La Junta tribune., 1917-11-29
JAMES H. PEABODY
BY Alva A. Swain


the day for law and order In Colo
RADIO. has reported to the Comman-
der In Chief OF Eternity.
Governor Peabody welded the ex-
ecutive power of the state at q time
when strong men trembled and when
Colorado was suffering even as hu-
manity suffers at birth time. and
when the people OF the country were
undecided as to whether we would
remain q sovereign state or would
collapse as the Russian. government
is today. Jim Peabody, the unknown
banker from Canon City. was the
man upon whose shoulders fell the
responsibility Of those times and
Jim Peabody, as Governor Peabody.
did not shirk that responsibility but
accepted It and he established a gov
ernment In this state and established
law and order In this state which
eight other states going through sim
liar experiences have followed.
When Governor Peabody ordered
the arrest OF Charles Meyer. presi-
dent of the Western Federation OF
Miners. and threw him in jail at
Telluride as a military necessity and
denied to him the writ OF habeas
corpus on that he was menace to
the welfare OF Colorado's govern
ment, the people not only of Colora-
do, but also OF the United States,
stood aghast. So bold and forward
was the step that editorial and mag
azine writer's the Union over con-
demned him numerically. The con
formations that he received gave
hope to those who would ruin gov.
ernment with terrorizing officials
and his very life was haunted with
the dynamiter, the "arsenist" and
murderer. Only those who know the
inside OF those fearful days realize
how many times Governor Peabody
was in the shadow" but somehow
he always escaped and through II all
he stood firm as a rock for the es-
tablishment of those governmental
principles which have ever after
wards been designated as law and
order.
None there are who were In the
court room that day the State OF
Colorado was placed on trial as to
Its integrity. Meyer being but an in
cident in the proceedings. who will
ever forget II. John Waldron. rep
resenting the state and fighting 10
prove that II had the right to do
what II had done. and +. +. Rich
ardson. representing Mr.. Meyer. and
fighting to prove that the state had
no right to do what II had done.
With Steele. Campbell aud Gabbert,
the greatest tribunal that ever com
posed a Colorado supreme court. lis
tening to the arguments. It WAS in
deed a red letter day In colorado's
history. The decision OF the court
was that Governor Peabody was
right: that the chief executive could.
by official order. declare martial law
and II he felt to be a military neces-
sity, he could do what he pleased TO
enforce the law and order and to
uphold the constitution OF the state.
The decision was afterwards upheld
by the United States supreme court.
Thus by reason OF the position taken
by Governor Peabody he forced the
development and consumation OF the
proposition that the chief executive
Is In reality the highest power In a
Republican form OF government and
that the executive power supercedes
that OF the Legislative or judicial
when the executive deems It necen-
sary to supercede the other two with
his power.
The act itself and the decision
which followed supporting II killed
Governor Peabody politically In
Colorado and broke him financially.
but II made the state.
Were someone 10 say what mon
ument rests over the grave OF James
II. Peabody. those who have lived In
Colorado since 1909 would unani-
mousiy answer:
1.-THE state Of Colorado rests At
the head Of his grave ms his monu.
mont" and across the face OF her
mountain slopes has been written in
\ letters Of red. coiorcd from the blood
~ hla own velaa.