Gilpin observer., 1911-03-02
SETTLE THE SENATORIAL
QUESTION IN CAUCUS.

taken by the Eight senth Assembly
to Senator Charles j. Hughes. Prac-
tically no change is recorded in the
vote as it is taken from day to day
and the Democrats are no nearer to
a majority choice than they wero the
first day the balloting commenced.
Nor will the situation change so long
as there is refusal to caucus.
In calling the Democratic editors
togeth er in Denver this week we had
so hoped that they would go on rec
ord as favoring caucus for we can
not see how the senatorial deadlock
can be broken or any platform legis-
lation enacted unless the Democratic
memb srs of the Senate and House
honcred custom of party caucus.
The failure to agree upon anything
after twenty-seven days of balloting
in open session has demonstrated to
any reasonab,, thinking person that
the do-rothing policy of the Demo-
Gratis will continue until they agree
to go into caucus.
1t was indeed provoking to us at
the editorial meeting in Denver to
see newspaper men who had been
clamoring for a caucus through their
papers, take the opposite position in
their voting. We knew the cause for
this change of front. They had been
seen by the various candidates who
are afraid of their chances in caucus
and begged not to endorse the eau
Gus arrangement. With all the SEN
atorial candidates, excepting Mayor
Spear, personal ambition is held
above the party's welfare. They each
would rather see the deadlock con-
tinued indefinitely and no attempt
made at redemption of the Demo
cratic pledges, than to take chance
with caucus.
There is no certainty of the choice
of the caucus. 1t is by no means a
foregone conclusion that Mayor Spcer
would be the choice. And it is not
the belief that he will receive a ma
1ority of the votes in caucus which
makes Mayor Speer so strong an ad-
vocate of the caucus. AS soon as the
election of successor to Senator
Hughes was first talked of and be
fore vote was ever taken on a
senatorial candidate; before Mayor
Speer had any method Of determin-
ing If he had the lead in the race,
he urged upon the Democratic men,
bers of both branches of the logis-
lature the necessity of caucus to
speedily settle the senatorial quos.
ton. Had his advice been needed a
senator would have been elected in
very short time and much would
have been accomplished ere this in
keeping faith with the people in on
acting the platform Pledges into law.
In the position We assume VIC are
not pleading the cause OF Mayor
Spcor any more than that OF any
good Democrat who Is seeking c'cva
ton to this high osfice. Whoever
should receive the majority vote of
the caucus, We say in ell fairness, he
should wear the toga-tc it Mayor
Speer, Alva Adams. T. J. O'Donnell,
G. 3. Ward, or any other of the sew.
eral aspirants. What we want, what
the people want and what we all
have right to demand of the Dom
ocrats of tho Eighteenth Assembly is
that they coma to a spcody agrce-
ment on a senatorial candidate. The
delay in settlement OF this matter
is blocking legislation and will con-
tinue to block legislation, and IL a
caucus is the only means whereby
somo definite action can be reached
In the senatorial question, 1t is tho
duty of every Democrat to go into
caucus.