Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-12
DENVER AND THE BEAST

! IO{ OMETIMES 1t is discouraging busi-
~ ness trying to arouse the people to
~ action that is for their best inter
ests. 1t is accomplished in many in
stances only after the most tireless
and long g-continued effort. Then comes
the next task-keeping the people
aroused so that they will not lose the
fruits of their victory. The great ma
jority are prone to fall back into in
difference and inaction.
But every once in a while something
happens that heartens the workers for
better government, cleaner cities and
honester politics. and makes them feel
that It is worth while Such thing
has Just happened in Denver, where an
exciting campaign has closed. No city
has sunk lower than Denver in the
control of what Judge Ben Lindsay of
Juvenile court fame called THE Beast
It had had spasms of virtue, but each
had been followed by greater lethar-
/ gv on the part of the voters. 1t had
come TO be felt that It was of no use
! fighting the corporations. They con-
trolled both the Republican and the
| Democratic party machines, hesitated
at no kind of corruption to maintain
their hold, spent immense sums to
perpetuate their control, and even en-
ployed thugs to use physical violence
on election day.
But there were a few persistent peo-
pie in Denver who would not content
to its surrender to the gang. They in
stltuted q campaign without money
enough to pay the necessary expense.
/ Charter amendments, including provl-
! sion for the recall initiative and refer
endum. were proposed. A municipal
water works was another thing to be
passed upon. "The Beast did not dare
to fight the propositions in the open.
1t tried the plan so familiarly used in
our own California Legislature and 9TH
er similar bodies by crafty machine
agents of putting forth amendments
purporting TO favor the same things
but really containing "jokers" that
would have made them ineffective.
"The Beast" IS said to have spent
s75 900 endeavoring to retain its grasp
| on the rich plumber to be had from the
city control. the money coming from
the corporations and office holders.
The ballot was loaded until it con-
| tanned $1,000 words, to confuse voters,
and yet the people voted right
Honest candidates for the board of
| aldermen and board of supervisors de-
feated the creatures Of the machines
that were making the fight of the
"Beast" Denver got an election COM
mission that cannot be controlled or
even Influenced by the corruptionists.
and as for the amendments, the vot-
ers did not make a single mistake, as
the following summary will show:
Majority against fake water amend
ment, 1852.
Majority for honest water amend
ment. 1000.
Majority against fake recall amend
ment proposed by machine politicians.
11177.
Majority for honest. straight recall
amendment, 1000.
Majority against fake initiative
amendment, 1864.
Majority for honest initiative amend
ment, 3OOO
Majority against fake referendum
amendment, $4,000.
Majority for honest referendum
amendment, $500.
Denver is redeemed-at least until
her people go to sleep and permit
themselves to be cheated out Of their
victory. She saved herself from a
water supply job that would have net
ted its exploiters $25,OOOooO at the ex-
pense of the taxpayers. 1t was a great
day for every city that is seeking to
! find a way out Of the domination of
! sinister interests
It is the fight every large city must
make unless it is willing to be plum
| dered and given over to graft and i'm
morality. Los Angeles has made and
won her fight. She has the persistent
! spirit to see to it that the fruits of
the victory are not lost.