During the Progressive-era of the early 20th Century, voters in six Colorado communities elected socialist mayors - Buena Vista, Edgewater, Grand Junction, Lafayette, Paonia and Victor.
Homer J. Brown was elected mayor in Buena Vista in 1912, Eugene Bootz in the Denver suburb of Edgewater in 1914, S.R. Wood in Lafayette in 1912, Thomas M. Todd in Grand Junction in 1909, J.M. Haley in Paonia in 1912 and Joseph Bitterlry in 1911 in Victor.
The mayors - most of whom served short terms - belonged to the Socialist Party of America, which boasted the nationwide support of miners, populist farmers, social reformers and many others following the "Gilded Age."
A dispatch in the Wray Gazette needled Grand Junction's Todd, saying "conditions must be Utopian" in the city.
Colorado history blogger Robert Silbernagel said Todd was once considered as a potential running mate for Socialist presidential running mate Eugene Debbs in 1912.
Some even suggested he run for president, according to the Rocky Mountain News on May 5, 1912.
In Victor, every socialist candidate on the ballot won was elected in the town's April 1911 vote, with Bitterly leading the pack, the News said.
In Edgewater, Bootz beat an Anti-Saloon League candidate in a close and controversial vote, according to the Arvada Sun on April 10, 1914.
The Sun reported: "Previous to election day considerable agitation was rife and some parties, fearing that there would be trouble at the polls appealed to Sheriff Dennis for protection. Mr. Dennis sent Deputy E. L. Newcomb to Edgewater as a peace officer, to be on hand in case any trouble did arise. Mr. Newcomb reports that everything passed off peaceably and orderly."
[Image: Wikipedia]
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.