The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-10-22
APATHY OF DEMOCRATS.
A Sample Of "eryan EnthusIasm" In
Colorado,

| a sample OF "Bryan Enthusiasm" In
Colorado.
On August 9, 1908, the Rocky Noun
tain News made front page appeal
to the Democrats Of Colorado to send
In contributions, however small, to the
Bryan campaign fund. There has been
great deal of fuss about this Bryan
fund, the Great Commoner having an
nounced his intention of keeping it
clean and unsullied. No corporation
dollars for him!
The result Is as painful as 1t Is
amusing. Up to the present time (Oc-
tober 2d), the $4,000 Democrats of
Colorado who voted two years ago,
have contributed the sum of $11 ,570.35
to aid the cause of their peerless
leader-less than IA cents per Demo-
crat
But this is not all. A closer inspec-
ton of the list of contributors, as
printed from day to day in the Rocky
Mountain News, reveals the fact that
the corporations, after all, are determ-
ined not to be baffled. Their contri-
buttons are quite evident to the initi-
ated. though they may appear to be hid
den under the names of candidates and
party workers.
The very first contribution published
is $4,000 by Charles ]. Hughes, Jr..
Democratic candidate for United
States senator. Yet he is corpora
ton man, pure and simple, and has
been repeatedly assailed as such in the
Patterson papers. Thus almost half Of
the entire amount realized comes from
corporation candidate and goes mer-
rily into the interrupted Bryan fund.
This is bad enough, to be sure, but
further inspection Of the list brings
other interesting revelations. All of
the larger contributions, in sums rang
ing from SO up to 1000. are from can
didates, prominent party men, former
office holders and others equally ex-
pectant of future honors or grateful
for past favors. Former Governor
John e. Osborne of Wyoming contri-
butes $1,000; T. M. Patterson, the mil
lionaire publisher and friend Of Mr..
Bryan, contributes $500; Charles 8.
Thomas, another former governor,
comes in with $500; "Honestjohn"
Shaffroth, present Democratic candi-
date for governor, gives $500; W. A.
Hill and M. 8. Bailey. candidates for
the Supreme bench, give $3.50 each and
other nominees and prominent Demo
Gratis give sums of varying size, down
to sums Of IS and $40 each.
Now for some totals. Adding every
dollar contributed from party work
ers and the present candidates for Of
flee, makes the sum Of $10,770. The
entire amount collected is only $11,-
570.35, which leaves but $S00.S5 CON
tributed by the real Common People,"
approximately one cent apiece from
the Democratic voters Of the state.
What is wrong with the Bryan en-
thusiasm in Colorado? The appeal OF
the Patterson papers was addressed to
the masses and not the party leaders
and corporation candidates. The head
lines Of the News in it's original appeal,
read: Democrats. Send Your Mites
for Bryan Fund to the News. Com
moner Relies on Masses for Contribu-
tons to Pay Expenses Of Campaign"
Every Democratic voter was asked
to contribute 81 to the cause of the
Peerless One, yet the sum realized rep
resents only about cent apiece from
disinterested people, who cannot be
identified in the hurry of the moment.
What Is true of the Bryan fund in
Colorado Is apparently true In other
parts of the country. The list OF con-
tributions throughout the country at
large was printed in the News, and
shows that the Colorado contributions
lead all the rest. Only $S4,097.94 has
been realized In the entire United
| States, and from the itemfzed list 1t Is
evident that Democratic candidates,
past recipients, etc, ETC.. are less gen
erous elsewhere than they are in Col
orado.
It Is eviden. that enthusiasm for the
Democratic War Eagle from Lincoln
Is sadly waning when the Common
People" refuse to contribute, with
chance of having their names printed
on the front page of the Rocky Noun
tain News thrown in.
And the net result is that with two
months effort Of the News, with front
page red ink appeals, it has induced
| only 235 of the Common People" to
contribute mites" from 25 cents to
$40 each, making total of $s00.35, or