The Elbert County tribune., 1910-07-22
Address to the People

Deuver.-At the same time the call
was issued for the special session OF
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 a message to the Assembly
when 1t convenes.
The governors address is as fol-
lows:
To the People of the State of Colo
As Governor of the State / have to-
day issued a call for special session
OF the General Assembly of Colorado
and deem It proper to state to you
the reasons which impelled me to take
that actioi&
The present officers OF the state and
members of the General Assembly were
elected upon a platform which made spe-
cific pledges to the people. These pledges
lowing laws: Ths 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.
sion, fashioned after the New York law,
and a 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
administrative affairs nearer to the peo-
pie, and hence are essential to good gov
ernment
Some OF these pledges were contained
In the platform of the other great po-
liticaI party of this state. In my inaug-
ural address l 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
again urged the enactment of these plat
form pledges into law, and stated that
in the event substantial compliance here
the General Assembly In special session
for the purpose OF having 1t fulfill these
resentatives passed nearly all of the bills
covering the subjects; but number of
democratic and Republican III, senators, rs
Senate. failed or refused to pass any of
the measures.
In view of these facts 1 regard it to
opportunity to the General Assembly to
redeem these contracts of honor.
Tho constitution of this state vests the
occasion. to convene the General Assem-
bly, by proclamation. stating therein the
purpose for which 1t is TO assemble, and
1t provides that no business shall ,
transacted at such special session other
than that specifically named in the proc
lamation.
cials is the fuIfiliment of pleuges made
to obtain office, ana. when they fail or
refuse to perform tnat DUTY. II is a snoek
trusted Them. There is no way of rec
tifS ing the betrayal of such confidence
under our laws.
The failure of legislators to fulfill SOL
emn pledges made to the people there
lore, alone. In my Judgments. coiist .tutes
sncn extraordinary occasion as war
rants the 'convening Of u special session
or the Legislature,
1t Is ABSURD to contend that these
measures can pe enacted at the general
kt- IN +
On account OF the multiplicity ol meas
ures coming before ,eguiar session.
members to vote against their pledges
and then have them Justify such votes
by claiming that they thereby were en-
abled to get large appropriations for
their respective counties. MANY OF these
measures have been introduced and
General Assembly Of this state for the
past sixteen years. and yet by reason OF
the persuasive influence of corporations
anu me uiveise interests oil lne MEM
DeIs OF each assembly tney have tailed
eacn time of passage. IT Is only IN q
ii,eInpers IS confined TO few subjects,
tnat we can nope 20 pass these meas
ures, BY r-fer..ee to the session laws
of Colorado IL VIII be seen that some
OF the very best legislation now on the
statute books of this state were enacted
at special sessions OF the General As
sembly.
The Initiative and referendum law re-
qures an amendment to the constitution
and unless passed at this session could
ton of 1912.
The straight Australian ballot law un-
less passed with an emergency clause
cannot become operative until the fall
erection OF 1912.
The railroad commission law of this
state was declared unconstitutional only
few days ago and there is urgent need
Tor such a tribunal
These Instances warrant the calling OF
a special session, but the greatest ne
cess.ty therefor arises from the fact
that, though pledged. none OF these laws
would likely be passed at a regular
session. the situation. therefore pro-
duces the alternative OF an extra session
These measures are not partisan in
their nature. They have been enacted in
Pgth ,eaa9 and b
in twenty-six states; the initiative
and referendum in eight states; the
states; the bank guaranty law in four
states. the public service commission
in New York and other states, and the
railroad commission in every state in the
Union except Utah. Delaware and Colo
rado. know of no instance where any
These measures will have tendency to
restore to the citizens those rights which
were intended by the trainers OF our gov
ernment to always remain with the peo-
pie.
1t has been contended by the opposing
members of the General Assembly as
reason for not supporting these meas
ures. that the people are not in favor of
the same. 1t seems therefore. proper
that the county conventions of all the
political parties of this state should ex-
press themselves upon whether these
laws should be enacted. l have the ut
most confidence that no regular conven-
tion. of any political party VIII advise
the repudiation of platform promises.
Believing that legislators win truly
reprepent their constituents when they
fully realize that the people do want
these reforms enacted into laws. l have
fl,A i1h fhnt rrtaC han. .tnl
results Will come from the convening of
this special session of the General AS
sembly. Respectfully.
JOHN Il. SHAFROTH.