River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-03-11
From the Milwaukee SENTINEL

Chicago, ILL.,. Feb. ga large audi
ence assembled at Kent theater this
forenoon to listen to the address of the
Hon. Robert NJ. La Toilette. The an
nual address upon the 22d of February
has become one Of the features of the
Chicago university. The orator OF the
occasion two years ago was President
elect Mckinley and year ago Hon.
1 heodore Roosevelt of New York. The
audience composed the scholarly eie-
ment of Chicago First came the fac
ulty OF the University, in cap and
gown. with President Harper at its
head, then the vast student body, and
finally the fortunate few who though
not connected with the university, Sc
cured invitations because of their
prominence in educational work IN
other fields. The audience showed
itself critical one by its marked man
ifestations of approval as Mr.. La Fol-
Iette proceeded. BY frequent and pro-
Ionged applause it showed now deep
WAS its interest in the subject and how
thoroughly 1t appreciated Mr.. La Fol-
lette's masterful presentation of it.
Mr.. La Toilette spoke as follows:
Mr.. President, Gentlemen of the
Faculty. Students of the University of
Chicago, Ladies and Gentlemen: In
accepting the invitation of your dis
tinguished president to address you,
fully realize the difficulties presented.
Situated as you are in an atmosphere
of investigation and research, sur
rounded by the most eminent living
opponents of the highest thought on
every subject of learning, could
scarcely hope to interest you in any
attempt at historical and philosoph-
iCal review, such as the day suggests.
| therefore turn the thought aside and
speak to you upon practical question
of the hour. After all, we can share
In no higher commemoration of this
occasion than to render an account of
the stewardship committed to us by
the Father of our country. This
brings me to ask you to consider here
today the political machine, its evo,u-
ton in our political history, and its
menace to representative government.
In every democracy men will affili-
ate with one or the other of two great
political parties. The ballot must de-
termine which party shall administer
government, enact new legislation, adj
just the laws to all the complex social
relations of life, to all the complicated
business transactions of millions of
human beings with order and justice.
The ballot can achieve the kind of adj
ministration desired, establish the
economic and financial policies essen
tial. only through the election of men
of integrity and ability, embodying the
ideas expressed in the ballot. That
the voter may be thoroughly informed
upon the question involved, and upon
the men to be chosen as the represen-
70 - &c xfc oh
be the widest discussion and the most
searching investigation. Every means
which contributes to this end is an all
TO good government. Here. then, il
the open field for the highest work OF
political organiZation-the work pre-
liminary 10 the selection Of candidates
Individual Responsibility.
THE fundamental principle of a re-
public is individual responsibility
The responsibility is personal at the
point in our political system where the
citiz comes in direct contact with
the system itself. This is the initial
point of all legislation, all administra-
ton. In all the activities preliminary
to the primary, and in the primary
itself. the citizen is an elementary
force in government. Here the voter
can lay his hand directly upon the
shoulder of the public servant and
point the way he should go. But this
ends with the adjournment of the pri-
mary OF caucus. From that moment
the citizen, in a representative democ-
racy under a caucus. delegate AM
convention system, does not aga in
come in direct personal touch with The
work either of legislation or adminls-
tration. How essential. then X ne is
to be factor in government. that he
take part. and intelligently, too, in
this fundamental work If there be
failure here, there is failure through
out. Ii through inattention or indif-