Gilpin observer., 1900-10-18
ROUl'T COUNTY.
1t Is Stirred Up Over the
Wolcott Policy Of Monopo>
lizing the Free RANGES.

hZlng the Free Ranges.
One of the boldest attempts of the
Wolcott combination OF this state to
hoodwink the voters into supporting
the Republican ticket comes from
Northwestern Colorado, and has Just
been exposed by the Democratic coun-
ty central committee of Routt county.
AS is well known the feeling in that
part of the state in regard to the main
tenance of the public range is very
strong. 1t is of such Importance that
it overshadows all other issues. The
part taken by Senator Wolcott in rela-
tion to the sale of all the public lands
of Baca county, AS may well be sup
posed, is therefore playing very i'm
portant part in the campaign.
In addition to this there is another
grievance. Last spring. when the pass
age of a bill providing for national
lease law was threatened the people
of that section of the state were
wrought up as never before. Indigna-
tiOn meetings and protests We're the
order of the day. Dozens of letters
and petitions We're sent to Senator
Wolcott and he was urged to take "A
stand against the measure. Most of
the communications he ignored entire
ly. Where he did deign to make reply
it was without exception in n non-com-
initial manner.
Then came the Democratic district
convention at which the candidates for
house and senate We're pledged by the
conventions to vote for no man for
United States Senator unless he would
promise to stand with the small cat
tlemen on this important matter. Ben
jamin l.. Jefferson, who made such n
splendid record in the last house as
member from Routt and Rio Blanco
counties, and who is exceedingly popu-
lar throughout that entire district, was
nominated for the state Senate. and
James Lyttle of Rio Blanco county, n
pioneer of that part of the state, and
who through his newspaper, the
Meeker Herald, played an important
part In the agitation in favor of free
range, was nominated for the house
Alarmed at the feeling which existed
against Senator Wolcott. and the
strength of the Democratic Legislative
ticket, the Republicans adopted n re-
markable course at their convention.
They also pledged their candidates to
vote against any man for the United
States senate who was not D. favor of
n free range and denounced in violent
language the very things which Sena-
tor Wolcott had been doing. They are
now making their campaign on this
issue and where n voter Is found who
Is opposed to Wolcott, he 70 told that
the Republicans are pledged against
Wolcott, unless he Is all right on the
range question. As II is known that
he Is not, the Inference intended to be
conveyed is that they are against him.
That this is merely double dealing
Is shown by the fact that the Wolcott
interests are doing their utmost to
elect the legislative ticket In this dis.
trict, that they have launched II new
paper to aid their cause. and also that
Morton Alexander, the Republican
candidate for the senate, was n mem.
Der of the resolutions committee of
the Republican convention, which de-
clared:
"Thc Republican party Of Colorado
most heartily commends the course of
Senator Edward o. Wolcott,
We urge upon the people of the state
the importance Of elcctlnG legislative
ticket which will continue him in the
senate of the United States. and we
hereby declare that he is the unan-
imous choice of the Republicans of
Colorado for that high posltlon."-
Rocky Mountain News.