The Lamar register., 1901-04-17

Using for the best city administration
that Denver has had for years. Mayor
Wright in his inaugural address made
most favorable impression, and If he
carries out the policy outlined therein
with wisdom and courage, he Will sure
ly make record for himself Of which
he and his party may be proud. His
were especially strong and to the
point. He is no anarchist, hostile TO
all corporations as such, and in favor
of taxing corporations higher than any
body else; but he indicates very plain
ly that corporations which have fran
chises must give the people the very
best service in return for the privileges
given to them, and that he as mayor
will be satisfied with nothing less, and
Will take nothing less. This is the sen-
sible attitude, and one that will be ap-
proved by right-minded people every
where. We have seen the results of
crazy and unintelligent opposition to
property interests in Kansas and Ar
kansas and Texas-and also in our
own state; and people are tired Of the
demagogism which speaks of all cor
porations ms IL they were incarnations
of the devil, when everybody knows
help and to develop this state than
any other agency; but on the other
hand, 1t would be in the highest de-
gree unwise to allow the corporations
which enjoy franchises, like water
and gas and electric and tramwny
companies, to perform their duties in
slipsbod manner and not to give in
return for the privileges granted to
them the best service possible. Mayor
Wright has hit the golden mean in this
matter. His whole address, in fact,
shows that he regards the running of
city rs primarily business propO-
sltlon, to be undertaken In very much
the same spirit as the running of
large private business. This is the
spirit the people approve of, and pub
lie opinion is certainly with the new
mayor. fHI ".' lI|f.El| .H
The newspaper man who was at
Shanghai in the early part of our late
unpleasantness with Spain seems to
have transferred his headquarters
from Manila to Porto Rico. At any
rate, the "ghost storles'' which have
come from the latter island recently,
and which have been given an unfor-
tunate circulation by the Associated
Press, show that somebody with n
very vivid imagination is Mt work.
There Is another artist at Havana, and
at Manila there is second-rate pur-
veyOr of sensational fabrications. Ev-
cry few days we are treated to n horri-
BILE story of American soldiers NAL
treating poor natives; or horrible
frauds in the commissary department;
Of natives in Porto Rico starving
by thousands, while the pampered
menials of the United States govern
ment live In palaces; of n general feel
ing among the best people in Cuba
that the tyranny of General Wood
cannot longer be endured; and SO forth
and SO on, ad nauseam. The worst of
Is published In the news columns,
though much of 1t is marked special,
that numbers of people take it for
news, and accept the horrible stories
as facts. 1t is always harder to catch
a lie than to start one, so that 1t is
extremely difficult to counteract the
bad effects of such fabrications.
The safest rule under the conditions
prevailing Is to believe nothing one
sees in newspaper correspondence
about our foreign possessions, except
the official reports from duly accredit-
ed officers of the government.
1t does not yet appear whether the
state is to have n revenue during the
next two years or not; and whether the
University and other state institutions
will have to close their doors Is yet to
be decided. The late Legislature may
have meant well; but if it did, it was
the most incompetent body of men
ever got together since Colorado be-
came state; and If it was not incom-
petent it was something worse: there
is no escape from the dilemma-it is
like the catch question as to whether
n man would rather be a bigger fool
than he looks, or look bigger fool
than he Is; the answer in either case
being How could youT'
A Kansas City paper has published
an interview with brother of Tom
Maloney, who lives in that place, but
who has been out in Denver helping
Tom lately, in which he states that
(ysalaraGi<, iS Rala,,l.