The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1910-07-22
Address to the People.

the Assembly, Governor Shafroth also
gave out an address to the people"
regarding the call. and 1t is under.
stood that he will go into details quite
fully in message to the Assembly
when it convenes.
The governors address is as foil
lows:
To the People of the State of Colo
RADIO:
AS Governor OF the State have to-
day issued a call for special session
of the General Assembly of Colorado,
and l deem 1t proper to state to you
the reasons which impelled me to take
tnat actioI&
The present officers of the state and
members of the General Assembly were
elected upon platform which made spe-
cific pledges TO the people. These pledges
lowing laws; The initiative and referen-
dunn, the straight Australian ballot, the
direct primary, the election of United
States senators by direct vote of the
people. the guaranty OF bank deposits.
the creation of u public service commits
sion. fashioned after the New York law.
and n railroad law which would vest ade-
quate authority in a commission TO right
wrongs. and which would prevent the
giving or accepting of free transporta-
ton. All of these measures tend to bring
pie. and hence are essential to good gov
eminent.
Some OF these pledges were contained
In the platform of the other great po-
litical party OF this state. In my inaug-
ural address | called the attention OF the
General Assembly to the fact that these
pledges constituted contracts with the
people and should be faithfully fulfilled.
Two weeks before the adjournment Of
the General Assembly. in message 1
again urged the enactment of these plat
form pledges into law. and stated that
In the event substantial compliance here
with was not made that l would convene
the General Assembly In special session
for the purpose of having 1t fulfill these
platform promises; The House OF Rep
resentatives passed nearly all OF the bills
covering the subjects. but q number of
Democratic and Republican senators.
sufficient to constitute a majority OF the
Senate. failed or refused to pass any OF
the measures.
In view Of these facts I regard II to
be my imperative duty to give one more
opportunity to the General Assembly to
redeem these contracts OF honor.
The constitution OF this state vests the
governor with power. on extraordinary
occasion, to convene ths General Assem-
bly, by proclamation, stating therein the
purpose for which II is to assemble, and
II provides that no business shall I,
transacted at such special session other
than that specifically named In the proc
lamation.
The very highest duty of public Off
cials is the fulfillment of pledges made
to obtain office; and. when they fail or
refuse to perform That duty, II is a shock
TO the moral sense OF the people who
trusted them. There is no way OF rec
ufying the betrayal Of such confidence
under our laws.
The failure OF legislators to fulfill sol
emn pledges made TO the people there
fore. alone. In my Judgment. constitutes
sucn an extraordinary occasion as war
rants the convenIng of special session
OF the Legislature.
IL is ABSURD TO contend that these
measures can pe enacted at the general
SESSION winch meets In January next
On account of the multiplicity oI meas
urcs coming before a regular session.
special interests are enabied to induce
members to vote against their pledges
anu then have them Justify such votes
by claiming TINT they thereby were en-
abled to get large appropriations Tor
their respective counties. Many OF these
measures have been introduced and
urged IN every regular session OF the
General Assembly OF this state for the
past sixteen years. and yet by reason OF
the persuasive influence OF corporations
ana the diverse interests Of the men,
beers OF each assembly they have failed
each time OF passage. IL IL only In
special session, Mncn the attention OF
members Is confined to few subjects.
that We can nope to pass these meas
uIcs. BY reference to the session laws
OF Colorado IL will be seen that some
VI hlt NtiN bthA hVM WI
statute books OF this state were enacted
at special sessions Of the General As
sembly.
The initiative and referendum law re-
quires an amendment 10 the constitution
and unless parsed at this session could
not be voted ON until the November cleo
ton OF 1912.
The straight Australian ballot law I'M
less passed with an emergency clause
cannot become operative until the fall
v,vcuon OF 1919.
The railroad commission law OF this
state was declared unconstitutional only
lew DAYS agu and there IL urgent need
Tor such "A tribunal
These Instances warrant the calling OF
special session. but the greatest ne
ocss.ty therefor arises from the fact
that, though pledged. none 1of these lnws
would likely be passed at regular
session. inc situation, therefore. pro-
ducvs the ALTERNATIVE. OF an eAtra session
or no laws.
These measures are not partisan IN
their nature. They have been enacted In
both Demoernuc and Republican states.
The direct primary has been enacted
Ia twouty-siA states; the Initiative
aud referendum In eight states. the
h"adicsn ballot IN more than twenty
states, the bank guaranty law In four
states; the public service commission
In New York and other states. and the
tai,rond comnllHion ~ every state IN the
Union except Titan, Delaware and Colo
RADIO / know Of no instance where any
one ~ these laws has been repealed.
These measures viii have tendency TO
restore to the citizens those rights which
were intended by the trainers OF our gov
crnmont to always remain with the pco-
pie.
II has been conionded by the opposing
MEMBER of the General Assembly, ~
reason for not supporting these meas
ufes, that tn. people are not IN favor of
the same. N seems therefore proper
that the county CONVENTIONS OF all tho
political parties Of this state should os-
press themselves upon whether these
laws should be enacted I have the ut
most confidence that no regular conven.
ton Of amy political party, viii advise
the reputation Of platform promises.
Relieving ihh, legislators will truly
rcproHnrt their constituents when they
fully realize that the people do want
these reforms eunrted into laws, | hay.
the highest hopes that most beneficial
results will come from the converting OF
this special Hrasion OF the General As
-emhly, Respectfully,
JOHN y. sIiAFHoTH.
Governor.