Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-02-17
HARMONY Meeting
FAILS TO HARMONIZE
Citizens Get Together and
Agree to Disagree
TWO FACTIONS IN
MAY0RALITY CONTEST
Dark Horse May Be Decided Upon
and the Fore IS Unite, But 1t
- Doesn't Seem Likely.

The citizen of Rocky Ford who had
hopes that all individual differences
would this year be buried and the
people. get together and work for the
best interests of the city, by choosing
one ticket OF good capable representa-
tive men and giving them undivided
support in the coming city election,
was doomed to disappointment at the
meeting last Monday evening. when
it was most clearly shown that there
is about as much chance for coalition
upon a. candidate for mayor as there
is for unanimity upon the water ques-
ton.
At the adjourned meeting on Mon
day evening there was perhaps the
largest and most representative as
sembly OF business men and citizens
that has ever been called together Tor
a similar purpose in this city. lhe
interest manifested was most gratify-
ing to those who had been instru-
mental in starting the movement for
a harmony ticket and apparently
showed that everyone realized that
something must be done to change
willing to get together and after care
full dcliberation decide upon who
would be the best available leader
But when il came to show down hall
OF those present expressed their un-
Willingness to abide by whatever ac-
tion might be taken in proposed
mass meeting OF the pcople-and so
all the work for harmony and a single
city ticket came to a most untimeiy
end.
The Rocky Ford Club rooms were
crowded on Monday evening when
,Oairman Vaudeville called the ad-
iourncd meeting to order to hear the
report of the committee appointed to
wait upon Ncssrs. Coffman and Rcck-
cr and all other candidates whom they
considered available for the offce OF
mayor. -,
j. r. Cunningham. chairman Of the
committee. reported that they had
waited upon Mcssrs. NanBuskirk, }.
Z. Lawson and Jos. II. Price, from
whom they received unequivocai an
swcrs in the negative to the question
nation for mayor il it were rendered
them. To G. NJ. Coffman and Chas.
Rocker they had put the same .ques.
ton. and from the first named had
received the reply that he had not an
nounccd himself as a candidate Tor
mayor and would neither accept nor
decline until nominated. If he ever
should be. Chas. Rccker said he was
not seeking the honor. but would ae-
cent the nomination If rendered him
by mass meeting OF the citizens.
The chairman reported that another
candidate had been mentioned.-1.
Randall-but as he was member OF
the committee he had not been inter
viewed. but would no doubt answer
for himself if called upon.
In response to Chairman Mande-
ville's request for an expression OF
opinion from the citizens assembled
MANY of them had something to say
notably Messrs. Fenlason, Lance,
Matthews. Terry. Todd. b. U. Dye.
etc, but most OF them fought shy OF
the mayoralty proposition and con-
f,cd their talk to the water question.
bu which City Engineer benson
sri,nittcd the following voluminous
ITO the Citizens OF Rocky Ford:
The people are wondering what to
do as the city election approaches.
We don't know which way to strike;
we are at a standstill; what is the
trouble. It's this: We have can
vassed the city for years to secure
able and efficient officials and ma
jority are satisfied each time; we
know there are no better men avaiia-
bic to manage our affairs when we
elect them but after they are IN othce
awhile we condemn them. The TACT
is this: we have not assited them IN
their efforts, we forget it and let them
fight the battle: We condemn them
for what We think may be poor mar
agement and sometimes a lew OF the
officials will side in with the knockers
and instead OF trying to harmonic to
work together. they from this time on
try to block any measure that may
come up-and which would be bene'
fetal to the city.
The biggest problem confronting
us today is now to secure good and
Efficient government: the people
realize that inefhciency and poor laws
result in high taxes. poor service and
unsanitary conditions. They realize
as never before what we are uT
against and that something must bt
done. Honesty and sincerity on the
rart of the officials are not the onl,
qualities needed to make a good ant
efficient official especially under th'
present prcdicament. We must o
course have able men at the helm
who will cndcavor to secure thor
ouph knowledge relating to the wat
er question and will take advantage o
all opportunities to secure knowledge
from other cities as well as to care
~ consider the costly cxpcrienc,
this city has been to. We must wori