The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1908-10-24
Democratic
AbsurditieS
IN COLORADO LAW-MAkiNG
OPEN LETTER TO "HoNEST-
JOHN" SHAFROTH.

JOHN" SHAFROTH.
Denver. Colo. Oct II. 1908.
Hon 'Honestjohn" Shafroth. Demo
cratic Candidate for Governor
Sir:
Give me your ear. "Honestjohn,"
while | tell you Of some of the bowling
absurdities OF Democratic law making
IN Colorado. From these you will be
able to understand why the people will
not elect a Democratic legislature this
faii
The Constitution Forgot.
Do you recall the Eleventh General
Assembly. which existed during the
reign OF Governor Adams? You states
men in this session forgot to appropri-
ate funds to run the government and
Governor Adams had to call them back
TO give him money wherewith to keep
the conyicts. the insane and the school
dependents from begging from door to
door for their food. This extra session
aiso produced a bristling batch of res
olutions upon the foreign relations of
the National Government
But after all AIya Adams went out
of office leaving a deficit OF over $780,
900.
Thomas Borrows Money to Run State.
Then followed Governor Charles S
Thomas. who was obliged to skirmish
around among his friends and unoifi
cidiy borrow $4,000 wherewith TO
prevent the sheriff from levying upon
the state house and penitentiary This
was the Thomas debt OF honor" Of
which profane history speaks so feel
tngly
The next general assembly blindly
rushed to the opposite extreme and
flew in the face of providence and the
Constitution by appropriatfng over
100000 in excess OF the revenue of
the state This was unlawful but they
did not know it.
Gave Us Prize Fight Law
Just at that time Colorado needed
advertising in the East so you passed
a prize fight law inviting slugeers to
come to Colorado and assault one an
other Governor Thomas. true to his
pugnacious Democratic instincts
signed the bill This splendid monu-
ment of Democratic constructive
craftsmanship was afterwards killed
By perverse popular sentiment
In the Twelfth General Assembly,
you passed an eght-hour law which
gave the people a delightful labor
strike. costing lots of money and Civ
ing the police courts and surgeons
much active employment This would
have been real law if yon had not
again overlooked the constitution; but
you forgot about it and Democratic
Supreme Court scratched 1t off the
books
Don't it beat all how the Constitu-
ton gets in the way of Democratic
statesmen?
The Constitution Again Overlooked
And then came the Thirteenth As
sembly. which re-dstricted the state
to insure Democratic supremacy. They
provided thirtysix state senators and
tried to put the law into effect before
they discovered that that glorious but
troublesome document, the Constitu-
ton. permitted but thirty-fve.
Another evidence of the extraordin
ary wisdom of your party was the sub
milting OF a single-tax amendment
which the people promptly wiped off
the map at the polls
This Assembly also passed lively
srist Of joint memorials and resolu-
tions about foreign matters 1t was
especially concerned about the Boer
War.
Forgot to Record Third Reading.
Then they passed the Tanquary En-
pisyers' Liability Bill. which would
have been useful II the great states.
men Of your party had not forgotten
TO have the third reading appear upon
the record Of the Senate, but they did.
and SO the courts were obliged to
chioroform it.
Don't you swell and glow with PRIDE
Honestjohn." when you contemplate
this record?
Then the Democratic governor called
a special session.: the corporations
were to be regulated A bill was
passed arranging for the obsequies of
COWS killed by railways. Railways are
operated by corporations. you know!
Constitution Still Interferes.
I almost forgot to mention the rev
enue law. The highest intelligence
and legal talent OF the party was
brought to bear upon this bill. Day
after daY and nipht after nighf Ii Was