The Greeley tribune., 1906-06-07
ODD ADDRESS
JUDGE BEN LINDSEY TALKS
POLITICS
Straight From the Shoulder Talk
to the Greeley High School
Graduates Instead OF
Oratory

Judge Ben b. Lindsey of the
county court in Denver delivered a
rather remarkable address before the
graduating class of the Greeley high
school. 1t was remarkable not alone
because of some of the startling
statements made, but 1t was unique
as graduating speech. The topic
was Major and Minor Criminals, :"
and dealt practically altogether with
Denver politics. He took 1t for
granted that his audience knew the
type of minor criminal-the sneak
thief, burglar, rapist and murderer
and devoted his time to the major
criminal, whose crimes are so skill
fully covered by cunning and the
power of money to purchase the man.
hood of others"
Business had a thousand times
better be shaken to Its foundation
up,ooted, annihilated-rather than
it should experience even temporary
success at the expense of honor and
manhood" said Judge Lindsay.
Down In Denver, the other day,
l saw sickening scene. Certain
business interests we're claiming GER
tain rights from the people. These
rights were worth millions upon mil
lions of dollars.
"As has been the case In the past,
to my certain knowledge, these bust.
ness interests, as far as they dare,
know no law when it comes to get
ting what they want or what they.
need. Law is nothing; manhood is
nothing; they make it their business
to own the public officers, or as many
of them as possible, who are sworn
to enforce the law.
''They we're caught red-handed
trying to steal from the people
Whether they succeeded or not is to
be determined fairly and impartially.
Yet, in trying to determine this, a
number of witnesses were called.
More would have been called had not
the supreme court prevented. II
saw young men 60 on the witness
stand and under the stern smiles of
the president of one of these con-
Germs, commit perjury. They did 1t
in the interest of great business
enterprise that, with others of a
similar character, has directly or In
directly purchased lawyers, news
papers and public officials.
my Young friends, this corrup'
tion does not end in the city of Den
yer: its Shiny trail will be found
clear into the state house. 1t de-
bauches alike men who belong to
what is called the democratic party
and what is called the republican
party in politics. The truth is, as
the honest well.informed must tell
you, that party names do not any
longer necessarily mean what they
used to mean in the days Of the
Young manhood of your fathers and
mine. These names are being USED
in many states as cloaks to shield
the crookedness of scoundrels.
II do not want you to understand
that all public officials are dishonest,
for they are not. The truth Is that
the great majority of them are non
est at least in nearly all things
till it comes to conflict between
the people and their exploiters, when
the exploiters choose to conduct
operations by their peculiar ana
eirectiye methods. There are judges
m the bench who represent the
highest type of courage, honesty anu
intelligepce, and there are others
who are owned as absolutely by these
coruorations as a dog is owned py
his master. and there are those VINO
have actually been selected, not oS
the people, but by these special III
terests demanding special privileges,
who were chosen not that they wouio
serve the people, but in case OF 'ne
Find of conflict referred to they Will
serve their masters,
''rake our own city OF Denver
tbov have named judges, district at
torneys, city attorneys, mayorS'
county commissioners and otlers'
They own many of these officers III
ao far nc II is necessary to own them
for their purposes AT,
"The men who are used IN t,''s
vov are the traitors, the beheu'e'