The daily sentinel., 1913-05-28
Clifton Colo.
MaN Is. 19I2-
Hon. Walter Walker.

May ~ 1913.
Hon. Walter Walker.
Editor of The Sentinel:
Dear Sir-I read with interest
your scathing denunciati0n of the
Mesa County Business Association, of
which | am secretary. despite my eff
forts TO resign on numerous occa-
sions. You refer TO it as a defunct
organization-prob it should
'defunct" after receiving the body
blow IL did in last nights Sentinel,
because its officers dared to raise a
protesting voice against free sugar,
and the possibility of crippling a
urand Junction industry
No, the Mesa County Business AS
sociation is not defunct-it is dor
mant, like the business, the fruit in
dustry. and the people of the Grand
yalley.-not dead. and we are doing
our best to prevent its demise.
Unlike some other commercial or
ganizations that might be mentioned,
the association has paid all its debts,
and has balance in the treasury; it
has officers who are still unafraid to
express an opinion; for fortunately
none of the officers is candidate for
the Grand junction postoffice, and
consequently not afraid of the big
stick of either Wilson or Thomas.
L Like other commercial organiza-
tions. however, we still have a large
membership, which Will remain as
long as its costs them nothing: and
like other organizations one of its
duties is to pass resolutions when
occasion demands.
AS for myself and the Denver
Times, | had no communication with
that paper regarding the resolution,
or rather statement sent the Denver
chamber of commerce. As secretary
| received the same telegram which
was sent to the Grand Junction
chamber of commerce, and the presi-
dent of the organization and myself
sent the reply to which you make
objection. Unfortunately for me,
the interests" failed to see" me;
times are hard and any arrange
ment" would ill an aching void.
wish you would put me in touch with
'the interests" But the Denver
Times had nothing to do with 1t,
whether 1t represents the interests
or not.
Now you intimate that the state
ment We made not represent the
sentiment of Mesa county. Consult
the figures of your last election.
Heating, in spite of his great person.
al popularity and his many friends
in the Grand valley was the low
man among the democrats for con-
gress. Thomas likewise fell below
Shafroth for senator, while there
was combined progressive and re-
publican majority against the demo-
Gratis of over one thousand, So much
St snd vnHutas
haven't any sympathy for the
sugar trust, and while the local fac
tory may need protection, it should
first do away with the tariff the peo-
pie of the Grand valley pay In the
form of the freight charge added
from Denver. Speaking for the
fruit growers and as a fruit grower,
free sugar, if 1t reduced the cost to
the consumer, would be a benefit to
the valley, because it would increase
the demand for fruit for canning
purpose. Possibly the sugar trust
may compel the local company to
maintain the freight added) price;
il it does, it should be reached by
the antitrust laws. Probably, too,
under free sugar the trust would still
dictate the price. possibly to a figure
less than the cost of beet sugar pro
duction, until 1t eliminates competl-
ton.
But laying all these questions
aside, i want to answer your state
ment that we are mixing in politics.
The tariff, insofar as Grand juno
ton is concerned, is not a political
question, but business proposition,
and a rather serious one for the
valley, too.
1t is no more a political question
than the bill for new 5000. 900 post
office was. The postoffice bill has
long been known as the pork bar
rel" and politically could have been
opposed by democrats In Grand
Junction, with as good grace as a
bill which will injure the biggest
wage paying industry in that city.
Why didn't the Grand Junction cham
ber of commerce keep out of that
political question.
The reclamation service has always