The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-24
AMERICAN LEGISLATURES.
Some Evils Pointed Out i'm an Address
by MoorfieId Storey.

SARATOGA, N. Y, Aug. 2S.-The annual
address before the American Bar Associa-
ton was delivered this morning by Moor
field Storey, of Massachusetts,. His subject
was the American Legislature" He said,
in part:
Every observer of our political history
during the. last twenty years must have
been struck with the change which has
taken place in the attitude of our people
toward the fundamental principles of our
government. Large bodies of our fellow
citizens insist that because they choose not
to work no one else shall work IN their
place; that every man who wishes to fol-
low a certain trade shall join an. assocla-
ton which they form, and submit his lber-
ty TO its control or else abandon ms calilng'
and that if a man refuses to employ them
on terms which they dictate he shah en-
ploy no one else. Upon claims IKE these
ployment of nonunion men by refusing TO
work with them, by boycotting employers
attacks upon them when they take the
place of strikers.
Prospect for the result of elections seems
to be disappearing, and political partisans
are ready, apparently, to resort TO any ex-
pedient to enable them to retain or to &C
quire power. There is to be heard every
day adverse comment regarding Congress.
State Legislatures and city aldermen and
councilmen, and distrust of their acts is
generally felt. For my present purpose
mention it as evidence that the leading
members of the House of Representatives
do not trust that body, and frame their
rules accordingly.
of faith in representative government
loss of faith in the people themselves, and
this feeling really lies at the root OF the
principles which / have noted. Bribery is
made the excuse for anarchy. The danger
against gan IN Wh convs %e g fion we eoh TecognIze and andd
deplore is the danger that private interests
can afford to pay for the privileges which
they seek; privileges which the ordinary
legislator cannot refuse. In many States
certainly there has grown an irresponsible
body between the people and their repre-
i sentativeS which UNDERSTANDS TO sell legis-
lation and finds the business extremely
profitable. When the Legislature meets
each professional lobbyist has a body of
members who will listen readily 10 his adj
vice and whose votes he can influence to a
greater or less extent. Certain large cor
porations which are likely TO be interested
in legislation adopt the same methods or
selecting Representatives. and each has its
cohort of disciplined supporters. The is
sues upon which these Representatives
the campaign, have been discussed in no
political meeting, have attracted no public
3ttention: The r real w question fb tnat Is cb 70 aaVid Is
whether one party or another shall acquire
the right to control the streets of some
The character of legislators must be
raised and bribery stripped of every cloak.
Public opinion must be brought to recog-
Hu1e the IIulh thaI d W C"c Oohhpoi
atively poor, weak and the uneducated
man who receives the bride. but the strong.
rich and able man, who pays, at whose
door lies the sin of corruption. The tempt
er Is bad as the man whom he tempts.
.
'In dealing with the delicate questions
between labor and capital which is press
ing upon us. the Legislature is the court
and jury. When mems passions are as
| strongly enlisted as they are in those dis
| putes the most perfect integrity and the
| greatest wisdom is essential. Let 1t at
once be believed by the laborer that the
| Legislature has been bought, and how long
viii 1t be before we witness a riot which
would perhaps cause a civil WARP