Evening star., 1919-04-23
COLORADO HAPPY
ANDPROSPER0US
LeadviIIe Mines, Though, May
i. Close Because ''High Wages
Prevent Profit"
FAVORS CHANGED LEAGUE
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

DENVER, Col. April 22.-Colorado
never was more prosperous nor more
peaceful. Labor troubles are not dis
sign. They believe in free speech out
here, and do not have much trouble
as a consequence. Outside the Office
of the Denver Post. for example. one
sees every day a gathering of a hun
dred or more people arguing about
every question under the sun. from
socialism to theology. to politics. to
everybody's business. II anybody says
anything extreme the crowd is apt to
take care of the offender, but it is
usually a good-natured assembly.
Offers Peculiar Situation.
Up in Leadville one finds an indus
trial situation rather interesting. The
price of metals has dropped. The
mine owners say they cannot operate
at a profit and pay $3.50 a day. They
are offering to pay $3.75. but the men
decline. The miners say they can't
live on that wage and the owners ad-
nit there is much merit in their argu-
ment. But. on the other hand, the
mine operators can't operate on such
a high payroll. If the workmen don't
accept. the mines in Leadville will
have to close up entirely, as it will
not be profitable to keep them open
unless the wage scale is reduced. The
companies have stated their situation
frankly and the men understand.
: There is good nature on both sides.
The employers declare that were it
. not for the fact t. so many of their
employees have homes in and about
Leadville they would frankly advise
the men to seek employment in those
mining sections where $3.50 a day is
being paid. The mines may eventual
ly be closed up. which means. in the
opinion of some. that they will never
be reopened. Some persons have sug-
Eested that the employers may in the
end, to demonstrate their position,
turn the mines over to the miners to
operate. 1t might be an interesting
experiment and probably remove all
doubts as to the prospect of any profit
by the high scale of wages under
been operating.
State Normally Democratic.
Generally speaking. Colorado has al
ways been democratic. President Will
Last ll the republican governor car
-ried It by $4,000 and the republicans
elected a United States senator by
about $500 votes. Some republicans
with whom I discussed the election
results told me they were convinced
the state was still democratic, be-
cause many men who voted for the re-
publican candidates are inherently
democrats.
The Presidents i'll -fated election ap-
peal turned many Of these democrats
away from the party. but they have
by no means been permanently alien
ated. One finds a friendlier feeling
here toward President Wilson His
mistakes are, of.course. the subject of
bitter criticism, and some democratic
defenders have been so much berated
by their political opponents that they
do not speak optimistically about the
propsects Of q democrat next time.
Amended League Is Popular.
The league of nations is popular
is no Understanding the size Of the
built up had the antiquities Of the
Capper of Kansas. en- route here and
state, which conforms largely to the
was a wave OF enthusiasm for the
and began picking flaws and such
gan to have their doubts. Enthu-