Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-10-17
Democratic Extravaganza
and Corruption.

ut is ONE of the peculiar features of this campa's
that the most telling Republican arguments can
- secured direct from Democratic sources Last wee
We printed the scathing arraignment OF the pchS'
Are and police board by the Democratic county judge
n Lindsey He charged them with being In league wit
he criminal elements and of conducting their once
ueh manner as to cverlastingiy disgrace their part
heir city and their The charges made by Juds
Lindsey have never been denied Their truth Is evider
every lives In Denver occasionally visits TIN
,ty This seanaalous condition OF affairs Is enough
tsef to condemn the party ,oiera,ns 1t to everasn
oblivion.
But II is not alone In Denver and Arapahoe count
In, eorrup,,on exists II Is rampant the state hoas
On August 10th of this year the Denver Post vaar
organ printed the following doab!elcade
editorial:
Two years ago the people OF Colorado. discouraged
by the anse which the public finances had fallen
demanded an honest. straightforward. commonsense
business administration OF state affairs.
The Democratic party undertook to supply that
demand.
In response to the general public feeling that n
practical business man-onc who had made success
of his own business afairs-should be placed nt the
head OF the the Democratic convention
much travail chose the leader of It's ticket the
name OF Honest Jim" Ormnn.
Mr.. orman had had large experience In busi'
way. successful railroad contractor and
large employer OF and 1t was felt that he could
bring the executive Office that practical
knowledge understanding OF business details which
greatly desired.
The people evidently concurrcd in this view OF the
sltuation and Mr. orman elected.
How well the hopes of the people have been
realized Is told by the facts published by the Post
yesterday and to-day regarding transactions at the
state house during the past eighteen months.
Distressing these facts may be they appear to
admit of very nn,tcring explanation.
From them the conclusion is inevitable that there
has either gross eareIessness or aarn8 ineom.
potency upon the part OF those who are responsible
for the states financial transactions.
fund OF 1851 .000 appropriated by the last Lcgs-
1aturc for-nmong other things-hc purpose OF paying
the emergency warrants held rs n debt OF honor
against state appears to have been largely divert
cd to other not authorized nor contemplated by
the lawn direct violation of 1t. in fact.
In the meantime. not cent of these emergency
has been paid. the plea that the Lcgs-
laturc did directly authorize each expenditure.
Yet much of this fund has been used for other
purposes remotely specified and never even
contemplated by the lawmakers.
Not only this. but for purposes plainly forbidden
by the general statutes.
The state auditing board. consisting of Governor
orman chairman and Auditor Crouter and Attorney
General Post members. is directly responsible for
the administration of this fund.
It was placed under their sole guardianship and
control.
No bill against 1t could be allowed paid without
their majority consent.
Irregularities in the use of other funds are also
apparent
The printing bills paid amount to the enormous
sum of Sis oOO-fully $50 900 than the ap-
propriated-and among them are many glaring over
charges such have called down severest condemna-
ton upon the heads of the Arapahoe county commits
sioners.
Many other questionable transactions of a
serious nature remain to be explained-f indeed
they explanable.
Upon the whole, the present administrator does
not appear to have been any improvement over any
of it's predecessors.
The states finances are in a more depIorabIe con.
dton than
There appears to be utter disregard Of law
In the handling Of funds and appropriate
jussled to suit the purposes Of those who have
control of them.
The people demanded and hoped for really con-
scentious business administration at the hands OF
Honest Jim" orman and his responsible associates.
Instead they appear to have been served with the
old brand of which they have been complaining
for these many years.
the 18th August the Post printed another leadin
editorial on the same subject in which it said:
The Post has several times taken occasion to COM
mend the prompt and vigorous action taken by the
proper public authorities in the matter of the county
printing scandal
Now that it has been conclusively shown that even
serious and far extensive Irregularities
have during the past eighteen months in the
handling disbursement of state funds, the Post
confidently anticipates that similar prompt and vigor
Gus action will be taken in this case also, to bring
the responsible parties justice and protect the in
terests of the people.
No public official should be allowed to escape the
of derelicton to duty malfeasance in