The Springfield herald., 1905-03-24
ALvA ADAMS ADDRESS
lNDvLeEs IN PLAIN LANGUAGE
Former Governor Declares That He
Was Unseated by a Conspiracy.
-Resents BEING Robbed.

tracts present the substance:
To The People of Colorado
Force has triumphed. A brutal ma
jority placed in the governors chair a
man the people repudiated Ninety
five per cent. of Colorado's citizens
know that Peabody was not elected.
All of those connected with the crime
know it.
Defeated at the polls. the conspira-
tors started in November 9th to seat
the beaten candidate. Every con-
scienceless engine of corruption and
pressure has been used. Foiled in
their attempt to override the consu-
tuition and hold Peabody in his seat
fake contest was inaugurated. This
failed Of its purpose, as enough Repub-
lican members would not forfeit their
manhood by voting for man that the
testimony, as well as the election re-
turns, said was not elected. The re-
volt was dangerous; it was clear that
Peabody could not be seated. A new
scheme must be devised, SO that CO.
terie of Christian utility statesmen,
Hearne, Sheedy. Chappell and Evans,
met in the Majestic building Wednes-
day evening and gave birth to the last
plan in the ignoble conspiracy Of steal
ing the governorship. Representatives
of the anti-Peabody Republicans were
invited. A resignation of Peabody was
offered and the voucher of the political
purity quartet was given that 1t was
genuine and that he would abide by it.
A man who had held the great office
of governor SO debased himself as to
promise to resign at command if they
would seat him but for day. This
resignation is a confession that he
was not elected: and one that an hon
H. a1o tnl HNr
die than give. Peabody is entitled to
the position for two years or he is not
entitled to it for one hour. We are
given the spectacle of man not
elected being placed in office for day
that he may resign in favor of man
who was never a candidate.
The Mcdonald promotion scheme
appealed to a few who would not vote
for Peabody, but were reluctant to
aid Democrat.
In the eyes of the nation Colorado
has been disgraced. We have won the
contempt of freemen everywhere. BY
command of corporations usurper
has been placed in the executive chair
"a new record in political infamy has
been made.
The greatest anarchists and the
most dangerous are often the no-party,
no.conscience heads of great corpora
tions, who use the money and influence
coming from the franchises that are
gifts of the people to control legisla-
ton; to dictate the personnel of
courts and officials, to corrupt the bal
| lot.
They stand high in church and So
ciety; they drone their prayers with
regularity; they are the holy Willies"
the "holier than thou" politicians-no
publican of old more pious and self
satisfied. They are full of homilies on
political virtue; they preach morality
and practice treason; their purse is
open to the church and to the political
corruptionist and lobbyist with equal
lberality.
The investigation proved that, where
under control of corporate influences.
the outrages against the franchise and
the election law were so gross as to
make Denver repeating and fraud
seem almost respectable. They pre-
ferred even the disgrace of an empty
ballot box to the shameless story that
| the falsified books and ballots would
reveal
| Under Gods law, IL not MANS the
workman who, to save his Job and earn
bread for his family obeys the COM
mand to pollute the ballot, is not half
| SO guilty anu lue
who coerces him. Ienfold more wicked
is the priest who violates the com
mandments than is his lowly follower
who forgets.
I am calm and moderate in my
statements, but l do not ueny a feel
| ing of intense resentment at being
robbed. From my soul feel outraged
at being the victim of conspiracy
that has brought ill-fame and discredit
to Colorado.
To the world I would say that the
majority of the Legislature does not
represent the people of Colorado any
more than falsehood represents truth:
| than Lucifer speaks for the angels.
Fearing to offend the great companies
| who in this campaign furnished their
party with the largest corruption fund
ever used in the West. the majority of
the Legislature basely surrendered. 1t
was an act of political and moral cow
ardice in which the people had no part.
Had this contest been tried upon
merit and evidence, it would have been
dismissed at the end of the contestor's
| phantom testimony. Faith in two
thirds partisan majority was all that
kept it alive. No honest cause should
require the means employed. Their
overwhelming political majority was
! a guarantee tnat nau tnelr case Deen
halfway fair and decent there would
have been no need to employ money,
coeccion, lobbyists. No occasion to
threaten Republican members with So
cial ostracism, business ruin. political
i oblivion or to present tricky resigna-
| tions..
1t was a dishonorable victory dishon-
orably won. Let those responsible look
over the cost in cash and in deed and
see If they dare give the account to the
public eye.
l want to stand an honest man be-
fore the people of Colorado. Better a
hundred times private citizen. than
hold the highest Office by such title.
The stolen presidency added no lustre
to Rutherford B. Hayes. the stolen
governorship will bring only reproach
and dishonor to Colorado and Repub-
icanism. THE theft is to the thief and
comes back most to him.
ALVA ADAMS.
Denver, March 49,.
Cruiser Colorado Sails.