The Holly chieftain., 1908-10-09
line big nltt'
SHALL IT BE RETURNED TO POW
Err IN DENVER

bOuy III Sploi Siuo "uO Soh U
member four years back knows what
the big Mitt" means. Knows that il
stole the election of 1902 for John
Shafroth and tried to steal the elec
tion of 1904 for Alva Adams. If it had
not been for the interference of the
Supreme Court it would have beer
year. But the court took supervision
of the election, appointed watchers
and opened some of the ballot boxes
and thereafter some fifty or sixty OF
the Democratic election thieves were
sent to Jail and served their sentences
Thereafter Republican Legislature
enacted a new registration law which
made it difficult for them to vote the
contents of Riverside cemetery and
other contiguous graveyards, and
which up to the present time has
made it possible for Denver to have
fair elections.
Is there any danger of the return to
lLo iol dtllNlly VI llllo ltluI lOuS
and criminal organization?
Immediately upon their release from
Jail the most prominent of the cleo
tion thieves who had been punished
for their crimes by the Supreme Court,
were reinstated in the city service by
Mayor Speer and his administration,
and they are there now.
Billy Green is on the detective
force.
Kratke and th> rest of the bunch
have their jobs again.
They are just as willing now as
they were four years ago to pad regis
tration lists and stuff ballot boxes.
The only question is in regard to their
power.
At present there is Republican dis
trict attorney in Denver, Republican
sheriff, and there Is also a Republi-
can administration in the state house.
1t is not probable that they will dare
to go through their regular program OF
election crime this year; but suppose
the Democratic party should be sue
cessful in the state and in the county
of Denver this fall, there would be a
Democratic state administration, a
Democratic Supreme Court, Demo.
cratic district attorney and Dem
cratic sheriff, and there is now a
Democratic city administration. What
could prevent return of the condi
tions which existed prior to the elec
ton of 1904.
The registration law would still bt
in effect but what would be She resul
with all the city, county and state oi
| ficials leagued in a conspiracy t
| evade and annul it? What possibl
| guaranty would there be OF its er
forcement? And, further, II a Demo
cratic Legislature were to be elected
what could presa,nt the repeAl Of the
registration law in such way as to
make 1t easy for the big Mitt" to re-
sumo operations.
1t has perhaps been too easily taken
for granted that the power of the big
Mitt" is forever broken. Four years,
however, although a long enough time
for people to forget some of the enor-
mites that were committed so short
time ago, is only an interval In the
history of state. The men who COM
mitted those frauds are still alive.
They still retain their cunning in man
ipulating registrations and ballots. If
they are assured of protection from
sources higher up" who can doubt.
that they will resume their former
practices?
This is a matter which concerns not
alone the city and county of Denver.
1t concerns the whole state. II these
practices in Denver are allowed to re-
sumo it will not mater how great the
majority of Republicans are able to
pile up in the rest of the state, enough
votes will be counted or stuffed into
the ballot bikes in Denver to over
come their effect.
The will of the people of Colorado
will be nullified, as it was in former
years, by the Vaccinations of this
gang of criminals.
The election of the Republican state
ticket will put an end to all possibility
of the return of the big Mitt." 1t will
insure real popular government in
Colorado. 1t will keep the elections
in Denver free and fair.
If this is what the people of Colo
RADIO want they will certainly vote the
Republican ticket on November 3.
1898 and has since administered them
for the benefit of the people of those