Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-27
COLORADO POLITICS
Democrats Have Nominated
Their Strongest Man.
ALVA ADAMS NAMED
HAS ALREADY SERVED TWO
TERMS AS GOVERNOR.
Reasons Why Business Men Will Sup
port Peabody - The United States
Senatorship and Mr.. Walcott.
BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.



Chicago Record Herald.
COLORADO SPRINGS. Col.
September ID 1904.
The democrats of Colorado have nomi-
mated the strongest man in their party and
one of the strongest men in the state as
their candidate for governor, and propose
to make this fight on his character and
record and his support of law and order.
They demand the suppression of violence
and interference 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.
\ constitutional convention two years ago
adopted an article providing that men
working in mines, smelters. blast furnaces,
rolling mills and other occupations that are
injurious to the health should not be
quired 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 pro-
vision and although the eight-hour rule
now prevails in the mines in the Cripple
Greek district elsewhere throughout the
state men are usually required to work for
eight and a half and nine 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 1900 employees in its
mines and mills to work eight and a half
hours day. This will be the popular issue
of the campaign, and as the employer class
is generally almost universally on the re-
publican side that party will be held re-
sponsible for the neglect of the legislature
TO carry into effect the constitutional pro-
vision. although its platform declares as
strongly for it as that of the democrats.
Was Satisfactory to Both Sides.
The personality of Alva Adams, the demo-
cratic candidate, will be an even stronger
argument for the election of that ticket.
He is a hardware merchant at Pueblo, and
has considerable mining interests through
out the state although they are small in
comparison with those of many others. Mr..
Adams has served two terms as governor
already-in 1SST-SS and in 1S91-9S-and his
administration was eminently satisfactory
to all concerned. His policy in dealing with
labor troubles was quite as firm and deter
mined as that of Gov. Peabody, without
being offensive, and both capital and labor
will admit that he always fair just
and conservative. Few men occupying the
position he did under similar circumstances
could have shown greater discretion or
given greater satisfaction to the contend
ing interests, then, as now, bitterly hostile.
Mr.. Adams is himself a large employer of
labor. He belongs to the 'capitalistic''
class. He Is a banker as well a mer-
chant and miner and his social relations
are with the much-hated ''millionaires."
He will draw from that class of voters.
The mine owners have quite as much conf
dence in him, If not more than they have
in Peabody. the republican candidate. Cen
orally speaking, they regard Adams as the
safer man of the two. AS wrote you the
other day, there is a great deal of COM
plant concerning Gov. Peabodys failure
to fulfill his promises.
On the other hand, The labor unions are
willing 10 trust Adams farther than any
ether capitalist in Colorado, for they have
tried him 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 experience that
he will be just and honest, and are willing
TO intruSt their interests to his care.
The Federation of Miners. representing
the socialistic element OF the labor class, do
not like Adams, but prefer him to Peabody
on general principals, and determined
to defeat the latter If they can in revenge
for his attitude toward them in the Cripple
Creek troubles. They would, of course pre-
fer a governor of their own kind. Under or
binary circumstances they would vote for
Judge Overs Of Leadville. the socialisttc
candidate, but they realize that division
o. the opposition would be the salvation Of
Peabody, and they willing to assist the
law and order element of the democrats
party to defeat him.
The Liberty League.
Another very potential force to be con-
sidered in rhe campaign is The Liberty
League" an organization of more than
twenty thousand working men formed to
resist the aSgressveness of the federation
and at the same time to protect their mn
tuaI interests in dealing with the Mine
owners Association. II Is composed Of
labor men exclusively. is semi-secret. has no
pa!d agltators or walking delegates and is
extremely conservative in its policy. That
is gradually drawing into the organization
an the honest, temperate, industrious Ia
porerS In the mines. mills and railroads.
~ tnt,1
radicals and socialists They arc cute -
much opposed to the federation as the MI
owners Association; they are in favor NJ
lew ana order; against interference with
their platform: ~ p'aHhs IN
l. Municipal ownership of public ut,,,t;.s
Inc adoption of the Initiative and go
enoum plan of legislation. eiei
D. The limitation of the exeo,,,,,o
To use the militia power
5000 49, Nempuon OF persons having only
~ worth OF property from taxation '
rms organization will give its snIi,
pert TO Adams, and l am told - SoIu sup
authority that It controls near,,, ,
cn,,t anu votes OF which from Is tn iS no.
ticket S' LOT the republican
Adams was not nominated witho,+ 40
ga ' nsht between the conservati,,a
fhs , laalcai wings of the democratic Marty
. .he latter being led by United Stata. PSS'
tor THOMAS NJ. Patterson WHO'S .',, Seiia-
t .he ROCKY Mountain News. is the organ -,
me. me RECREATION. and has indorsed their doc.
his nen a,,u poncy. But both Patterson and
. us newspaper have been badly nunishad
S S own party has repudiated them
Sc, SENATOR Teller. who used to be one of the
most radical of republicans is now Sann
S.at an over and intensely bitter tow.ra
ms former political associates here and
e eoessWnere. he has been acting with the
conserVauVe party. and has exercised COW
SIDERABLE influence because of the great re-.
spect in which he is held e' ie
The Business Mems League.
Inc business men of Denver, including a
considerable number OF democrats have or
ganized what is called the Business Mems
PEABODY Law and Order League of Denver
ana they take the grounds that the reputa-
uon OF Colorado as a civilized state will
suffer unless Peabody is reelected They
argue That 1t Is not question of the per-
sonailty or candidates; that while both
ADAMS and Peabody may represent the
same interests, and while Adams will make
quite as good governor as the present ex-