Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-14
The Spot Lighf

All the entries on Ine dCCOuHt VI
War are not on one side. For IN
stance, it is one of the lasting hor-
rors of war that for two years
haven't been able to get button
sewed on so it will stay. Threads no
good. But, on the other side Of the
ledger, the old-fashioned pinheaded
professional politician and office
seeker has almost totally disappeared
from the political horizon. And how
do l account for that7 Well, for one
thing, there's been more money IN
other lines of work recently than in
the -publico business.
And besides the war really did
bring into government to very
notable degree higher standards of.
public service and efficiency. The
dollar-a-year men were, IN ability
and in patriotism, far above the level
of the average officc-holder, and not
only that but the war spirit brought
into public service enthusiasm and
ideals that it had not had for many
years.
1t is a fact-everybody says So
that the Twenty-third General As
sembly is the best Legislature Colo
RADIO has had for many years, if not
the best legislature Colorado ever
had, and the reason for this is not
that it is Republican where too many
others have been Democratic-which
is, suppose, what you expected me
TO say.-but it is because the old
spirit of narrow partisanship is lack
ing on both sides of the political
fence. and also because Democrats
and Republicans, senators and repre-
sentativcs, elected officials and ap
pointed agents i'll the state govern
ment. are trying to do their work in
a spirit of loyal Americanism ard of
known in state govcrnment-with
rare exceptions-a few years ago.
| wish | could say that this condi-
tion is likely to become permanent in
state politics and government and
that there is no sign, even at the
present time, of getting back on to
the level of machine politics, and
narrow partisanship and personal
seliishuess. Tho truth is that these
things arc stril in evidence in the
estate capltol, and they ars the thrse
influences that are at work to dis
credit the Republican party and the
Shoup administration, and to prevent
the accomplishment of the things that
the people of the state and three
fourths of the members of the assem-
bly want to see accomplished.
Some folks will tell you that the
brains are all in the house and the
mcanncss is all in the senate: and
there arc others who say that the
house hasn't as much brains as a
basket of chips, while the senate must
he depended upon to save the state.
The truth is that both houses are
serving the state well according TO
their constitutional purposes. The
house is supposed to do more work
and to do it quicker. 1t is. The SEN
ate is supposed TO work more slowly
and mere carefully, to discover and
correct the mistakes and oversights
of the house. 1t is.
Always You hear talk about the
things that the house has done that
it ought not to have done, and about
the things the senate ought 10 have
done and hasn't done, and there is
,hc usual amount of threats and
bluffing; but when the turn is called
for the end of the session, the record
of both houses is going to show well
before the people for constructive
legislation.
1t is natural enough at this stage
or his friends, to say that if he
doesn't get the Job he wants the Re
publican legislative program will be
smashed. 1t is natural that some
representative, or some senator,
should feel sore, and show it because
he or his town isn't getting quite as
much in the way of favors as he
thinks the fellow in the next seat is
getting for himself or his town. 1t
is natural that some foxy Democratic
politician should make the most of an
opportunity to throw wrench into
the Republican gears. even tho that
may not be altogether the best thing
that could happen for Colorado.
evitable, but they are exceptional in
cidents in the legislative program,
instead of being the regular order of
business as they used to be. The i'm
portant thing is that the people eS-