Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-08-10

as never before in the commerclal history
OF the world, but the people are losing
control of their own government. Its
foundations are being sapped and its
integrity destroyed. what shall it pro.
fit man il he gain the whole world and
lose his own soul?' What shall it profit
nation if it gain untold wealth, and Its
people lose their liberty?"
Governor La Toilette pointed out that
the New York legislative investigation OF
the Erie railway reported that more than
81 ,OO0,00 was spent in one year for
''extra legal services" and that money
paid to political bosses was charged to
the India rubber account" He also
showed that more recently the treasurer
OF the New York Central Railway COM
pany testified that his company had
paid for legislation in one year 100000
and in another year $205 900. He also
quoted from the correspondence which
passed between the late G. p. Hunting
ton and General Cotton in regard to the
payment Of money for the passage Cf
legislative measures and for the control
OF congressman. In one Of the letters
from Mr.. Huntington, that great rail-
road magnate used this language:
eft is very important that his friends
in Washington should be with us, and if
that should be brought about by paying
Carr, say $4,000 to $4,000 year, !
think we could afford to do it, but OF
course not until he had contr oiled his
friends"
Having made this showing, Governor
La Toilette said:
"If there were no further evidences OF
the power Of the railroads in legislation
than that which is afforded by the state
ments from the record Of the interstate
commerce commission, it ought to arouse
the entire country to such action as will
bring congress to sense Of its RESPONSE
billty to the people for some measure OF
justice and fair play"
And the governor added:
"The gravest danger menacing repub.
lican institutions today is the overbal.
ancing control of city, state and national
legislatures, by the wealth and power Of
public service operations"
In another portion of his speech Gov.
ernor La Toilette read letter bearing
upon the action of the last congress.
This letter was written to him by a
United States senator under the date OF
February 8, 1908. In this letter this
senator wrote:
"'It is expecting too much from human
nature that senators, whose every asso-
citation is with the great railroad corpor.
atoms, and whose political life largely
depends upon them, should, in good
faith, make the railroads servant OF the
PEOPLE and to be subject to the decision
of the commission when a question OF
rates is raised. The senate committee is
by decided majority men who bear
those relations to the railroads. y"
Coming to the question of combina-
tons and referring to the coal monopoly,
| Governor La Toilette said:
"The coal trust bears harder even up
on the unfortunate, helpless labor that
mines the product at wage level OF a
generation ago than upon the consumers
who are just beginning to feel the burden
OF its increasing oppression. Its utter
indifference and contempt for the con-
stitutional and statutory law, for public
opinion, and widespread want and suf'
fering should awaken in the people Of
this free country the split which framed
the Declaration OF Independence and
founded government in which the will
OF the people should be supreme"
The governor paid his respects to the
Elevator combine" and related the his
tory OF the meat trust, showing that il
was also promoted by the railroads
And then he said:
"The plan developed and consum'
mated in building up the Standard Oil
monopoly, the anthracite coal trust, the
elevator combination and the beef trust
are indicative Of the power Of the rail
roads in combination. There is not ar
important trust in the United States
which does not have the assistance o
the railroads in destroying its COMPETE
tors in business. The limitation anG
control OF these public service corpora
tons in their legitimate field as common
carriers is OF primary importance in thu
practical solution OF the trust problem
which confronts the people Of this coun
try. 1t is manifest that any trust legis
laticn to be effective must go hand il
hand with control over railway rate
by the federal government on interstate
com merce through an enlargement O
the powers OF the interstate commerce.
commission, and like control Of rail
road rates on state commerce by each o
the states through a state railway com
mission. Added to this, the railroad
companies must be prohibited from us
ing the extraordinary powers conferred
upon them by the state for any othe