Semi-weekly herald., 1910-10-03
AN UNTRAMMeLEp CONVENTION
OF COLORADO REPUBLICANS.

The policy announced by Chairman
Work when he assumed the leadership
Of the Republican party in this state
reached Its climax at the state conyen-
ton last Tuesday.
That policy was to invite and to per
nit the fullest and freest expression
OF opinion by the Republicans OF the
state, and to maintain the strictest i'm.
partiality of the party authorities O
wards all candidates for nomination
The result OF that policy, executed
with fidelity and consistency by the
state chairman, has been platform
and set OF nominees which repre-
sent the free choice Of the masses OF
the voters of the party to n greater
degree than the platform and the can.
didates OF either of the great parties
of Colorado for many years past.
1t is always possible for dishones,
newspapers to misrepresent political
facts, and it is too much 10 expect thai
this convention will be exempt from
the common practice OF extreme parti
sans. Some voters doubtless will be
deceived by such miss,atements. bui
the facts are too wen known to per
nit of a general misunderstanding by
the people of the state.
So far as the platform Is concerned
1t was expected that there would be d
difference OF opinion among the dele
gates to the convention.
The only platform ever adopted b,
unanimous consent was a platform
written by machine leaGers ana put
through the convention py machine
methods.
1t was expected that there would
be difference of opinion among thu
delegates as to the best ana strongest
candidates for the several places upon
the state ticket
II there had not been a difference 1t
would have been nrallible proof of TIN
presence of a slate arranged and
supported by strong machine.
1t was expected that at the close
Of the convention there would be some
disappointment among Republican
whose personal opinions OF men and
measures had not been endorsed by
the party convention Such disappoint
ments is inevitable where majorits
rule is left TO work out Its legitimate
results.
The ticket is a strong ticket from
whatever angle it is viewed The PEI.
sonal qualifications of the several can.
didates are excellent The geoeraph-
ioal distribution of the candidates l.
exceptionally impartial But the ehiel
strength of the ticket lies IN the fact
that the candidates are the choice Of
the Republicans of the state and OF
this strength strong evidence is given
by the feeling of good fellowship
shown among the delegates after the
convention adjourned. To accept de
feat good naturedly is an easy matte
If defeat comes as a result of the
honest choice of majority; but vic
tory won dishonesty or minority rule
by machine methods invariably leaves
a poison sting of hatred and dissat-
isfaction.
The candidates of the Republican
party in Colorado this year. and the
platform adopted by the state conven-
ton, unquestionably represent the
choice of the Republican voters of the
state, and irrespective of differences
Of opinion about particular measures
or individual candidates. the platform
and the ticket deserves, and they
ought to receive, an unstlnted measure
OF support from every Republican.vo
ter
The platform Itself is progressive
platform, and nothing but partisan
misrepresentation can make 1t any
thing else than progressive platform.
II is not a radical platform, and in
one important particular Il remains ST.
lent upon an important pending meas
ure that might well have received the
approval of the convention But by
that silence the convention refused 70
make the initiative and referendum
amendment a partisan Issue or test,
leaving II to the individual Judgment
oi Republican voters to advocate or TO
oppose that amendment and to vote
for or against 1t on election day with.
out charge of party irreguIarity. The
Chaiftain remains, as il has been, IA
vorable to that amendment, yet the
platform statement referring 1t to the
voters for individual decision is un.
questionably the verdict OF the Re
publicans of the state and not the
judgment OF a portion of the part,
forced upon the convention.
The Chieftain would be glad to be-
lieve that the day of the machine
packed and machine curbed convention
in Colorado is past forever With the
direct primary honestly and sincerely
enacted into law the evils of the CON