The Glenwood post., 1912-05-04
The PRESS AGAIN
SCORES VICTORY
Protests Of One Paper Cause
Democrats Of State to Fore.
go Sunday Banquet
LEADERS ARE PIQuED

OF all the influences for good or evil
perhaps none can measure up to the
press. Everywhere we 90 we see
evidences of its potency, usually in
the cause of right and justice and ia
behalf of dccency, sobriety and in tn =
spirit of fair play which, as a rule,
characterizes the utterances and poll
clcs of the country press.
We have all heard that the pen is
mightier than the sword, but no better
evidence of the power of the press
could be desired than that which
caused change in the entire plans of
the recent democratic convention and
forced the committee on arrangements
to sit up and take notice of the crit-
clsms of the press. The committee
had planned for banquet at the Ant
lers hotel last Sunday evening, the
evening just prior to the democratic
state convention, the intention being
to make some political medicine fo~
the next day.
The Pueblo Chieftain, through is
state editor, Alva A. Swain, attacked
the committee for its sacrilege and
utter disregard of the Lord IS day and
set about to interview prominent peo-
pie throughout the state and, especially
editors and ministers, and also many
politicians of both parties.
The character of these interviews
need hardly be described. Scarcely a
person interviewed had so little re-
gard for his standing among his asso-
ciates as to uphold the Sunday poli.-
zeal banquet. Some who have no ideas
of moral propriety and especially
those who, like some of the democrat
ic officials we have had in Glenwoo1
who apparently believe that the laws
of both God and man were made to BE-
broken, since they make no effort to
enforce them, very cautiously side
pronounced atheistic tendencies, like
Ex-Governor Charles S. Thomas, pre-
tended to see no harm in the affair,
hut the overwhelming majority Of
those interviewed, regardless of party
affiliations, expressed themselves as
unqualifiedly opposed to the proposed
"a nr h. CnLL
The plans were laid; the orders had
been given to 90 ahead with the big
Sunday feed; the meat and the drink
had been provided and all arrange
ments completed for the Bacchanaliau
revel, the committee was thus far de
tiant of all mild protests which had
been entered by the w. C. T. U and
kindred organizations and boldly de-
clared that nothing could defeat their
purpose of carrying out the wishes Of
Tom Patterson concerning that Sunday
banquet, when all at once they saw
descending upon them, like the sword
of Damocles, the vigorous protest of
the Chieftain and the good people
whom the Cheftain quoted as against
their heathenish scheme and they wise
ly concluded it was time for them TO
"stand from under' and orders were
given that the Sunday banquet be
called off and that the political CAB
fest take place at a Monday breakfast
The Chieftain had won and the
cause of decency and civilization had
scored victory. At the breakfast on
Monday morning Governor Thomas,
with a tinge of sarcasm for which la
is famous, acknowledged the power Of
| the press and of Mr.. Swain through
the medium of his paper in the follow
ing significant words:
"Gentlemen: You have all hintel
at the reason why we are eating a
breakfast instead of a dinner, but
none of you have hit the nail on the
head. 1t is because the committee oil
arrangements wanted to show due de.
ference to the religious sentiment Of
the Pueblo Chieftajn and its Denve:
representative, Alva A. Swain.
81 never knew before that either
the Chieftain or Mr.. Swain had any
religious sentiment, but 1 am glad to
know that they have, and hope it will
continue always. 1t is surprising to
me though that the committee on ar.
rangements should have deferred tr
their wishes at this time. The idea OF
a republican like Swain or the paper
he represents taking hold of = demo