The Washington times., 1912-12-14
A FIGHT FOR A CITY.

- SAoAAs AOsN =. SsHA'
This plain tale may interest the people who think
that insurgency is passing fever and the progressive
movement vehicle for the ambition Of a man who
wants to make himself perpetual President.
1t has to do with certain things tfat have hap.
rened in Denver, and Denver, as everybody knows
was for long time so tied up with the Interests
that Judge Lindsey wrote book about 1t oil called
The Beast and the Jungle"
Now, Denver is not only noteworthy because Of
its former political depraviy s also one Of the
most beautiful cities in America. In some ways
indeed it is one Of the most beautiful cities in the
world.
Its population Is made up Of wealthy people who
are there for their health, and healthy people who
went there to make few millions and made them,
and about two hundred thousand Of the kind that
we call the plain people" and two or three corpor
alton magnates who thought that they could Mellenize
the town and hold it so in fee forever.
And those magnates succeeded for q time.
They owned the governor. They owned the
State legislature. They owned the supreme count.
They Owned the district courts. They owned the
mayor of Denver. They owned the city council Of
Denver. They owned the city treasurer. They
owned the city auditor. And they owned that very
important official, the district attorney Of Denver
county,
just accepted it matter Of course. And whatever
they wanted they took or ordered taken.
When they wanted franchise they took il. When
they wanted court decision they ordered it. When
they wanted man elected they arranged it so that
the votes were counted for him. When anyone sug.
gested that some day the patient, hospitable people
Of Denver would actually get up and change things"
the compacent gentlemen who owned" Denver
would light another cigar and turn their backs on him
indferently.
They were troubled by no doubts about their
ownership and they allowed no doubts to trouble
them.
Then came the sudden and overwhelming proof
that the people had decided at last to get up and
change things" That proof was submitted in the
municipal elections of May Of this year.
The corporation machine nominated its candi-
dates in the usual way. 1t prepared 10 elect them
candidates as we'll They nominated candidates foi
every Office.
The people had no money for their candidates.
The candidates had no money.
1t was virtually commenced and concluded as
dollaress campaign.
But the people worked hard. The candidates
held meetings in the homes Of the people. The ma.
chine owned the police department and it owned the
hired workers. The people and the candidates Of
the people had nothing to depend upon but their
convictions and their votes.
And the potes of the people won the fight. They
non everything. Their pctory wds complete and
overwhelming.
They elected plain American business man for
mayor. They elected men of the same kind for
aldermen. They elected men Of the same kind for
supervisors Tney elected men of the same kind for
city officials. They finally drew the last shot from
the corporation gun by electng man Of the same
kind for district attorney.
The corporations we're "out of it," They hadn.
solitary agent left in office The corporations were
put right square back where they belonged as public
service utilities. 1t was fight for city and it non
out The people of Denver noW "own" Denver.
And the thing worth noting, and remembering, is
that the spirit which moved tine people to do all that
is the same spirit Of insurgency which has broken
into national affairs through the present agency Of
the Progressive party.
Watch the flame of that spirit spreading, and
never think that it will die out until it has con.
sumed the stubbe and the refuse of the old potca!
order of the bosses and the machines.
FOUR.YEAR-OLD OPERATIVES.