Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-07-08
A GREAT CELEBRATION.
That Is What Mineral Point Had ON
Monday Julya.
lnrIy rlNININNNIN a NyHn
A LARGE ATTENDANCE.
The Program Well Carried Out and
Everybody Satisfied.


Grafton by Hon. Il. NJ. laFollcttc- Games
and Races.
Mineral Point celebrated our ma
tional Independence on Monday, The
affair was under control of the Sonth-
western Wisconsin Fair Association,
and was Il credit to all concerned.
The day was almost ideal for such
occasions. The committee of arrange
ments exercised splendid Judgment in
the discharge of their dulles. The list
of attractions showed that they had
right idea of what would draw u crowd
and keep them amused; and in this
they were not disappointed. The cele
| bration was II great success from the
speaker, Hon. Il. NJ. LaFollette down.
The gate receipts showed some four
| thousand people present, and when
the time came for the speech the large
amphithcatrc presented splendid au-
diencc for Mr.. LaFolette.
MayorC Cobb presided; Rev, Nj. Chase,
Rector Of Trinity Episcopal church,
acted as chaplain; and MIR. T.. G. Fled
ler read in n very natural and effective
way the Declaration of Independence.
Mayor Cobb in II brief speech which
was in good form and taste, intro
duced and welcomed the speaker, who
delivered mastery address on
Corporations: their Use and Abuse
Mr.. l.aFollctte is so we'll known as
an orator that there is no need to say
anything on this score. 1t was re-
freshing to learn something bold and
striking instead of the old regulation
Fourth of July speech, which can rest
awhile when we think according to Mr..
LaFollctte how far we have drifted
from the basic idea of popular govern
mcnt. The abuse, not the proper use,
of corporate life was II fitting theme
for the day. The presentation of the
ease was strong and happily expressed
and delivered with all the grace Of the
true orator. His voice, naturally
penetrating, reached to the limits of
the vast audience whom he held to
the close.
In the way of an introduction, Mr..
La Toilette spoke of the day Ms dedi-
Gated to human liberty and the exer-
else of popular government. On this
day we renewed our devotion to the
basic idea of our government, namely:
| that the vote of each man, no matter
! how humble, should be counted and
have its effect in determining the policy
of government. The greatness of the
country in extent of its domain, rivers,
lakes, cities, mineral resources, etc,
was n subject upon which all could
| dwell with truth and pardonable pride
and yet these things did not make rs
great. 1t was the basic idea of popu-
lar government that really made us
| what we are among the nations of the
fought at the time of the revolution,
| and for which we fought in 1851. With
an anecdote of Franklin, when he
toasted America as Joshua who com
manded the sun and the moon to stand
STILL the speaker took up the sub
ject of corporations, their use and
abuse. He showed how the corporate
life eliminated the individual and made
him mere cog in the great machinery
of its life. The individual died. Out
wardly there was no change in the
corporation. It's life went on. only
there was exchange Of individual help.
We think Of the corporation and the
name which it bears and the work that
| it does, but we do not seem to think
of the one thousand individuals that
make that corporation living power
| in our midst. IT has come to take the
| place Of the individual and by its power
it can dictate the policy Of government
and control legislation. 1t was
menace to the popular will, not in its
use, but in its abuse and autocratic
power. The individual acted in a cor
porate capacity; and SO while as a
private citizen the individual might be
kind, honest and sympathetic, as part Of
corporation he might be hard, cruel
and an advocate Of measures which
were destructive Of all popular and
and private rights. The speaker show
ed how the corporate life dominated
legislatures and at times even Con-
gress and the Senate. The Yerkes
bill. AZ passed by the Illinois lcgisla-
ture. in spite Of the protest Of the
citizens Of Chicago who opposed, not
on party lines, but because the bill
placed the corporate life above the i'm
dividual, was one case out Of many
that the speaker cited TO prove his
point He next took up the exemption
from taxes, and showed how that cor
porate life had the power 10 eyade