Gilpin observer., 1909-04-15
COM m UNIcATED.
To the Editor of the Observer:

ognizing in one Henry A. Hicks, the
champion obstructionist of all bene-
ficial legislation in the 18th General
Assembly, it seems strange that an
avowed Republican paper, should give
space to all the eulogistic slush fea-
ister-Call last week. When it is re-
membered that this same paper prev
ious to the election of Mr.. Hicks was
his most bitter opponent on person
al as we'll as partisan grounds there
must be some reason for it's sudden
change of front in regard to the Pat
tersonian statesman. Perhaps this
may be explained upon the grounds
of sympathy with THE Under Dog"
If so, the object Of the aforemen-
toned papers tender solicitude, is
needful, if not deserving of sympathy
from some source, for if the few ad-
mirers of the self-styled apollo
Belvedere" will read any paper out
side of the Patterson hyphen they
will find that the press with cheer
full unanimity have exhausted all the
cuss words printable in condemning
the course pursued by Mr. Hicks
ever since the blighting wave of De-
mocracy swept him into a position
of power.
Among the we'll informed all this
talk about Mr.. Hicks championing
the cause of the people against the
interests" is the veriest tommyrot.
To pose as a reformer while really
acting only in the capacity of an
obstructionist and a knocker is an
old political trick that nowadays fools
no one, not even excepting so
guileless and gullible a parsonage as
the esteemed editor of the Register
Call. The facts generally recognized
are these: Mr.. Hicks was under OBJ
legations to Thomas Patterson. Pat
terson unable to control the 18th as
sembly vowed that deprived of such
control he would see to it that no
remedial or beneficial legislation
should be enacted. In other words
he was ready and willing to send his
party to the regions of vigorously
and eternally damned in order to
crafty his appetite for revenge upon
an old political enemy. In Mr.. Hicks
he found a most willing and plant
tool.
When the legislature convened the
situation was most favorable for the
ambitions Of both of these champ.
ions of the dear people," For in
stance, Mr.. Hicks must get into the
lime-light. Neither by education
training or achievement could he hope
to attain to anything above the com
monplace. At home he was generally
discredited and reluctantly supported
at the polls. Abroad he was an un.
known quantity. One quality only he
possessed and that, he had an un-
limited amount-Gall. By sheer force
of this negligible faculty he succeed
ed in impressing the Hon. Tom (who
had been failing mentally for years)
that by making him the foreman of
his wrecking crew he would not only
find most obedient servant but
would be able to cancel an outlawed
and seemingly hopeless political debt
as WELL
Thus the program of fume, froth
and fright began. AS result aside
from enabling Handsome Henry's
photograph to appear in the hyphen
every other day and the Hon. Tom
to pose as a reformer, the legislature
accomplished nothing. Good, sane,
practical measures such as Direct
Primary, shorn of it's populistic and
revolutionary features, a Bank Guar
antee without the mutual" absurd
ity which compelled every honest
financier to shoulder the rascality of
his more scrupulous neighbor, were
introduced only to be knitted by the
band of populistic outlaws led by
Patterson and Hicks.
No program could have been more
satisfactory to the Interests" they
were supposed to be fighting. No
program could have been more un-
satisfactory to the people who at
least expected an honest attempt to
deal fairly with these important ques-
tions. Consequently Mr.. Hicks has
placed the foes of all remedial leg
islation under lasting obligation. II
he has not received a substantial re-
ward from these interests" it is be-
cause he is averse to receiving mon
ey for goods faithfully delivered"