The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-28
ADAMS IS STRONG
Political Situation In Colorado
as Sized Up.
BY William e. Curtis for the
Record Herald.
II (NmInNO nN IINImNn
FACTIONS ARE UNITED
In Support of the Democrat
Nominee for Governor.
They Oppose Each Other on
Every Other Proposition.

William E. Curtis writing from Colo
RADIO Springs to the Chicago Record
Herald regarding the political situation
says:
The Democrats of Colorado have
nominated the strongest man in theh
party and one of the strongest men il
the state as their candidate for COVER
nor, and propose to make this fight on
his character and record and his sup
port of law and order. They demand
the suppression of violence and inter-
ference with personal rights both on
the side of the Federation of Miners and
on the side of the mine owners, and
the enactment of an eight-hour law. A
constitutional convention two years ago
Ladopted an article providing that men
working in mines, smelters, blast fur
naces, rolling mills and other occupa-
lions that are injurious to the health
should not be required to work longer
/ than eight hours out of the twenty
four, and the proposition was carried at
/ the succeeding election by more than
10000 majority. The Legislature has
done nothing to carry out this provision
and although the eight-nour rule now
prevails in the mines in the Cripple
Creek district, elsewhere throughout
| the state men are usually required to
hours, and in some cases ten hours. The
Colorado Fuel and Iron company, which
is the biggest corporation in the state,
and excepting one or two railroads, the
largest in the west, requires the $4,000
employees in its mines and mills to work
eight and a half hours a day. This
will be the popular issue of the cam
paign. and the employer class is gen.
orally almost universally on the Repub
lican side that party will be held respon-
sible for the neglest of the legislature
to carry into effect the constitutional
provision, although its platform de-
clares as strongly for it as that of the
Democrats.
The personality of Alva Adams, the
Democratic candidate, will be an even
stronger argument for the election of
at Pueblo and has considerable mining
interests throughout the state, although
they are small in comparison with those
OF many others. Mr.. adams has served
two terms as governor already-in 1887
IS and in 1S97-9S-and his administra-
ton eminently satisfactory to all
concerned. His policy in dealing with
labor troubles was quite as firm and
determined as that of Governor Pea
body without being offensive, and both
capital and labor will admit that he
was always fair, just and conservative.
Few men occupying the position heidi
under similar circumstances could have
shown created discretion or given great
er satisfaction to the contending in
Mr.. Adams is himself a large employer
of labor. He belongs to the Capitals
tic class He is a banker as well as
merchant and miner, and his social re-
latiCQS are with the much-hated mil
lionaires" He will draw from that
class of voters. The mine owners have
quite as much confidence in him, if not
more than they have in Peabody, the
candidate Generally speak
ing they regard Adams as the safer
man of the two. AS l wrote you re-
Gently, there is a great deal of COM
plant concerning Governor Peabody's
failure to fulfill his promises.
On the other hand, the labor unions
are willing to trust Adams farther than |
any other capitalist in Colorado, for |
they have tried MIN. While he did not |
give them what they wanted when he |
was governor, they realize that he gave |
them all they deserved. They know by |
that he will be just and hon |
est, and are willing to intrust their in |
tereStS to mis- care.
The Federation of Miners, represent |
ing the socialistic element of the labor |
class, do not like Adams but prefer him |
to Peabody on general principles, and
are determined to defeat the latter if |
they can in revenge for his attitude to-
ward them in the Cripple Creek trou-
bles. They would, of course, prefer
governor of their own kind. Under OF
1inary circumstances they would vote
for Judge Overs of Leadville, the
Socialistic candidate, but they realize
a
De the salvation of Peabody, and they
ire willing to assist the law and order
element of the Democratic, party to de-
feat him. Il
considered in the campaign is 1.-The
League" an organization of
more than 10000 working men formed
10 resist the aggressiveness of the fed
Grafton, and at the same time to pro-
rect their mutual interests in dealing
with the Mine Owners association It
IS composed of labor men exclusively, d
S semi-secret, has no paid agitators or
walking delegates aud is extremely
in its policy. 1t is grad1-I
ally drawing into the organization all s
he honest, temperate, Industrious Ia
oOrerS in the mines, mills and railroads.
put they take particular care to keep {
put radicals and socialists. They are 5
quite as much opposed to the Fedora
ion as the Mine Owners association;
hey are in favor of law and order; i,
against interference with personal !
tights, and have four planks in their
platform:
1. Municipal ownership of public utiI-
ties. l
3 The adoption of the initiative and '
plan of legislation.
3. The limitation of the executive {
power to use the militia. {
4. The exemption of persons having !
'nly 5000 worth of property from taxa i
ion. {
This organization will give the solid !
excellent authority that it controls
nearly 10000 votes. of which from Is to l
s per cent are usually cast for the Re I
publican ticket. II
Adams was not nominated without a I
determined fight between the conserva- I
i've and anarchistic wings of the Dem i
'cratic party, the latter being led by t
United States Senator Thomas NJ. Pat /
erson, whose newspaper. the Rocky {
fountain News, is the organ of the I
ederation. and has Endorsed their So t
ialistic doctrines and anarchistic poll g
v 1t has defended the Outrages they l
ave committed. and has gone quite as 8
AGn1-er- nd 1-a.-nfad the / 6