The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-21
COLORADO'S MACHINE MADE
GOVERNOR.


A few days ago The News and OBJ
server declared that since the Repub-
leans stole the Presidency in 1876 no
such high-handed theft had been
seen in American politics until the Re-
publicans stole the governorship Of
Colorado, and then after being caught
with the goods on their person the Ee-
publican bosses made the Governor
they had seated resign so as to give
the office to the less offensive Lieu
tenant Governor. A mild-mannered
friend thought this criticism was rath-
err severe. AS a matter of fact. when
we consider the gravity of the crime
moderation.
The Washington Post, an independ-
ent newspaper that canont besaccused
of partisanship, in discussing the Col
orado crime, says:
"The Post confesses its deep SYM
pathy for Jesse Mcdonald, the new
governor of Colorado, who holds his
office by virtue of a certificate from
a political machine that has brought
the State into disrepute within the
last two years. Governor Mcdonald,
as lieutenant governor and presiding
officer of the Senate, made rather
determined stand against the plans
of the party plotters who devised the
scheme for ousting Governor Adams
whom the vote for that Of
flee had not been cast. Nc
Donald explained that he did
not believe he was entitled to the
office, did not want it and had de-
cided to accept it only because it had
been forced upon him as part of his
party's political plan.
1.-The whole history of the political
deal can be briefly told. Governor
Peabody, in response to the demands
of a clique of corporations including
the smaller trust and the mine owners
association, suspended the laws of the
State and used the militia to perpe-
trate outrages upon organized labor
that have not been equalled by Rus
STA in her palmieSt days of autocracy,
Peabody did his work thoroughly and
was rewarded with a denomination.
The State gave Roosevelt and Fair
banks a rousing plurality, but elected
Alva Adams, the Democratic candi-
date for governor, over Peabody by
majority of more than 10000. Pea
ton of his corporation bosses, and the
"eview showed that. eliminating rec
egnized fraudulent ballots, the Demo-
cratic candidate for governor still
had a plurality of about 5000. To
overcome this it was necessary to re-
ject the entire vote of 103 precincts
in Denver. This was done, and the
legislature voted to unseat Adams, al
though ten of the most enthusiastic
Republicans in the joint assembly re-
fused to sanction the steal. Peabody
was seated, but he had already ac-
cepted orders from his political
makers and resigned after having
served one day as governor This
resignation made Mcdonald governor.
"The new governor fully annreciates
the conditions that confront him, and
it is on account of these that the Post
sympathizes with him. He knows that
he holds his certificate from the trust
bosses of the State and will be ex-
pected to do their bidding. They will
name the judges of the courts-as they
have done in former like emergencies
outline his policy for him, and
make him simply the executive pup
pet to do their bidding. He is COM
PEELED to face two years of service as
a fence for stolen political goods, and
the job is obnoxious. In the mean
time learned servants in the study of
economic conditions will probably
continue to write articles expressing
surprise at the remarkable growth of
socialism in Colorado"
No American can criticise Russian
absolutism and defiance of the just
rights of the people while condoning
the worse crime in Colorado.