The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1910-05-28
Barney Banters Ben.

day paper among other things, con-
tanned an article from your pen in
which you bestow some consideration
upon your humble servant And,
whereas, it hath seemed good to salute
me through the columns of the press,
you will have no objection, l be-
ileVe, and | am sure you will have no
Just cause of complaint. if l should
employ the same agency through
which to acknowledge the receipt of
your compliments.
Judge, you have been doing and
saying some surprising things of late.
But up to this time you have not at
tempted anything that is so truly as
tor sAing to myself as your recent
stroll up Clear Greek canyon to pull
me oat of back stope. where l was
quietly attending to my own business
and trot me out to public view as an
appurtenant to your msnagerie.
| My dear judge, | cannot half way
begin to tell you how unwilling | am to
lay down my hammer and drill and en-
ter the polemical arena for a contest.
cannot, just now, think of anything
that is more appalling to raw and in
experienced controvsrsialist like my
sell than to be called upon to cross
d tongue -slugger as you. have great
ia In, however. in the justice of my
cause. And l am sure your honor
knows what Shakespeare says about
him whose cause is just.
| And to whom it may concern, be it
known furthermore, that l am not a
volunteer in this engagement. l am
simply conscript. Come to think
about it, don't you know that it is
| through my association with the "Con-
script Father" ct Cons cripti
believe is the better way OF stating
it that have inherited a this trou-
bic. Now, your honor, here is the
particular piece OF reedy negotiations
in the Jingle" that l object to. 1t
reads:
| In the last session of our legisla-
ture, the opponents of our reform pro-
gram had no more loyal supporters
| tiAn- Senator Barney O'ConneA and
Senator Horace T DeLong. In the
fight for direct primary laws and
other measures designed to restore
representative government to Colora-
do, both these men rendered distin-
guished services against the people.
| ~ h,f hoI tal
against measure that did not re-
peal but slightly modified the local OPP
ton law. Chancellor Buchtel award
ed them honorary degrees from the
Denver University"
Here, your honor. has tied me up in
such manner with other men, the
atchets of whose shoes you are not
worthy to loose. that | must say a
word about them before proceeding
with my own ease. AS far as the hon
ored head of the Denver university
AN institution of which, l OF 8 rye,
your hatred is much stronger than your
love of the the TRUTHS concerned,
will say that l would much rather
take his bare word on any subject
than your oath upon stack oi
bibles that would reach from here tc
the center of the solar system.
As for Senator belong, if you know
anything at all about US, you musl
know that there are few things upor
which we agree either in politics OIL
religion. Still am quite certain
that his example, as public man, az
private citizen and as a Christian
: gentleman, might with commendablt
. prudence, be initiated by you.
Now shall return to my own case
and until it is disposed Of. I request
} that you leave our neighbors alone
will try and keep you busy enough
while the dance is on. | am a plair
blunt and unlettered workingman ane
4 l shall insist upon pursuing that style
of address best suited to my under
standing, In the above quotation
from the ''jungle e"-leaving out the
university degree of which feel ex'
tremely proud-there is not one
word of truth in your statement, sc
far forth as it concerns me. deny
the allegation. If you made that
statement under oath it would be the
blackest kind of perjury. 1t is truly
amazing that one so strong on plat
form pledges As you pretend to be,
should be so weak on the decalogue.
There is a rule therein that puts a
heavy discount on false witnesses.
You should cultivate an acquaintance
with it. 1t would do your soul-if
you have one-a whole lot of good.
have not looked into my stephens on
! Plaa hut haliaua the naYf 1