Stories of Achievement, Volume III, Orators and Reformers
History
Stories of Achievement, Volume III, Orators and Reformers
Biography; Success
or nothing for me." And he got his promise. And when we knew, at
last, that his name was really on "the slate" of candidates to be
presented to the convention, we were ready to throw up our hats and
cheer for ourselves--and for the Boss.
The convention met in September, 1898. There had been a fusion of
Silver Republicans, Democrats, and Populists, that year, and the
political offices had been apportioned out among the faithful
machine-men of these parties. Gardener was nominated by "Big Steve,"
in a eulogistic speech that was part of the farce; and the convention
ratified the nomination with the unanimity of a stage mob. We knew
that his election was as sure as sunrise, and I set to work looking up
models for my bills with all the enthusiasm of the first reformer.
Meanwhile there was the question of the campaign and of the campaign
expenses. Gardener had been assessed $500 by the committee as his
share of the legitimate costs of the election, and Boss Graham
generously offered to get the money for him "from friends." We were
rather inclined to let Graham do so, feeling a certain delicacy about
refusing his generosity and being aware, too, that we were not
millionaires. But Graham was not the only one who made the offer; for
example, Ed. Chase, since head of the gambler's syndicate in Denver,
made similar proposals of kindly aid; and we decided, at last, that
perhaps it would be well to be quite independent. Our law practice was
improving. Doubtless, it would continue to improve now that we were
"in right" with the political powers. We put up $250 each and paid the
assessment.
The usual business of political rallies, mass-meetings, and campaign
speeches followed in due course, and in November, 1898, Gardener was
elected a State Senator on the fusion ticket. I had been busy with my
"three-fourths jury" bill, studying the constitution of the State of
Colorado, comparing it with those of the other states, and making
myself certain that such a law as we proposed was possible. Unlike
most of the state constitutions, Colorado's preserved inviolate the
right of jury trial in criminal cases only, and therefore it seemed to
me that the Legislature had plenary power to regulate it in civil
suits. I found that the Supreme Court of the state had so decided in
two cases, and I felt very properly elated; there seemed to be nothing
to prevent us having a law that should make "hung" juries practically
impossible in Colorado and relieve the courts of an abuse that thwarted
justice in scores of cases. At the same time I prepared a bill
allowing parents to recover damages for "anguish of mind" when a child
of theirs was killed in an accident; and, after much study, I worked up
an "employer's liability" bill to protect men who were compelled by
necessity to work under needlessly dangerous conditions. With these
three bills in his pocket, Senator Gardener went up to the Capitol,
like another David, and I went joyfully with him to aid and abet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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