The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-09-25
La FOllettS'S Address.

The Badger Banner, Black River
Falls, gives the following summary of
an address delivered by Hon. Robert
VI. La Toilette, at the fair grounds in
that place, on Thursday, the 10th inst,
I'm opening he took pans to refute
the statements of some irresponsible
machine politicians and newspapers
that he was unmindful of the era of
prosperity now dawning upon the coun-
try, and stated that he was not only
cognizant of the fact but pointed signiti-
cantly t. his sixteen years of public life
along the lines by which the good times
were promoted. He then took up the
question of corporations and their grow
ing tendency to use their accumulations
to suhvert the rights of the people.
There was nothing in the legitimate
gaining of wealth that he objected 20
aud none of its rights he did not re-
spcct, but what he did raise his voice
against was the wrongful intervention
Of corporate wealth in our politics, and
the Illegal and corrupt methods used hv
some corporations TO make their gains
larger, such as the influence of their
Hobbies on legislation and the use of
their money for purposes of bribery.
He cited instances of the practice OF
some large corporations in restricting
trade and driving out legitimate COM
petition; such as the oil monopoly and
the hard-cOal combine
Continuing in the same line he
touched upon the question of the taxa
ton of personal property, and severely
arrai gned the manner il which corpor-
atoms and wealthy citizens eyadcd their
share in the responsibility of support
| ing the government by preventing the
just taxation of their personal property.
! In this connection he went on to show
what a small proportion of personal
! property WAS taxed, and how that of
! the farmer, such as horses and cattle,
! was always assessed at good fair value,
While the notes and bonds of million
aires were hidden from the assessor
and improper returns made as to their
amount. He followed up by making
the statement that every wear the
| horses Of this state, cheap As they have
! been, were assessed, and the taxes paid
| for more than all the notes, bonds and
mortgages in the state. He thought this
was not only the case in our own state
/ but in many others, and advocated the
| enforcement of the law in such a way
t that all the holders ofthis kind of prop
/ erty he compelled to bear taxation
equally, and not make the farmer ga
: the major part.
As cause for the many instances of
these evils he ascribed a good share of
it to political machines, and told how
| that feature of American politics had
| gained such control that it was threat
ening to put an end to representative
! government and place the power of
! making and administering the laws III
/ the hands of corrupt organizations. At
/ ter q lengthy explanation of the work
/ ing of Il primary election law, by which
nominations in the different political
( parties could be made by the direct vote
| of the partisans without the aid of eau
| Gus or convention, lie earnestly advo
/ Gated the adoption of some such meas
| ure, which would again put the govern
/ ment directly in the hands of the peo
! pile, where it belongs, and then the
/ abuses which are daily occurring would
/ be corrected and political bosses could
not exist to forward corporate ana other
| interests against the will OF Americas
rightful soyerelgEs.'