Gilpin observer., 1919-12-11


in full:
To the members of the Twenty-Sec-
ond General Assembly of the State
Of Colorado, Greetings:
In issuing the call for a special ses-
sion of the general assembly the exc
cutive Is aware of the fact that such
gatherings of the law-making body
have never been very popular with the
people, but matters of such import
ance have developed since last you
met that have deemed it necessary
to call you together to give them seri-
GUS consideration. Such is my conf
dence in the intelligence Of the MEM
bers OF this body that 1 am free to be-
lleve you will perform your duties ex-
peditiOusly and give unbiased consid-
GRAFTON to the best interests of the peo-
pie
Since 1t first became known that a
special session was contemplated, the
executive mail has been burdened with
requests for legislation of various
kinds, and scores of citizens have call
ed at the capitol to make personal
pleas for various measures. All such
requests have been given candid and
serious consideration.
The matter of a "blue sky" law has
been advanced by many, but as the
National Congress Is giving attention
to this subject, with the prospect that
It will soon pass sanitary legislation
along this line, it was decided best to
withhold state action until something
tangible as basis has been evolved
by the higher legislative body with
which our state could cooperate by
appropriate legislation.
My thought is that when the next
regular session cOnvenes the incentive
for making it political issue will
have passed away and there will have
been time for serious thought and the
formulation Of a measure that would
accomplish the end desired and result
in action that would be worth while.
Likewise, the matter Of the "high
cost Of living" has been urgently sug-
gested as a subject for legislative ac
tion. but 1t is believed that as this
matter is not a condition peculiar to
Colorado, but rather is nationwide,
even worldwide in it's scope-the rea-
son for high prices in Colorado, in
many cases, being directly attributable
to conditions in other states-it was
decided not to act on this matter in
Colorado until after the National Con-
the shape of enacted laws.
The Colorado commission appointed
short time ago by the governor and
the attorney general to investigate
this subject has done tremendous
amount Of work, investigating the sub
ject from various angles, and while
1t has gathered large amount Of data
and assembled a great many conflict
ing facts, the committee is not yet
ready to suggest even tentative plan
for suppreSSing or regulating such
abuses as may exist, and for this rea-
son 1t was not considered wise to en-
brace in the call a matter concerning
which it has not been possible to come
to any definite conclusions.
As to the matters embraced in the
call, kindly allow me to offer n few
recommendations:
Happily Colorado was the second
state in the union to recognize the
rights of it's woman citizenship, and
they have capabIy exercised this right
for many years.
1 heartily recommend the ratifica-
tiOn of this amendment to the federal
constitution and trust that it will be
brought about by a unanimous vote
of the members of both houses, so that
be increased throughout the land.
The imperative need of new and ad-
ditiOnal legislation on the subject of
automobile stealing is keenly realized
by those who have made II study of
the subject. Carefully compiled sta
tistics disclose some astounding facts.
The automobile business is the larg-
est business in the State Of Colorado,
and whereas ut no very remote day
the automobile was considered as only
q vehicle for the pleasure of the we'll
tO-dO, today 1t is recognized as one of
the absolute necessities of the times.
1t is stated that $3.50, 900 are in
vested In automobiles and trucks in
Colorado, and most of this investment
is for business purposes. There has
been an increase in motor vehicles of
22.8 per cent in 1919 over 1918, and
in the matter of thefts during the same
period there has been an increase or
about 100 per cent.
Further, 1t Is stated as fact that
delinquency among girls has increased
at an alarming rate during the past
year because of the use of stolen cars
by so-called "joy-riders' who have un-
lawfully appropriated the same for
their temporary use.
1 recommend that a rigid antl-auto
theft law, with suitable penalties, be
enacted as one of the most important
measures which will be submitted for
your consideration.
The need for the enactment Of leg
islatlon to curb and eradicate threats
against our form Of government by ir-
responsible ngitators has been brought
prominently before the public by the
events Of recent days, and 1t is deemed
imperative that prompt remedial
and suppressive action be taken by
the general assembly In the form Of
comprehensive, well-considered meas
ure provided with all Of the penalties
needed for its practical and rigid en-
forcement.
There IL a vast difference between
freedom OF speech and rank and un-
,vaeruntaf iiCpnaa