The Holly chieftain., 1914-05-08
SLA1TERY IS SPEAKER
ELECTED BY HOUSE AFTER BE-
ING SELECTED BY CAUCUS.
Governor Ammons Addresses Men,
bers of Senate and House in Joint
Session, Ampiifying Matters
Contained in His Call.
rn Newspaper Union News Service.

a.
Denver, May 5-The Nineteenth
General Assembly of Colorado met in
special session at noon Monday to
consider matters growing out of the
strike, proposed compulsory arbitra-
ton amendment to the state consti-
tuition, settlement of the states In
debedness for militia operations and
other matters mentioned in the gov
ernor's call convening the special ses.
sion
Representative j. H. Slattery of Sill
verton was chosen speaker of the
House, following caucus Of forty
Democratic members at the Albany
hotel
Governor Ammons' message, deliy-
cred verbally to the joint session OF
the House and Senate, amplified mat
ters contained in his call OF Sunday,
April 26.
He said in part:
"Mr. President, Mr.. Speaker, and
Members of the Nineteenth Cen
eral Assembly:
"A critical condition exists in the
life Of our state. Conditions have in,
.terfered with writing message, and
| come here in oral appeal for what
may be right.
when the affairs in the coal strike
zones became so acute as to call for
troops, | found the state was without
funds. We could not pay, and that
is all there is to it.
81 did not call for troops until the
civil, authorities of the communities
affected asked me to do SO, saying
they were unable to handle the situa-
ton.
Il was anxious to pay the troops the
small sum allowed as salary by the
state, but I found money scarce and
interest high.
Il appealed to the clearing house
for assistance but because of the un-
friendly attitude of the Auditing De-
partment very little could be done.
when the first bills from the strike
were presented, they were not audit
ed; certificates were not issued, and
l had to go into the Supreme Court
for aid.
Right now there are many bills
unaudited. The banks of Denver are
carrying $250,000 of this indebtedness,
the railroads are carrying their share
and patriotic individuals have held
back bills for supplies that should
long ago have been paid.
II must call attention to the request
of the President, In his prociama .ion,
that this Legislature provide ways
and means of taking back the control
In the strike zones at an early date.
This federal aid which has come is
only temporary, remember that; it is
not permanent.
81 must ask you to adopt legisla-
tion following the outline Of my call,
that will bring peace to the state now
and assure quiet and order In future
strikes and differences between labor
and capital
Governor Ammons t:.en spoke in ia
vor of state constabulary to police
strike zones of the future, calling at
tention to the fact that militia, be-
cause of its personnel, was not
equipped for this purpose.
Il want something DONE" he said,
"in the matter of carrying concealed
weapons. buying, selling, shipping
arms and ammunition. Much Of the
violence, the turmoil, the strife in the
strike zones has come from these
things, and something must be done" "
The governor closed with an appeal
for cooperation from both branches
of the Legislature, and took up moth
ing that was not in the call. He spoke
only for ten minutes, and the men,
bers then dissolving the joint session.