ten- 

 der notes shall be payable in standard silver or 

 gold coins authorized by Congress, all stipula- 

 tions in the contract to the contrary notwith- 

 standing. Another provides that in all execu- 

 tion sales, and in all foreclosure proceedings 

 (notwithstanding any provisions of the mort- 

 gage), the owner shall have eighteen months in 

 which to redeem, and meanwhile shall be entitled 

 to possession of the property. 



All private corporations, except steam rail- 

 roads and corporations engaged in producing 

 farm and dairy products, are required to pay 

 their employees weekly. Coal miners are au- 

 thorized to employ a check weighman to care for 

 their interests in the weighing of coal mined, 

 and it is provided that all coal shall be weighed 

 before being screened. 



A valued-policy law, making the amount of 

 insurance the measure of damages in case of 

 total loss, was enacted. 



For each of the fiscal years 1893-'94 and 

 1894-'95 a State tax of 3^ mills was authorized 

 for current expenses, and an additional rate of 

 two tenths of a mill for interest on the State 

 debt. Suitable provision was at last made to se- 



