The Lamar register., 1914-10-07
OPENING GUN
Speech of George Carlson at Auditor.
ium, Denver, Night of October 5


their minds what party is best able
to regain our lost sovereignty and
preserve this sovereignty once it is
regained-what party is best able to
maintain peace and bring prosperity
to Colorado. In the coming election,
we must be patriots and not partisans.
Tremendous issues, bigger than or
dinary party politics are at stake.
The yellow tents of United States
soldiers in the north and south of our
state are visible evidence of Colo
radios shame. Tonight, we are a peo-
pie with borrowed government.
Colorado is in the hands of a federal
receiver. Her good name is sullied,
her credit impaired and our people are
groaning under an almost overwhelm-
ing weight of war and other taxes.
cannot believe that with the loss of
sovereignty, we lost our desire to re-
gain it, l refuse to believe that we will
admit to the world much longer that
we are incapable of self government.
| refuse to believe that we will so
lightly give up what our forefathers
strove SO hard to gain. l refuse to
believe that manhood, womanhood and
patriotism are dead in Colorado. l
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 view, have con-
trolled 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 appointiye Office. The
district judges, prosecuting attorneys
and sheriffs were mostly Of their
party. The Legislature has been over
whelmingly 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 Lawson, head of the
United Mine Workers, was member
of the state executive 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.. Patter-
son and still is his close friend.
Those in control Of the state govern
ment were the close personal and po-
litical friends of those in control of
the government. With the privilege
of absolute control, there should be a
willingness to assume full respon-
sibility, but whether or not that will
ingness exists, in return for the grant
ing of absolute control, the people will
compel the assumption of absolute re-
sponsibility. OF 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 uninterrupted test. During these
same years, his view of the proper
attitude of labor towards government
was likewise given complete and unin-
terrupted test In control Of the gov
ernment of Colorado and at the same
time dominating the element that at
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 non
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
Colorado's labor seethed with hatred
for each other. Our states fair name
was sullied; our credit impaired and
our sovereignty surrendered. If l
were in that mans place and this was
the result of six years of my best ef-
fort-the crowning work of life soon
over-I would not want to do still
more. Instead, would implore Al
mighty God to forgive me for SO i'll
usin9 the talents with which he en-
trusted me.
1.-THE democratic platform denounces
in unmeasured terms lawlessness, vio-
lence and armed resistance to the or
eanized forces of government. For
seven years they openly encouraged
everything their platform denounces
todav Why do they now SO loudly