River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-04-11
SPEECH OF H. A. TAYLOR
Before the Wisconsin Senate in support
Of His Railroad Bill.

MI IIeslucnI- undertake the dis
cussion of this bill with considerable
embarrassment. Perhaps no measure
ever introduced into this legislature
has received more Of prejudgment,
growing ont Of a misconception as 10 IFS
provisions and the reasons of its origin.
or has excited more hostile criticism Of
personal and political nature / in
PRODUCED this bill pursuant 10 definite
and imperitive instructions from the
people who elected me TO the seat I
have the honor TO occupy upon this
floor This fact ought TO furnish me
complete immunity from any charge or
suspicion that the measure was of nv
own suggestion, and was presented
with other motives than to promote the
public good. But fOt some reason or
other, certain parties. and / refer to
the railway companies, those directly
IN their employ. or others expecting
favOrs or fearing injuries at their hands,
have seen fit 10 perSistently attempt to
bring discrcdit upon tie measure BY
impugning the motives of the senator
who introduced it. This method of at
tack upon the biz. which can only be
truthfully characterized as unfair. if
not disreputaDle. imposes upon me the
necessity Of asking the indulgence Of
the senate while l make a few remarks
of a somewhat personal nature. The
performance Of this task, unpleasant
as il is, cannot rightfnlly avoid; and
while / bring TO its discharge some
thing of earnestueSs, hope there may
be nothing Of temper. Long before
line of this bill was written, before its
provisions were formulated. or its
scope decided upon, IL was heralded
throughout the state that the senator
from the Tenth district was to inaugu-
rate a war on railroads Knowing
only that he had pledged the people of
his district to carry out their instruc-
lions, the agents Of the railroads as
sumcd, with no shadow Of authority
for 80 doing, that there was 10 be an
Unreasoniug and destructive assault
made on the railway interests of the
state This was charged and reiter-
ated, and has been studiOusly and stead
tasty circulated by railroad newspa-
pers, by political agents. salaried TO
control elections and legislatures; by
employees circulating remOnstrances
against this bill. and by attorneys and
lobbyists Of high and low degree.
Around thi, legislature the story has
been poured into willing and unwilling
ears until il would seem like thrice
told tale
1T IS said that feelings OF revenge.
baffied ambition. hope Of future gain,
all these unworthy and wicked motives
prompted the authorship and introduce
tiou . this bin. So assiduOus and so
successful have been the attempts to
create erroneous impressions about this
measure. before any Of its provisions
were known. that then baneful intlu-
ence permeated ever. the sacred pre-
cincts of the executive chamber, and
our able and honored governor. who
comes 10 Us 50 fresh from the people.
became alarmed and out Of the full
ness of his transformation, took occa-
sion IN MS first official communication
10 the legislature to warn Us TO tread
lightly on railroad ground, and against
being controlled on the railroad qUes-
ton, by feelings Of prejudice
'.Sir. il is the history Of the world.
and always will be, that vast aggrega-
tons Of capital, organized into COM
bIned forces, viii exercise undue and
dangerous influence in business and
public affairs. Good men anu true
have been ut al times and everywhere
deceived by the sophistries and seduced
by the Establishments Of corporate
power. And il Is sometimes true. alas,
that upon important questions weak
ness is often more to be deplOred than
wickedness, and tho errors of ignor-
ance arc more disastrous than the in
trigues of design.
Mr.. President and senator's. I wish
here and now 10 disclaim any feeling
of hostility toward railroads. / DENY.
in the aggregate and in detail, all the
charges or limitations to which / have
referred I have no grievances. per-
sonal. political or otherwise. In a
long business intercourse with railway
companies have been treated rs well.
and | suspect sometimes better. than
have most men. In aid of my political
ambition ! never asked. expected or
desired their support. No senator up
on this floor will resist more stOUtly
than viii I. any assaults or unjust at
taCks upOu them. For thirty years
have / consistently and devOtedly been
their friend and defender against injus-
ticc. | am rs much their friend to-
day. as on any day before believe
there has been legislation attempted
and enacted in this state upon the rail-
road question that was premature and
unjust But remember. times have
charged roads that a few years ago
were poor. dependent. and weak, are
now rich, arrogant and powerful.
Rights 10 which they were then fairly
entitled. If exercised now would be-
fragrant abuses. Rates they could
then properly charge. If eVacted to-day
would be- the rdnke-t eNtortion
81 haze long been IN favor Of legis-
lative control OF railroads. | was in
favor Of the interstate commerce law.
IN Il $50. when I had the honor To be
chairman If the republican state cen
trial committee I insisted that q reSolU-
ton must - into the platform of the
state convention. pIedging the party to
protect the people from railroad abuses;
and although several prominent rail-
road attorney, and agents advised
strongly against 10. claiming iuSt rs
they 10 row that an was quiet. and the
question should no, ne agitated and the
people aroused. drew a resolution.
and Il was unanimously adopted hy the
convention. ami VIII be found in the
I platform If the party for that wear. /
will read ;he resolution.
ss.That the principle Of the public
regulation ST railway corporations j
wise and ~alutJrv one for the protcc-
ton of sli CLASSES OF people. and when
unjust Determinations are made be
tween persons and places. especially in
the tiVipg = freight and passenger
rates between competing and nOu-cOm-
peting stations they pledge tic Tepub-
iicau party. ifiutru~ted with the power.
To correct them % the Cul that the peo-
pie and the railways shall alike enjoy
the fair and equal protection Of the
law
That Is my record None viii dis
pute it hope it will aeguit me Of the
charge that has been 50 Siibly made
that am "a new convert 20 the cause Of
railway regulation. | be- the pardon
Of che senate f1r occupying - much of