Semi-weekly herald., 1908-10-26
CAMPAIGN FALsEHooDs.


DENVER, Colo, Oct. 23.-If Charles
j. Hughes. Jr., and some OF the other
Democratic candidates on the Demo
cratic special train now traversing the
state, are not more careful In their
references to alleged state land frauds
they may have an opportunity to make
little open testimony before Repub
lican state officials. Even the un-
bridled license of Democratic cam
paign orator should have some curb,
and Mr. Hughes, with his choice array
oe Bryan followers, seem to have some
inside information not in the posses
sion of the state land board. AT least
they have not hesitated to make their
charges, and at Grand Junction, ac-
cording to the Rocky Mountain News,
Mr.. Hughes made the following state
ment: "The st ,ien lands of the pub
lie schools stand as shame upon the
preesnt administration and three of
those who participated in that dishon-
orable act that took the heritage Of
the children of this state, are renomi-
mated by the Republican party under
the dictation of the Guggenheim re-
gime."
Just where Mr.. Hughes gets his au-
thority for these statements Is a mys-
terry, unless he found 1t in the columns
of the Rocky Mountain News. But
II he has any better authority the
state land board would be glad to have
him produce It, The slurring refer
ence to Governor Mcdonald, Mr..
O'Connor and Miss Katherine Craig
will not get him any votes, for these
three state officials have done more
to prevent land frauds in the state
land department than all Of the pre-
vious Democratic administrations put
together. They not only brought to
light numerous attempts at fraud, Dut
by their firm stand in the matter. un-
doubtedly saved the state OF Colorado
thousands of dollars of which 1t nigh,
have been robbed. Perhaps Mr.
Hughes gets his inside Information
from some of the corporations for
which he is attorney. He might speak
up IL this is the case. as his revela
tions would be interesting.
The statements of the Democratic
orators are doubly misleading.
They seek to cover up the rank
frauds perpetrated in the state land
department during Democratic admin
istrations, but also give the credit for
frauds exposed to the Democratic
party. This latter is especially rr'
true.
The affairs of the state land board
were never put on business basis al
all until Republican officials took hoin
of things and Strengthened out The
tangled affairs of the department. A
number of public hearings were he'd
and many charges of one kind and an
other were investigated. Many OLD
leases were cancelled and others EN-
tirely revoked. The rottenness lis
covered had its inception back In DEM
ocratic regimes, and nobody to tn's
day knows how many thousands oil
dollars the state lost through the dis
honesty and stupidity of Democratic
administrations.
Several attempts to defraud ibe
state were uncovered. And they were
not uncovered for political purposes
but for the benefit of the state oi
Colorado. at open hearings. Every
word brought out by the examination
Of witnesses was published in the Den
yer press and went broadcast over tine
state. Governor Mcdonald and the
other members Of the board prevented
a gigantic scheme to get control OF a
large coal acreage in Routt county.
When John F. Vivian took charge
Of the land department as registrar
several false entries in the books were
uncovered No effort was made to
keep them secret and the news was
given to the entire state as before.
But the exposures came in time to
save the state of Colorado vast sums
Of money. The fraud was not discov-
cred after years of loss. as happened
with the frauds of Democratic admin
istrations. Republican officials put a
new form of investigation into play
and cleaned up the attempted steals
before they got into working order
Not cent Of money or an acre of
land was lost to the state. II the