Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-05-26
CHIEF OF COLORADO
MILITIA RESIGNS
General Bell Says Troops Are
Used to Serve Corrupt
Corporations.
SENSATIONAL STATEMENT
MiIitary Organization Used to Suppress
Wcrkremen and Protect Corpora
tons in Lawlessncss in
Handling Elections.

Denver, Colo, May 2S.- Sherman
Bell, adjutant general of Colorado.
has resigned. because. as he says,
the National Guard OF Colorado Ia
used to enforce the law against work.
ingmen and To shield corporations that
defy the law. BELL is !; soldier and a
republican. but has never taken part
In politics.
In an Interview he puts the situa-
ton squarely before the people. He
said the men his soldiers drove out
OF mining camps at the instigation
OF corporation interests were hired
by the same corporations to carry
the Denver elections.
II don't approve OF using the militia
of the state to help any political move
incnt,' said the general. And l OBJ
tect, whether 1t is in IL positive or
negative way. am accused OF using
or attempting TO use the military in
the late campaign. This is false. but
the corporations used the militia for
their purposes and instead of the mill
tn, being used to protect the people and
degraded to the uses of local corpora
lions to connive at the breaking of the
law.
Arrange to Mobolizc.
last month ts mobolize troops in Dem
Yer under the regulation of the Dick
law governing the National Guard for
target and march practice. The Dick
law makes certain requirements before
the state troops can claim their appro-
priation from the federal government.
Our troops are in line for this appro-
priation. which amounts to $4,000, and
l Intended to complete the work neces-
s:ry by having this practice. l was
about to call them to Denver last week.
1t did not strike me at that time that
any political significance could be at
tached to the movement.
Finally, there was talk of riot in
Denver and that the republican party
was to call upon the mayor and gov
ernor for troops. | was in Denver at
the time and told the governor it would
be happy coincidence to have troops
in this vicinity In case of trouble and
he agreed with me. j was about to
issue the order for mobilization when
l began to see that politics was enter
ing the game.
Mayor Wright asked NE to meet
him on Saturday night at his office
In the city hall. He declared 1T neces-
sary to have troops out for election
day and wanted to confer with me at
s O'Clock that night. j went to the hall
to meet the appointment and was as
tonished to find the mayor failed to
show up, and that In his place was his
secretary and the governors private
secretary did not talk to them, but
left feeling convinced that some mys-
FERROUS work was going on.
Thugs Imported for Election.
con Sunday found there We're many
familiar faces on the streets of the
lower part of town and that they We're
of the worst type of men in the west
Then discovered the corporations had
sent out all over the west and brought
them here. l thought then more than
ever that the militia ought to be in
the vicinity OF Denver in case OF
trouble. but imagine my surprise when
was given orders Sunday night by the
governor not to call out n single man
and to abandon my plan of assembling
the troops for practice.
1T was then that / became con-
WINGED the military was to be used not
to enforce the law and protect prop
crty, but to encourage trouble by re-
fusing to assemble troops | protested
but it made no difference. In some
mysterious way and i'm the twinlSling
of an eye the whole plan was changed.
had to interrupt my military duty
and plan because the assembling of
troops for amy purpose was feared