New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-18
A lust Rebuke to Colorado's Duty
Dodging Governor.

President Wilson's singing rebuke TO the wv
ernor Of Colorado was thoroughly deserved -'o'n
ING would suit the Governor and his ioho"ei' -
the LEGISLATURE better than to throw upon the leu
oral government the task Of maintaining oruer J."
tho Colorado strike region. The state mas maue e"
mess of II trying to protect lives and property @
machinery for keeping the peace mas proheh WV
and the politicians in Denver who support oe w
ernor and control his policy are too cowaruiy "
the situation frankly, but instead are mahHu'iiAe
so as 10 dodge responsibility and steer snlIty niu
die course between the conflicting demands VI LILO
labor unions and the mine operators
To make the federal government pay the cost anu
assume the odium of disarmament and pacihca'ion
in the strike districts would be an ideal soiuioh
from the Ammons point of view. With the alu Vi
the local Democratic machine the Governor mas heu
both houses Of the Legislature In check ana mas pre-
vented the passage of legislation which seh-le
snectnc state would have considered essenuai III
such crisis Everything possible has been done
70 prolong the stay of the federal troops and delay
the resumption by the state of its CONSTRUCTORS
duty
The legislature has authorized the submission TO
the people of a S1OOOOOO bond issue to meet the
expense of putting the militia in the field But two
thirds of this sum must 90 TO meet debts already IN
Cured and the remaining third will be insufficient
TO maintain the militia in service unless the federal
troopers STAY on for couple Of months longer,
doing what the militia ought to do.
Moreover the militia is dsorganized and In bad
repute Officers and men are being tried for serious
offences against discipline and against the laws
The more respectable element in the state guard
does not want to serve in association with the law
less element The use of the militia this year ana
in former years has been accompanied with gross
abuses and scandals, and to depend upon it In It's
nresent demoraized condition is only to invite more
trouble.
The GovernOr-apparently as a buf-suggested
tue creation OF mounted state cOnsabulary to deal
with labor disorders. That is a far better and
cheaper method of handling mining camp dis
turbances than modifying the militia. Pennsyl-
vana's experience is a lesson which every other
state should heed Yet the Legislature, controlled
b. the Governor and his political hackers killed the
constabuary bill because its passage would have
given offence TO the labor unions. To make a show
of doing something the Legislature passed an act
authorizing the Governor to close saloons and al
act prohibiting the sale and carrying of firearms il
times of disorder.
Governor AmmOns's reply to President Wilson's
telegram was unconvincng. Colorado is trying t.
impose on the good nature of the federal govern
ment 1t is lodging the duty of self-hep. We trus
that Mr. Wilson will not be deceived by the lame
plea that the state government is doing all that i
could be expected to do second stern rebuk'
might infuse some genuine energy into the Gov
ernor and his side-stepping advisers.