Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-08-07
-ir IS TO LAUGH"
-e build, We build, but ye enter not

Like the tribes of the desert de-
voured in their sim" wrote a popular
poet concerning the unhappy coral In
sects that are etrnally turning their
small bodies into bridges for others.
All of which has reference to SEN
ator Teller's recent ultimatum to the
Democrats of Colorado, that they must
nominate him for United States SEN
ator in their forthcoming state con-
vention, or he will get out of the race
entirely and leave them to their fate.
Mr.. Teller has not been Democrat
long enough to get "dry behind the
ears" as the farmers say, and the old
warehouses; of the party, who kept its
faith and fought its battles when he
was playing star part for some 20
years as Republican and for some
six years as Silver Republican mem
Der of the United States senate, are
wondering what evil spell has been
laid upon their organization that bars
all of its own leaders from the sena-
torial plum tree.
Mr., Patterson was taken from the
Cave of Adullman of Populism two
years ago and boosted into the senate
over the heads of all the leaders who
had never gone astray. and now Mr..
Teller proposes to give himself
walk-over in the same direction
through the Democratic state conven-
ton next month.
OF course. ''it isn't any of our fun
eral, for if we can have our way the
next senator from Colorado will be a
straight Republican; but we cant help
speculating on the Democratic situa-
ton and its new entanglements.
In the first place, it has never been
the custom of political parties in Colo
RADIO to nominate candidate for
United States senator in state con-
vention If that had been the rule
in the past. Gov. Pitkin would have
been successful in 1882, Senator Hill
would have been made his own sue
cessor in 1884, and Gov. Thomas, in
stead of Mr. Patterson, would have
succeeded Senator Wolcott in 1900.
The only exception occurred in 1896,
when the Silver Republicans, the Pop
ulists and the Democrats all endorsed
y,
because they knew, as he knew when
he bolted from the Republican nation
al convention at st. Louis. that his
reelection was absolutely assured.
But, one swallow doesn't make
summer, and if the approaching Dem
ocratic state convention fails or re-
fuses to nominate Mr.. Teller, it will
at least have the weight of precedent
to support that course.
Certainly the campaign would lose
greatly in picturesqueness. if nothing
else, if all the old-line Democratic
candidates should be ruthlessly elimi-
mated from the senatorial race by the
arbitrary action of majority of the
state convention.
Alva Adams has been in training
for this particular race for, 10, these
that he is entitled to some considera-
ton because he enjoys the distinction
of being the only Democrat who ever
succeeded in twice landing the office
of governor. Must the valiant efforts
of Brother Billy and Brother Frank
to hoist the head of the family into
the senate remain forever fruitless?
And there is former Gov Thomas,
who would now be authorized to frank
his speeches. letters and laundry
from the United States senate IL the
last Democratic state convention had
nominated canditae. as Senator Tell |
er demands that the next shall do |
Why should he be debarred from his
pleasant and perennial privilege of
seeking the bubble nomination even
in the caucus's mouth? Must he.
like Moses, be forever shut out of the |
Promised Land, because his faith fail
last campaign?
In an open race we are inclined to
belive that Charles j. Hughes, Jr,
whose eminence as a lawyer. init
mate knowledge of American history
and politics, power as an orator, up-
rightness as a citizen and personal
culture and charm as man, are only
equaled by his unfaltering, lifelong
devotion to the best principles and
traditions of Democracy, might beat
them all If the state must suffer
the affiiction of another Democratic
senator, why should the most credit
able member of the party be turned
down with the other old-line leaders.
before the campaign fairly begins, to
give monopoly of the race to man
who has never yet publicly declared ,
himself a Democrat?
These are questions that will trouble
our friends, the enemy" during the
hot days and nights of August. and not
even the wisest of them can tell now
what the outcome will be when the
Issue comes up for settlement in their
state convention.-Denver Republican.
Better water for domestic use I'm
Durango is now the absorbing prob |
lem.