The Delta independent., 1913-05-16
HAS THE CHANGE BEEN
WORTH THE CANDLE BURNED?
Rx AIxa A. Swain.


life of Colorado can not fail to leave a
few impressions when one casts ret
respective view over the past and a
prospective view into the future. The
political life of our state has changed
completely in that time. Instead of
the governor deriving his power for
reelection from his appointment of
the members of the Denver Fire and
Police Board and its ability to give
fraudulent majorities. in addition to
the political machine which the gov
ernment could build from those fraud
ulent majorities, we now have each
prospective officer appealing direct
to the people for their support.
But has the change been worth the
candle we have burned?
To be sure the system that COM
PEELED each man who desired to hold
public office to bow down TO the beast
of corporation control was wrong, but
was it any worse than the system of
today which has placed business de-
velopment at a complete standstill in
our state?
No one denies that the jungle of po-
litical oblivion into which those whose
public acts did not meet the approval
of the political boss were tossed, was
un-American and unwise. But did
that jungle retard the states CONNER
cial and educational progress as much
as has the jungle of politicalisms into
which We have wandered?
Has a system that permitted a man
TO elect himself to the United States
senate through the expenditure of a
million dollars of his own funds been
improved upon as a governmental
principle through the installation of
system that permits his successor
TO elect himself through the expendi-
ture OF a million and a half dollars of
the fund Of the state?
Does a system that changes a state
bank account from over one-half mil
lion dollars credit to a deficit of over
three-quarters of a million dollars in
four years and that promises, if con-
tinued. to close every educational in
stitution in the state within the next
few years appeal TO anyone as being
good business proposition? Again,
should a system that doubles the pay
roll of a governmental concern in four
years. and at the same time decreases
its income 90 per cent, carry with it
any respectable consideration from
men and women Of ability or brains? +?
Has a political organization which
invites capital to Colorado in its state
platform and whose successful candi-
dates proceed to enect law that taxes
that capital far beyond reason or just
part in the commercial upbuilding
OF our state?
Is 1t not a fact that the only visible
result which has been obtained from
the initiative has been the initiated
efforts made by men of wealth 10 get
out of the state. taking their capital
with them?
Has not the referendum caused
more commercial enterprises TO be re-
ferred back to their promoters with
thanks, by men of wealth than it has
builded for Colorado. either through
law or business?
Has our recall done aught else than
TO recall to our midst the hard times
of 1898?
The direct primary may have ad-
journed sine die the old fashioned
boss-controlled steam-rollered conven-
vention; but it has given us in its
stead government; not through party
organization with some responsible
head in control. but government by
the agitator, the political gangster and
the CRATER who, belonging to no org
hands behind his back while he shouts
his overnight conceived and born
governmental reform ideas to the pop
ulous in front.
Yes. we have changed But has IL
been for the best? In our desire to
row entirely away from the old EN-
bankment of stand-pat government
have we not guided our canoe into
the shallow breakwater of political
froth and foam?
Sure II is that under the old system
while we were bossed. yet our state
was prosperous. Immigrants were
stopping under the shadow of our
hills and erecting homes and develop
ing our agricultural. mineral, timber
and other resources. The peoples of
the East who were planning to join in
the westward movement always rest
ed their minds eye on that spot on