La Junta tribune., 1900-10-10
DENVER LETTER.
Fusionists Are Not Sure Of
Carrying Colorado.
Democrats and the Coal Strike-Try-
ing to Swap Issues in the Middle Of
the Campaign-E Effects Of the Dis
turbance at Victor

the CampaiGn-E Effects Of the Dis
turbance at Victor.
Denver, Colo, Oct. 2.-tSpeclal Cor
respondence.l- l-There are several indi-
cations that the fusionists do not feel
al all sure of carrying Colorado this
year. One OF those Indications Is the
Journey which Representative Shat
roth undertook to the East: he went
very quietly and was not heard from
except ut Democratic headquarters.
After spending several days In New
1 York and Washington, he left the lat
ter city October LIST for Chicago, and
has made speeches in that city, In To-
peka and Kansas City. After he left
the Democratic headquarters report
er there wrote AS follows:
"lt Is Judged from the tone OF sever
nj leading Democrats mt headquarters
In this city, that they have begun to
awaken to the fact that Colorado can
not be neglected or left TO itself, and
II is Inferred that more attention will
now be paid to both the national and
| gubernatorial campaign In the Ccnten-
| ninl State"
Another indication of the feeling Of
uncertainty among the fuslonists is
the desperate nature OF the newspaper
campaign now being waged In this
state, coupled with the tactics that
they pursued In trying to minimize the
effect of Governor Koosevelt's trip.
Not only In Colorado, but in the
country ut large there are signs that
the democratic managers have become
desperate The cry of Imperialism has
fallen SO Hat that, although some Dem
ocratic orators go through the motions
OF being alarmed. the general policy of
Their campaign appears to have chang
ed, and they are now trying TO make
| the main issue on trusts. Mr. Croker
In particular. although one of the
stocklolders In the Ice trust, has deliv-
cred himself of letter In which he
bewails the fact that young men OF the
present day have no opportunity TO
| succeed In life. Mr.. Croker should
| come West: the first voters of Colorado
do not feel that they have no opportun-
tiles of succeeding in professional or
business careers; but II 1t be granted
| for The sake of argument that most of
the business opportunities now before
young men are places of employment
| under some large corporation, neither
| Mr.. Croker nor any OF his Democratic
| colleagues has suggested any reason to
believe that the success of the Demo
cratic party in this campaign would
mnkc any difference In business condi.
| tiOns In favor Of the young man.
| Democratic orators denOnnce trusts
as the product OF the Republican tar
| Ia, but not one Of them has ever yet
suggested m effective remedy for the
evils of which they complain. Some
| OF them suggest state regulation;-
| well, the opportunity for this Ii open TO
the Legislature Of any state In the
| Union, and In some states II has been
tried: others suggest federal legisla-
| tion very well, in the last Congress
\ the Republican majority proposed
\ law which would enable the trusts to
be put under federal control. This
was opposed by nearly every Demo
crat ON the ground that 1t was taking
away too much power from the states
and lodging It In the federal govern
ment. On this question, as on all 9th
crs, the Democratic party Is party
of mere negntiOn; II proposes nothing
positive, nothing definite. In the
states in which II has undertaken to
iegislate against trusts. the laws 1t has
passed have been 80 defective that the
courts have declared nearly all OF
| them unconstitutional. The only ef-
! fectIve law that has been enacted was
passed by the Republican Legislature
/ In the state of New York ani signed
by Governor Roosevelt.
The coal strike in Pennsylvania has
been welcomed by the Democrats, and
there is, too, much rensOn TO suppose
that 1t was fomented by them for par
tisan political purposes. At first the
sympathy OF the public was inclined
to the side Of the strikers. Their
wages were low and they complained
of certain grievances, which they stat
ed they were willing TO submit to mr.
| bitratiOn. II was difficult 6or the pub
lie in general to get ut the exact facts.
| Now, however, the situation has clear
ed up and IL inteIligible TO everybody.
| .here IL not an operator In the district
who has not offered to advance the
wages OF his employees ten per cent.
| The Democratic attitude toward the
| proposition to advance wages ten per
cent was excmplified by the Rocky
Mountain News, which printed car
| toon of Mr.. Hannn Offering the work
ingman an advance Of ten per cent,
and ,Inderneath the legend, HE Re-
| iects the Bribe." There seems to be
| no doubt that Mr.. Hanna did use
what influence he possesses to secure
an amicable settlement Of the strike,
and he probably did his beststo per-
suade the operators to offer ten per
cent. advance In wages. But OF
| course everything that Mr.. Hanna does
or does not do is a crime in Democrat
ic eyes.
The situation Ia now simply this:
The employees have been offered an
advance Of ten per cent. in wages. and
the arbitration OF any further difficult
| ties that remain between them and
their employees. This Is rejected not
because the wages offered are insufii-
cient, but simply on the ground that
the union must be recognized. and that
all pegotiations must he innde through
the president OF the United Mine
Workers, Mr.. Mitchell OF Indianapolis.
In other words, using the word trust"
In the sense In which It generally ID
used by Democratic papers. the crucial