The Elbert County tribune., 1905-01-19

He had nothing but approval for the
action of the Senate when 1t stole
these seats. He then advised it. say
ing that the Senate was the judge of
its own membership. Now, he says,
even If 1t was wrong to seat them,
they cannot be unseated because the
constitution provides no way OF doing
1t. Senator Cornforth, in reply to this
argument on the floor of the Senate
asked III there was any reason or com
mon sense in saying that you could ap-
prehend the man who stole your horse
but that the law would not permit you
to take back the stolen animal. II
there was such law 1t was an absurd
ity and he for one was ready to over
ride it. Mr.. Patterson and his col
leagues made the same argument re-
garding the Denver frauds. They ex-
ist." they said. but everything you
have done to expose them and to pun
lsh the guilty is prohibited by the CON
stitution; there is nothing, therefore,
for you to do but to drop these con-
tests and keep still about the frauds"
The Senate was clearly within It's
right in reconsidering the action Of
the Senate two years ago in throwing
out Dick and Mcdonald. Born and
Heaiy had no certificates and their ten
ure of office depended wholly upon the
pleasure OF the Senate.
1t has also been made matter Of
record that the four Democratic sena-
tors from Denver were fraudulently
elected Two years ago. The same bo-
gus ballots that unseated Shafroth
were counted for these four men. It
Is possible that they, too. will be
thrown out unless having certificates
there may be some legal or constitu-
tional technicality in the way.
The Contest.
1t was argued by many that If the
Republicans gave Adams a certificate
of election and then contested his seat
in the strict accordance with a strict
Interpretation of the constitution, that
there would be Republicans and Re-
publican papers that would conclude
that perhaps he was duly elected after
all and urge the abandonment of the
contest. There have been very few
such instances reported. The Republi-
can leaders who have had an opportu-
nifty to examine the ev' lences of fraud
in Denver, Adams. Pueblo, Las Animas
and other counties are in a position to
know whether or not they can make a
good case before the public and the
Legislature and they unhesitatingly
declare that the evidence will show
that Mr.. Peabody was elected. No
Republican under these circumstances
can afford to surrender the victory to
the Democrats.
The election of Adams is fraudu-
lent There is no question about II"
said Chairman Farley. And the Re-
publican organization would be cow
srdly and deserving of the contempt of
every Republican in the state if II did
not do its utmost to recover the office
which the votes of the people gave its
candidate. The idea of permitting
someone to rob you and then stand
without resistance and watch him
walk off with your property may ap-
pear the manly and patriotic thing to
do, to some people. but / imagine such
Republicans are very few"
Dilatory Tactics.
The indications are at this writing
that the Republicans will promptly
overrule the demand of the Democrats
for delay and proceed with the investi-
cation at once. The policy of the
Adams lawyers will be one of delay
and dilatory requests and motions.
They now hope by such a policy to
prolong the investigation until the
close of the session, when of course
Mr. Adams would hardly be expected
to call special session to unseat HIM
self.
But the Republican majority will un-
doubtedly set time limit for the in
vestigation and give each side reas-
enable time to present its evidence.
The Adams lawyers will, 1t is believed,
call for ballot boxes from several coun-
ties in the state and demand witnesses
from afar When their fillibustering
tactics are blocked they will loudly de-
nounce the Republicans as anarchists.
etc. This is all to be expected but
the good people of Colorado may rest
assured that after the smoke of this
next battle is cleared away. they will
find, as they have found in the p;t1lm-
mary skirmishes, that the Republican
majority has shown infinitely more
consideration and respect for right and
justice and the constitution than the
Democrats have ever shown in cleo
tion contests in this state.
Plurality Melting.
The rotten precincts already thrown
out by the courts and the one thrown
out by the state canvassing board in
Boulder county brings Mr.. Adams plu-
rality down to about $500 at the open
ing of the contest and those who are
informed as to the extent of the frauds
say that this will be overcome by a
presentation of barely half of the evil
dence now ready for the committee.
An interesting coincidence in con-
| nection with the operations of the no.