The Delta independent., 1914-10-09
SPEECH OF GEO. CARLSON IN
DENVER MONDAY, OCTOBER 5

ing seriously. They will soon make
up their minds what party is best
able to regain our lost sovereignty
and preserve this sovereignty once
1t is regained-what party is best able
to maintain peace and bring prosper
ity to Colorado. In the coming elec-
ton, we must be patriots and not
partisans. Tremendous issues, big
ger than ordinary party politics are
at stake. The yellow tents of the
United States soldiers in the north
and south of our state are visible
evidence of Colorado's shame. To-
night, we are a people with borrow
ed government. Colorado is in the
hands of a Federal Receiver. Her
good name is sullied, her credit i'm
paired and our people are groaning
under an almost overwhelming weight
of war and other taxes. / cannot be-
lieve that with the loss of our sover
eighty, we lost our desire to regain
it. l refuse to believe that we will
admit to the world much longer that
we are incapable of self government.
I refuse to believe that we will so
lightly give up what our forefathers
strove SO hard to gain. / refuse to
believe that manhood, womanhood
and patriotism is dead in Colorado.
/ refuse to believe that we will trust
the rebuilding of our government to
the destructionists who tore it down.
For six years, group of men. with
common governmental views, have
controlled Colorado. This control
has been absolute. These men have
been the secretaries of state, state
auditors and treasurers. They have
been the labor commissioners, the
mine inspectors and in every appoint
i've office. The district judge, prose-
cutting attorneys and sheriffs were
mostly of their party. The legisla-
ture has been Overwhelmingly of their
political faith. They have named the
head officers of the state militia.
They were in the governors chair
During these same years, John Law
son, head of the United Mine Work
ers, was a member of the state exec
utive committee of their party. and
always high in the party's councils.
Horace Hawkins, the attorney for the
United Mine Workers. was the ex-law
partner of Mr.. Patterson and still is
his close friend. Those in control
of the state government were the
close personal and political friends of
those in control of the United Mine
Workers. Those in control of the
United Mine Workers were the close
personal and political friends of those
in control of the government. With
the privilege of absolute control,
there should be a willingness to as
sumo complete responsibility, but
whether or not that willingness exists,
in return for granting of absolute
control, the people will compel the
assumption of absolute responsibility.
or this group of men, in control of our
state government, there has been one
dominating mind. For six years, this
mans theories of government have
been given complete and uninterrupr-
ed test. During these same years,
his views of the proper attitude of
labor towards government was like
wise given complete and uninterrupt
ed test. In control of the Govern
ment of Colorado and at the same
tvr,r IoD ~ .I~
tackled Colorado's government he al
lowed these forces to clash at Forbes,
Aguilar, Delagua, Ludlow, Chandler
and Hecla. Women and children, ma
tional guard boys, union men and nom
union men went to their death. Leap.
ing flames of burning mine buildings
sent their protest almost to the floor
of heaven. Colorado's capital and
for each other. Our states fair
name was sullied; our credit i'm
paired and our sovereignty was
surrendered. If I were in that mans
years of my best efforts-the crown
Ing work of my life-I would not want
to do still more. Instead, would i'm
plore Almighty God to forgive me for
so i'll using the talents with which
he entrusted me.
The democratic platform denounces
in unmeasured terms lawlessness, vio-
lence and armed resistance to the
organized forces of government. For
seven years they openly encouraged
everything their platform denounces
today. Why do they now so loudly
decry violence? Do they hope to de-