The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1908-10-28
AFRAID OF ITS RECORD.
Why The Democrats Say Nothing
About Their Past in Colorado.

One of the most conspicuous feat
ures of the Democatic platoon in
this State is its silence on the re-
cord of the party when It had control
of the State government.
One of the most CONSPICUOUS feat
ures of the Republican State plat
form is its enumeration of the re-
forms that have been brought about
and its aCeoaet OF the good govern
ment that has been administered
during its period of rule for the
past six years.
For the six years 1S97-1902, mclu-
sive, the Democrats were In power
here. Ineffic,eicy and extravaganza
were the rule. AL evel fraud and
graft and tIls!t were rampant.
This was not 1. however, and
one, of the da lgels to be avoided
this year is the reetoration of pow
er of the elements which were in
control in De lver before the cleo
ton of 1901. In 1902, as was prov
ed oolciusively by sworn testimony
III LIE LIZ uS ConttSN,
more than G.0O0 fraudulent votes
were cast for Shafroth in the city
OF Dsnver. He hung on to Ids seat
in Congress as long as he could
iot been re lily e,ected-and drew
lhe salary for tie who,e time. al
finally IeSig ell Only because eye.t
he Demo,rati Oh t:,s Electio rs Com
mittee tod TN that they must vote
20 unseat him. Having thus aequies
ced n those frauds. and kept stolen
goods as lOng as lie possibly could.
he came back to Denver, and from
that day TO tails there is no record
of his ever having said word a
gainst the ballotbox stuffing and
other Illegal practices Of the Big
Witt. While he was still holding
the seat in Congress- that rightfully
belonged to r.. Bo1ynge the cleo
ton of 1903 occurred. The same
kind of frauds were committed. ald
Green County" actually outdid it.
self. giving n bigger majority for
Adair Wilson over Judge Campbell
than 1t had for Shafroth over Bon
ynge. Shafroth made no move to
stop these vicious practices then.
nor has he done SO since.
The history of the election of four
years ago is so recent that 1t need
not be told at length. Notwithstand-
ing the order of the Supreme Court
the Democratic officials ran the cleo
ton in the same old way, and com
mltted twenty-one different kinds of
fraud in order to elect Alva Adams
and Democratic legislature. But
this time the orders of the court
were not ignored with impunity. A
TO Jail and the Big Mitt was tenn
poaily broken up.
But the Big Mitt remains in dts
elem ents, and only awaits Democra-
tic victory in the state to become
again as efficient as ever. Mayor
Speer has given back their jobs to
about all the convicts who suffered
for the sake of the party. There
are indications that they are making
preparations to commit fraud at the
coming election; and II there should
be a Democratic Governor and
Democratic Supreme Court the peopl
of Colorado would be defenseless
against them.
Now the same John Shafroth is
running for Governor in whose be-
half the frauds of 1902 were commit
ed, the same Shafroth who profited
by those frauds as long as he could.
the same who never uttered word
against the Big Alitt or its methods.
the same who contributed money to
help the convicts. and who expects
the aid of the same nefarious organ
ization this fall.
No wonder the Democrats did not
dare call attention to their record.
Remember that those Stupendous
frauds were continued as late as
ago; that they had been common
all the years the Democrats were in
power; that the men who committed
them are still alive and many of
them in city offices; that the same
mayor is in power under whose pro-
lection the criminals acted; and
that the same man is now running
for Governor, and other friends of
the criminals are now nominated by
the Democrats for places on the
bench of the Supreme Court, who
profited by their frauds six years
ago and who has aided and abetted
them ever since.
How long would it be, after the
election of the present Democratic
State ticket, before the Big Mitt
wng autiraly in CONTROL u0oip9