The Cordova daily times., 1923-03-16
Daily NeWs
 Letter
General News and Gossip From Abroad.


 DENVER, March 16-With the Den- yer Mayoralty election about two months away, a score of tentative candidates either have their hats in the ring or are allowing their skim mers" to hover nearby, while the city political pot is boiling and sizzling with charges against the present ad- ministration.
 On May 15 Denver voters will bal lot for mayor, nine councilmen, and election commissioner, and three members of the School Board The city charter provides for non-po- litical administration, resulting in party lines being virtually wiped out in municipal contests.
 The Mayors term is for four years and he is vested with extensive au- thority appointing many officials that in most cities are elective.
 The campaign is already under way, with Frank N. Briggs, for years active in civic affairs, leading the list of avowed candidates and preach ing a platform of better government, higher morals and greater economy. Dewey c. Bailey, incumbent, is the butt of severe criticism on the part of prominent churchmen, as well as of several potential candidates for the office. While Mayor Bailey has not definitely announced his candi- dacy for reelection, the so-called Obi partisan machine" at City Hall is exerting every influence to induce him to run again.
 Among the charges that have been hurled against Mayor Bailey from pulpit and political forum are that:
 "For four years bootlegging has been open and notorious in Denver, and no serious or sustained effort has been made by those in authority to check it.
 Favored bootleggers are warned before planned raids by police.
 "Spasmodic raids accomplish no permanent result-they are not in- tended to stop violation of the law, but to appease public sentiment"
 nd Jury rendered a report on police conditions in the city containing the following scathing denuciation:
 "Confidence men have been oper- ating openly under the eyes of the detective department.
 "Bootleggers, prostitutes and gam blers have been operating more or less openly apparently with the know ledge of the police department. "Liquor is carelessly handled at City Hall, and favored few seem to have access to the vaults where l it is kept
 '"The constable of one city justice court is notorious for his connection with the underworld, and his associ- ation with the city government in any capacity is disgrace to Denver. We recommend his dismissal forth with"
 Mayor Bailey, it is charged by some ministers, is directly responsi- ble for this "intolerable condition" because the manager of safety under 1 the control of whom Is the police department is the Mayors personal appointee.
 District Attorney Philip Van Cise, who gained nationwide fame when he broke Up a ring of alleged inter- national "bunko men" by wholesale arrests here last August, is prom inent'" mentioned as a mayoralty candidate, although the prosecutor has repeatedly declared thst D is through with public office" when his term as district attorney expires.
 Twenty of the thirty-four men rounded up by Van Cise in his "bunko' raids are defendants at pres ent in one of the most sensational trials in the annals of Denver juris- prudence.
 Others prominently mentioned as mayoralty candidates include Will liam B. Foley, former district at torney; Benjamin F. Stapleton, for