Page:Upbuilders by Lincoln Steffens.djvu/266

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.


Judge to revolt, and he did; he said he would “ denounce his fellow-candidate from the stump.” This was the excuse the Democrats wanted, and they decided to drop the Judge.

But a hitch occurred. There was a row in the Republican party, and the dominant state leader, to affront the Denver boss, William G. Evans, nominated Judge Lindsey on the Repub- lican ticket. This put the Democrats in an awkward attitude. They demanded that Lindsey be loyal to his own party and decline the Republican nomination. He refused. They offered him a better associate judge, if he would run only on the Democratic ticket. But the Judge knew that they meant to knife him, so he accepted their associate, but declared he would accept any and all nominations from all parties. And he did. And his party decided again not to nominate him. This was three days before the convention, but that was time enough for the Judge.

He went to the people. He published an open letter in the Denver Post. The newsboys, all friends of the Judge, cried it as news, and not only that, they sent kids as couriers to raise the gangs. Men took the letter home, and mothers turned out. But the children were before them. They poured out into the streets and, c