The Colorado statesman., 1923-01-13

~
tN 4 ~ TX SxN offered prayer, and
k$a ~ 81 3&fS 81 S3{SSS# the Twenty fourth
General Assembly
started on it's way, under the gold
tinted dome of the Capitol building.
Every member elect was in his seat
there We're no contests. The names of
the members-elect, as certified by the
secretary of state, and approved by
the credentials committee, were an
nounced. The House then proceeded
to elect speaker; both Democrats
and Republicans had their candidates,
the Democrats presenting the name OF
A. Il. Headlee of Monte Vista, and the
Republicans offering Charles c. Sack
man of Denver; Mr.. Sackman receiv-
ing his party vote of thirty-three, and
Mr.. Headlee receiving the thirty-two
Democrat votes. Mr.. Sackmann was
declared elected. Mr.. Sackmann ac-
cepted the gavel with appropriate re-
marks; the House rules of the last
session were adopted, committees
were appointed to arrange for the in
auguration of Governor Sweet, and
several routine matters; it was ar
ranged for Governor Shoup to address
both Houses, in joint session, Friday
morning; it was his swan song,
after four years of service to the state.
Heretofore, the Senate has, at
tracted the larger amount of attention,
but this year the House is going to
take the center of the stage. This is
| true because the two parties are SO
Il. t.,
be something doing every minute of
the time, and hair pulling experiences
will be many, no doubt.
Governor William Il. Sweet took
| charge on the 9th, and if he succeeds
in putting over his program, as many
| believe that he will, it is a foregone
conclusion that Colorado will have
more progressive legislation enacted
| this winter than for the last twenty
years of her history. Thus far, in Or
ganizing the Assembly, the Democrats
| have allowed the Republicans to have
| their way, and there does not seem 10
| be any disposition to thwart Mr.
| Sweets program on the surface. If
the Democrats succeed, they will be on
the defensive in the next campaign
if the Republicans oppose, they will
have to assume the responsibility.
While this was going on in the
House, much the same proceedings
were going on in the Senate. Senator
Golding Fairfield of Denver was
chosen president, and the usual com
mittees were appointed, and an unus.
ually large number of House employees
were engaged. Politically, all this pa
tronage belonged to the Republicans
in both houses; morally, the Demo
Gratis might have been considered
more favorably.
| Within the next few days many
bills will be introduced, some of them
freaks, of course; then the Assembly
will get down to business. Already
| sponsors for various measures are
busy seeking to make friends for their
| cause. This is an evil, everywhere
| present, but it cannot be avoided; ii
also has its good side. If you visit the
Legislature some day, you will wit
ness contests, political and parliamen-
| tary, among some of the brainest men
of the state, where millions are at
| stake or the good of some institution
| involved.
The personnel of the Assembly is
good, and fairly divided, between
youth and age, LONELINESS and beauty
Democrats and Republicans. CHANGING
over the body in joint session, we see
| farmers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, in
surance men, workmen in the crafts
| as well as women, for there are three
| of them. Colorado was one of the
| first states that recognized that wom
en- had certain inalienable rights,
and gave them the ballot. Politicians
do not represent, necessarily, the "sur
vival of the fittest," but rather the
survival of, politically, the strongest
| Darwin's theory may be right, but il
does not always work in politics.
In the House, men like Headlee
Sweinhert, Lacy, and others, are lead
ers; in the Senate, Billy Adams
though small in stature, is the "Bil
Bertha" of that body in influence
and, for the first session, Senator
Eaton is the big noise. There may be
some humorists, but if so, that fact
has not yet developed. However
some of these fellows look rather
FUNNY. Some of them look ''green,
but green things are usually growing
things, and so we have hopes.
Thirty Conventions Stock Show Week.