The Elbert County tribune., 1903-01-29
TO REPUBLICANS
OF COLORADO

e. o. Woicott Issues a Statement,
concedlng the Election Of Senator
Teiler-cIear and Concise Outline
Of the Situation Is Logically Pre-
scented.
Denver. Jan. 26.-Former Senator
Edward o. Wolcott last evening issued
the following address;
ITO the Republicans of Colorado:
1.-The seed sown on the opening day
of the legislative session has borne its
certain fruit The inevitable has hap
pened, and the conspiracy entered into
between few Republicans and the
Democracy has brought the only result
possible. the election OF Democratic
United States senator from Colorado.
The terms of the fusion or deal are un-
important; they will some day be fully
exposed, and the degradation and dis
honor that has come to the party In the
senatorial election indicate the heavy
price the Republican conspirators paid
for the coalition.
when the Legislature met there
was but one question presented. Should
the fifteen members and float members
from Arapahoe county be unseated?
The evidence of fraud was overwhelm-
ing and conclusive. Every honest
man in the state knew that the facts
not only justified but required the un-
seating of these Democrats. Even
when four OF the five fusion Republi-
can members of the elections commit
tee OF the House reported against un-
seating eleven of them. they dared not
face the people of the state In direct
vote, and so the help OF the three
Mexicans," nominally Republicans, but
who by the terms OF their agreement
of adhesion, waived all scruples that
other men might entertain, came to
the rescue and. making with the DEM
ocrats a majority of the House. in
sured the retention of the fraudulent
ly elected members, and permitted the
other fusionists to vote In favor of the
unseating The refusal to unseat these
Arapahae county members was
crime against the Republican party.
and against Justice. and was the sec
ond exposure of the terms Of this
wicked deal.
''The law, federal and state. required
the two houses to vote separately for
senator on the Goth of this month, and
thereafter each day at noon. in joint
session. No member of the Legislature
can fulfill his duty to the state and the
Nation without compliance with this
law. On the 21st of the month, before
IL o'clock, a fusion Republican mem
ber moved an adjournment of the
House until o'clock on the 23rd. 1t
was a palpable trick. Protests from
the real Republicans were unheeded
and being finally informed that 1t was
the governors wish. and might save
possible violence, they consented, and.
the Democrats voting aye, the motion
was unanimously carried. On both the
22nd and 23rd the Democratic mem
bers of the House. Notwithstanding
they had voted to adjourn. met in joint
session and balloted for senator. Yet
on the 23rd and 2ith, when the trick
cry OF the motion had been made APP
parent, the same member of the fusion
party again moved an adjournment un-
til the 25th at 10 O'Clock. and then un-
til the 26th, and in spite of the votes
and objections of the Republicans,
twenty-five in number, the motion
again, with Democratic votes, was car
ried. On Saturday, the Gath. as ev-
erybody knows. fifty-one Democrats
voted in joint session for Mr.. Teller.
no Republicans having voted at any
joint session. This was the third
demonstration of the corrupt deal.
'On Wednesday evening at S o'clock
the General Assembly consisted Of fif-
! ty-one Republicans and forty-nine Dem
/ ocrats. At that hour the Senate by
a motion. put by its chief clerk, un-
seated, without argument or hearing.
or evidence. two Republican members
lawfully holding their seats The lieu-
tenant governor. the presiding officer
of the Senate. acting with courage and
patriotism, refused to put this revolu-
tionary motion, and. assured by his as
sociates in the state government OF
their approval and support, sought to
protect the legally elected senators
from this action, and by steps justifi.
able and, II PROPERLY supported, legal,
! presided over the organization of a
Republican Senate composed OF nine
teen members-the support OF which
the lieutenant governor was assured
Z fell away from him. There was still
left the House. which II it promptly
recognized the Republican Senate