The daily sentinel., 1909-05-19

fcuIiarly American. of the old, native
stock This means that they have
an ingenuity equal to any emergency,
an unbreakable stubbornness and an
intense individualism which l love
more than any other human char
aeteristic But it also means that the
towns tend to stand off from each
other They are a regular group of
old Greek republics; and Grand june
| don is so far the only one that has
/ learned 10 take an Athenian breadth
Of view. Just to give an example,
when the secretary of the Grand
junction chamber of commerce Of
fered the united strength of his town
! to help Montrose celebrate the open
ing of the Gunnison tunnel. Montrose
was profoundly surprised. She
hadn't expected any help. But think
of the old Yankee grit which inspired
the little city of Montrose to tackle
such job alone.
Even within the limits of a single
town there is sometime unnecessary
striving For instance, in nearly ev-
cry town | visited there are fruit
growers associations. in one place
three. If there is any good reason
for this condition, no one told me
what it was.
Efforts are now being made to
unite the fruit growers of the whole
western slope into one big associa-
tion. which shall market its fruit
through agents employed by the cen
trail body, and eliminate waste like
that just cited. | see no reason why
such a movement should not. for a
time, succeed. II would not and could
not be "A monopoly, for the fruit of
the western slope must be sold in the
open market of the world. 1t would
eliminate a deal of needless friction
and waste-again for a time.
| believe in the western slope. |
believe in IL as the most wonderful
empire in the making which one can
find on the map. Nowhere else in
the world will you find place where
the choicest of fruit land is over
looked by good coal mines: where
quarries touch elbows with vine
yards; where oil wells are waiting
to heat all outdoors at your bidding;
and where the rivers that bring fer
tility to your fields can also be har
messed to grind your flour. weave
your clothing. light your home. 1t
is great. wonderful region; a re-
gion already justly celebrated far
and wide; yet all 1t has done is but
earnest of the things it will do.
And | believe in the people of the
western slope as thoroughly as l do
in the orchards and power plants and
quarries. From the orchards of the
Grand and Uncompaghre valleys, and
from the fields of northern Colorado
will come the political regeneration
of the state. The people of the west
ern slope may call themselves Demo-
Gratis or Republicans. 1t doesn't
much matter. for the truth is they
are Independent voters, who are
agreed on the basic elements of our
political growth.
The point | started to make is that
the politics of the western slope are
clean politics. The western slope
has no use for Billy Green Democrats
nor for Casimiro Barela Republicans.
And as that region grows in strength
and poins its influence to the influ-
ence of the communities in other
parts of the state. the political be-
devilments which have pestered Colo
RADIO will be quickly and quietly
wiped out. l firmly believe the time
is not far distant when it will be a
handicap to party to have the sup
port of Market street or of Huerfano
county. And If you can once get the
interests" below divorced from the
Interests" above, it shouldn't be diff
ficult to thrash whichever one needs
castigation at any particular time.
Nor need one fear that the break
ing up of the old party machines Will
open the way for Socialism. If there
is any party whose outlook in the
Grand and Uncompaghre valleys is
utterly hopeless. that is the Socialist
party. For socialism. in the last
analysis. means not cooperation. but
lcompulsion-and I'd prefer to lease
out my share of compelling" these
transplanted Yankees of the western
slope.
And now. good bye. Some day. l
want to write full story of Grand
Junction: the pushing, thriving,
broad spirited little city which within
a dozen years will contest with Salt
Lake the commercial supremacy of
the great basin. But Just at present,
| have neither time nor the detailed
information for the job. Good bye.