Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-08-26
Ii Books Thrown Open

Editor Statesman:
: | wish space in your paper to vindi-
, cate myself and my fellow committee
!, men of the charges made by local
paper, in it's report of the congress,
that we are high financiers and fake
convention promoters"
1t is not for the purpose of paying
him back in his own coin that | write,
but for the purpose of protecting
honest men from the charge of graft
ing.
/, as treasurer of the local commit
tee, would know if money had been
misused and any member had been the
| beneficiary of it. If such had been
| the case, | would justly come under
| suspicion.
Fortunately the committee is pre-
pared to make financial report
showing the details of it's operations
and that will be conclusive answer
to any charges. But there is a fea-
| ture of the attack, made by Mr.. Camp
bell in his paper that cannot be so
easily reached.
He grows eloquent over the awful
depravity of the committee in impos
ing on the public by fooling them
about the coming of Assistant Attor
pey General Lewis. Let me state
here that this committee received a
telegram from the president, stating
that Mr.. Lewis would be here on
Sunday.
Editor Campbell gives a minimum
| of facts in about two columns and a
half and fairly bubbles over with in
situations about improper conduct.
| OF the convention itself he says lit
tie, and Notwithstanding it met here
and he could attend he foregoes his
duty, as newspaper man, to give
the news and contents himself with
his opinion.
i He blames us for not knowing what
the convention was for before 1t met,
yet he does not tell the public what
it was for since it's meeting
1t is not within my province to die
tate to Mr.. Campbell as to what shall
be his views about the usefulness of
the convention. Not having been or
ganized with the assistance of the
people of Denver and our knowledge
of it being limited to it's Address to
the People issued last year, we were
under the necessity of accepting it as
we found it, or of refusing to enter
tain it.
The only duty which rested upon
Denver was that of hospitality, and
in fairness the people of Denver
the committee should be spared the
burden of charges not altogether cor.
rect. Neither should disagreement
with the congress itself cause anyone
to involve people here at home. The
cupidity and wrong-doing of others is
not the fault of this committee.
In short | believe that Mr.. Camp
bell in his endeavor to criticise
some features OF the convention, has
forgotten our need for good manners
and hospitality here in Denver.
Neither is he justified in insinuat.
ing charges of graft that will involve
the members of the committee and
especially myself, because he has per.
sonal enmity against someone on the
committee.
Many efforts of the race have much
OF fault in them and at times it is
hard to say whether they are good or
bad on the whole, but even if he be.
lieves the congress bad he is without
excuse in foisting upon his readers
the impression that our committee is
responsible.
With regard to the number of dele
gates and homes for them | should
|
knew how many delegates would
come. We prepared for the maximum
number and of course made nc
pledges to anyone
That hundreds came instead oi
thousands we could not know. And
do not believe that Denver feels as
much injured now that the number
was small. as 1t would have beer
ashamed had we been unable to take
care of all who came, because of i'm
perfect arrangements. We have moi
duped the public and except for this
charge from Mr. Campbell l believe
the public thinks we acted in entire
good faith and that we were as dis
appointed in the small attendance as
they.
While our efforts at work for the
public good at times are not all thai
we would have them, yet / sincerely
trust that we may be given credit fol
our attempts.
The local committee hereby invites
the public to inspect all their ac
counts which will be found at 1884
Arapahoe street.
BY order of the commission.
| w W.T. TAMC