Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-11-21
{. o. WOLCOTT BACK
IN THE RANKS
(Denyer Republican,

| Former United Senator Edward o.
Wolcott who returned recently from
the east, yesterday gave al inter
view to the Republican in which he
expressed his opinion on matters OF To-
cal, stale and national interest He
talked on the condition OF the Repub-
lican party in Colorado-particula
in Arapahoe county-and discussed
the questions which have held the at
tention of the party leaders during
and since the last campaign.
| Yes" he said. Il am back here to
stay-this winter, and every winter
and every summer, unless am called
| away from the state on business; and
| expect to renew the practice of my
profession which | have followed in
Colorado for 80 years this autumn
| have filed two terms in the senate
OF the United States, and am entirely
| content to spend the balance OF my
years in private life.
Shall | continue to take an inter
est in Colorado politics? OF course /
shall. And ! have no doubt that we
| shall soon take place where we be
long, among the intelligent. progress
| i've Republican states of the northwest.
The election just over shows that
the majority OF the people of this
state are Republicans, outside of
Arapahoe county the Republicans
scored a glorious victory.
in this county, owing to Demo-
cratic frauds, principally, but partial
ly. as well. to apathy and dissatisfac-
ton, which | do not believe to have
been well founded, we failed to carry
our ticket, and Arapahoe county will.
| for two years longer, suffer from mis-
management, which has increased our
taxes and diverted our revenues
from their proper channels. There
are some political questions affecting
the party in Colorado that | am glad
to talk about.
Until 1896 we belonged among the
strongest Republican states. Then
| came the Bryan delusion, which swept
30 per cent of the voters, including
so per cent of the Republicans, into
he Populist-Democratic vortex.
Less than II per cent OF us stood with
the party Our former friends, ma
turally enough, wanted to make it
unanimous, and the story OF the strug-
gle we had to prevent our whole or
ganization from being taken, body
and breeches, into the Bryan ranks
| would make interesting reading. AS
a natural result, those who remained
| with the party had to make very strin-
gent rules respecting its primaries,
nominees and conventions. 1t was
done solely as a measure of self-pres-
ervation. But now the necessity for
such regulations has long ceased to
exist. for We have again become a
united party.
Two years ago | urged that the
| rules be widened, and, so far as possi-
BILE, all rules be abrogated so that
| every man and woman desiring Re-
publican success should have not on
ly full voice. but equal voice in all its
| deliberations and in controlling the
policy and organization of the party.
haven't been home long enough to
have talked with anyone familiar
with the subject, but if there is a
single rule or regulation in our party
organization that prevents the full
and fair and free expression of the
views of any Republican, or prevents
or hampers the open and free choice
of the majority of the Republicans of
the state from being registered, |
am for the unqualified repeal of such
a rule.
There are other subjects about
which | desire to say something; and
they are, the active participation in
politics by federal office holders, and
what is known as Boss Rule
In my opinion federal Office hold
er should not, because he holds office
cease to interest himself as a citizen
and Republican, in the welfare OF
his state and the success of his party
and in Colorado the two are synony
nous. do not believe, however
that he should actively participate in
the preliminary work of the primaries
or on the floor of the convention.
have been away from home since last
November, and am not advised con
cerning recent occurrences, but | dc
know that, up to that time. since the
Bryan slide, there had never been any
serious controversy or differences o.
opinion, at either primaries or con
vention, and the work of every Re
publican. Office holder or not. wal
solely to get as full registration
and as large a representation at on
conventions and elections as possible