The Labor enquirer., 1883-01-27
TIE FARCE.


(excluding Sundays of the session OF
Colorado legislature. During that time
about three hundred and fifty bills have
been introduced the majority of
them very necessary, but up to
this time only half dozen ofthat number
have been considered. The only question
that has seemed to interest the majority
of the assembly has been that of electing
two United States senators. Sixteen
times the legislature has met in joint
session and taken ballot for each of the
senatorial terms and at this writing they
are as far from choice as on the first
vote. AS yet there is not even begin
ming of the end. Several attempts have
been made l'by members to force the
question and settle it, but the honest
men making those attempts have been
summarily set down upon. The farce
has at different stages assumed very
ludicrous proportions, and the robbers
of the public purse have had great sport
in the contest For the past ten days
the ruling idea has been to give com
plimentary vote" to first one and then
another. Tom, Dick and Harry have
been sprunginto PUBLIC notice by aeon
plimentary vote" ranging from one to
twenty-five. The bar at the Windsor
has reaped the harvest from this foolish
ness. Any one who feels disposed to
:'set 'em up" can get complimentary
vote" from that august body, the Colo
RADIO general assembly.
The people have been thoroughly dis
gusted with the proceedings of the past
two weeks, and if some of the honorable
members could be out in the lobby or
on the streets when. the result Of their
ridiculous ballots are announced they |
would find that we but voice public
sentiment when we say that the people
are fast losing all respect for this gen
eral assembly Of Colorado.
Members of this Legislature were elect
ed for the purpose of revising and adding
to the very imperfect laws Of the stater
and it costs the people over $25,0OO to
maintain this session. If the people
are to pay $4,000 for making United
States senators, they claim the privilege
that is accorded cappers, Ieggers and
buttonholers-the right to say who shall
be those senators.
1t is about time this thing was turned
over to the people Of the state, and the
senators elected as other state officers
are, anyhow. Very few of those who
are given the power to elect those Off
GERS care aughJ for the wishes of their
constituents Money rules the day.
We have little hope that this thing
will be settled until the last day of the
forty, and as the battle of the gods con-
tinues the time to be devoted to the
enactment of laws will be dali! dimin-
ished. We have little hope of more
than one-twentieth of the bills intro
duced being duly considered.
If this burlesque is continued, the
people would be perfectly justified in
organizing and marching to the house
of senator-m makers and compelling the
reckless spendthrifts of the peoples time
and money to elect United States sena-
tors at the muzzle of Winchester.
the leaders in this wanton and criminal
delay, and if they ever come up again
in the state of Colorado for the suffrages
of the citizens, and the people do not
crush them out of existence, then the
state will deserve to forever go drugged
and blindfolded to it's doom.