Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-08-30

mind such an anti-lobbyist law n
has recently been put in effect /
New York state.
| should uahesltatingly endorse tn
principle embodied in what is know
as the Direct Primary Law. Will
the experiments In such laws hilbert
mnde ahow some extremes very dis
appointing, the fact remains that /,
principle 1t Is right; that there Shout,
be no intermediate power bssweer
the body CT voters and their candi
dates. The test has gone far enough
liz the half-dozen states or more. nov
applying the primary principles. t.
demonstrate that II conservative,
and carefully adapted to par tlcula,
conditions. 1t is as distinctly a ster
forward in the elevation of party con
duet, and improvement In the charac
ter Of ONCE holders. as was the Aus
tralian ballot In protecting the indi
vidual against coercion and Intimid.
alton In the vote he cast.
recommend the endorsement of a
uniform system of public accounting
supervised by public examiner.
Such law has been proved in other
states an Invaluable safeguard
against fraud and extravaganza In
the handling OF the taxes of the peo-
pie. 1t enables the community to
compare the relative efficiency and
faithfulness OF all their public serv.
ants. The savings from such a law
would certainly amount to hundreds
of thousands Of dollars in this state.
taking municipalities and counties
and state expenditures, all into con.
sideration, but beyond all this, It's
tendency must be very strongly to
force a higher standard OF candidate
upon parties,
l believe the time has come when
the body of Interested citizens should
give authoritative expression, at the
primaries or at the polls, of their
preference for the Office of United
States senator. Several states are
already resorting to this means, as n
method of protecting their legislators
from the engrossing and bitter con
tests which revolve about the senator
ship; and 1t is very much gained II
that body can be left free to take
care of the legitimate interests of the
state without the spectacle of com.
monwealth's larger interests being
completely subordinated and sub
merged in controversies which bear
on the personal fortunes of the indi
vidual, rather than having in view the
real interests Of the state Itself.
We should stand for state bank
examiner, who should have authority
to investigate and make public any
condition Of insolvency or any irreg,
ularity In management In every state
institution of deposit.
The authority of the commissioner
Of mines should be enlarged so that
he must upon request examine into
and make public the conditions of
mining stock concerns which have
preyed too much upon the confidence
of too credulous citizens OF this and
of other states.
We should have thoroughly revised
insurance laws. The states weak
ness in this respect has been brought
out in strongest relief through the eff.
flciency and ability of the present act
Mr.. e. f. Rittenhouse, with the cor
dial support of his chief. Auditor A.
E Bent. 1t is impossible to over
estimate the damage done by fake
insurance schemes in filcning money
from the people OF this state. We
are in a position to utilize the ex-
haustive and intelligent recent exam
nations and legislation in New York
state, on these matters. This is one
VI INT IuOSt lllpDIldn SciSiCSS uC'
manded at this time for the protec-
ton of our citizens.
These suggestions for corporate
supervision are pertinent because the
laws Of this state are not today ade.
quate to deal with some corporations
as we at present find them.
submit these propositions, not as
covering all which progressive par.
ty should look after In Colorado at
this time, but | believe that such a
platform. If backed by candidates OF
character who were fully in sympa.
thy with them, would go a long way
toward elevating the party manage
ment, improving the public service
arresting and perhaps doing away
with the causes OF much Of the tur-
MOL in Denver. and permitting legis
lators and state officials. whose re
sponsibility would be more directly