Delta chief., 1883-11-21
From ..The 1.ost Charlie Ross.

anu us nO olc HIS tHus lar sttll III " say
thing pertaining thereto, feel if a few
words thereon would not be amiss from your
humble servant. Yes, was perambulating
up and down the scene of action few days
ago, and the idea came into my mind to bring
by glasses to bear upon the political situation
of Delta county, and what do you think saw?
Why, one of the most heartrending scenes it
has ever been my lot to witness, scene SIM
liar in many respects to tic one witnessed in
the city of Washington just after the battle
of Bull Run, where all was "defeat, annihi-
lation and decentralization" Yes, it was on
every hand that l came in contact men suffer-
ing from injuries sustained at the hands of
the honorable Democratic delegation, espec-
tally while engaged in their deliberations at
the Democratic county convention, held at
Delta, October 13. The writer hereof is
strictly of the Jetlersonian persuasion, and
can bear Il great deal of intimidation and
bulldozing, as he halls from the South where
such is embodied in the political creed, but
must say that have su1cieHcy. For in all
my life it has never been my lot to witness
such manifest perfdy as was characteristic of
a portion of that honorable body's delibera-
tlOIs, Wiille 10 seItCt mtH W uct as
our public servants in the capacity of county
officers for the next two years. 1t was on this
memorable occasion that | saw good men
brought forward to be slaughtered us so many
cattle or sheep, men against whom nothing
could be said, men who stand high in the
county not only in social point of view, but
high in the politics Of the county. "Why,"
says one of the delegates, "what did you see
about the actions of the delegation you think
was wrOng?" Why, | saw in that convcn
tion men placed in nomination for office whom
it was never the intention of the parties nom
mating them to support, which fact, am
sorry to say, was noticeable in the Republican
convention, evidence of which was brought
in with the returns Of the election. YES"
but says my friend, ''the failure on the part
o. the Democrats to support cordially the en-
tire ticket is due to the fact that there was
split in the party" / conteud there is no
more of split in the Democratic party than
there is in the Republican party, and if there
is a split in either party it is in the shape of
an imaginary line running north and south,
dividing the county equally, or nearly so.
But for the sake of argument l will admit
such to be the case, and what is the result?
Why, we see the Republicans enjoying the
right of political supremacy in the county at
the expense Of the Democratic party, the ac
tons Of whose political "bosses" of late have
been so characteristic of disposition to rule
or ruin We hear it said that ''in union there
is strength but how a union can be effected
in the Democratic ranks with so many would
be leaders or "bosses" to contend with, is
more than one of my limited fund of inform
alton is able to tell for the defiant attitude
these bosses assume toward each other anti
dates the organization of this county, which
everyone knows in an agricultural point of
view to be divided into two distinct bodies,
viz: The Gunnison and Uncompahgrc val
leys, and the valleys of the North Fork and
Muddy. In the settlement of these fertile
valleys, men of colossal minds were attracted
hither, and when the county embracing these
fertile bodies of land were organized, it was
found necessary before the official wheels of
the county could be set in motion that men
be recommended to His Excellcncy the Gov
ernor for appointment as county officers, and
it was at this juncture that brainy men sprang
up rs if by magic all over the county, and
began to beseach His Excellency to appoint
this one and that one to such and such an Of
flee, but the pathetic pleadings Of "uncle
Sam" and "Uncc Enos' was too much for
the high chief, and he fell an easy victim to
the mesmeric fervor of their eloquence, which
had the telling effect Of getting all the officers
appointed in one end of the county, except
scavengcr of the metropolis, and who by the
way is one of the brightest intellects in all
that constellation of appointments. While
we all Know that it was account of these
appointments that the first dissatisfaction in
the minds of the people was made manifest,
we are bound to admit that such would not
have been had those who found themselves
most influential with the administration con-
fined themselves in their recommendations to
the Governor to men whose interests lay in
the county, and who by strict adherance to
duty, and a truly loyal devotion to the coun
ty's interest, helped to make these offices to
which they were appointed a possibility.
But such was not the case, and this more than
anything else gave rise to the dissatisfaction
in the minds of the people, which resulted in
the split, politically speaking, referred to
above. Still we are told by our North Fork
brethren that there exists no sectional feel
ing whaiever in that section of the country
toward Delta" but on the contrary, that
strong brothcrly love does exist" the truth
fullness of which assertion lam inclined to
believe, judging as / do from the tone of
"Uncle Enos'" speech delivered before the
Democratic convention in Delta on the 18th.
Everyone who was so fortunate rs to be pres
ent will bear witness with regard to the tai.
ismanic emphasis "Uncle Enos" brought to
bear in his remarks while descanting upon
Delta and its future.
this county, why were they so far out at sea
in regard to the support that was actually
needed in order to elect some of the aspirants
who passed before the people in the attitude
of candidates? This question if answered is
intended to shed a beacon of light on the d.
lemma that the Republicans and Democrats
found themselves in over the office of clerk
and recorder. 1t was in this one particular
instance that both parties had their regular
nominees, Il. ID. Blair on the Republican
ticket, and w. f. Dean on the Democratic
ticket, both of whose candidates. had its in
ception in an action of their respective par