Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-08-10
PLEADS FOR RIGHTS OF rHp PEOPLE.
Thougbtfui Writer Discusses Problems Of State
and Corrects Misstatemsnfs.

EDITOR CENSOR: In the state of
Wisconsin dissatisfaction regarding
railroad management has existed for q
long time A statement of the grew
ances suffered by the producing and
other interests has been laid before the
legislature, and an investigation of the
same asked also that laws should be
enacted that would protect the interest
of the producing, commercial and cor
Stunning classes. But so many members
were controlled by the railroads that
these important measures were defeated.
1t is fact that it Is impossible to have
an honest legislature so long as repre-
sentatives are sent who owe their cleo
ton to, or are personally interested in
railroad companies No matter what
party they belong to they are not the
representatives of the people. They are
simply the attorneys and agents of those
who seek, by taxing the masses TO en-
rich themselves, whenever they owe
their election to corporate interests or
are themselves interested in class legis-
lation That the great corporate inter-
ests do not stop at electing their own
men to shape legislation can be shown.
Men who bribe and are bribed nova
days talk about the matter without q
blush. When to Perpetuate power al
ready acquired by these railway corpor-
ations, corruption is openly practiced in
our elections, and the bribery of legis-
lators gees unpublished, is it not time
that the citizens of Wisconsin should
consider where such practices lead, and
insist that the state should resume the
sovereignty and control over its Great
ures which 1t has inadvertently and tenn
porally relinquisted.
The only answer thus far made by the
apologists has been to denounce those
who oppose them as ''populists" or $50
cialists. So bare of facts and 80 hard
pushed for arguments favorable tC heir
case are they that this faction Of rail-
road attorneys must fain adopt tn. pol
icy and 3onjure up the phantom Of So
cial.sm to shield their practices They
seem to be entirely oblivious of the fact
that it liz their disregard Of public rights
and not the efforts which La Toilette
hiss made to compel these corporations
to comply with the law, which is chiefly
responsible for the growth Of socialistic
sentiment in this state.
If railroads were not public highways
upon which all shippers, as well as pas
sengers ara entitled to equal rights If
the discovery Of steam and its appliea-
ton to the purposes of transportation
with sill It's attendant benefits, could be
esteemed alone the private propert~ of
these railway corporations, then The
arguments of the attorneys of these
companies might be cons dered valid and
the arguments of La Fol cite seditious,
al fgtffs nd
by the people, 1t is hardly necessary
to tell the people of Wisconsin that r.
nj. LaFollette and his colleagues have
no sympathy with socialists who want
something for nothing; nor j. he the adj
versary of associated capital but on the
other hand he does not uphold system
of operating public highways which ia
honey combed with abuses, and which
is controlled absolutely by few indi-
viduals who tax production and com
MERGE at will, and dictate what reward
the producer, manufacturer and mer.
chant shall receive for his labor
All classes of citizens are interested,
or should be, in having remedies prompt
ly applied TO these evils. AT present
the railroad corporations are masters of
the situation, but with La Toilette as
governor and legislature that will not
repudiate their pledges. 1T is only ques.
ton of time when they will compel a
fair ad justment Of the relations between
the people and the creatures the people
have created.
Honesty and equitably managed rail.
roads are the most benehcent discovery
Of the age, but perverted by irrespon-
sible and uncontrolled corporate man
agement, in which stock-watering and
kindred swindies axe tolerated. and
favoritism in charges is permitted, they
become simply great engines to ac-
complish unequal taxation, and TO arbi-
trarily re-distribute the wealth of the
state when this state of things is sought
to I've perpetuated by acquiring political
power and shaping legislation through
the corrupt use of money, the situation
il one that must be dealt with The
railroad companies discriminate against
the citizens Of Wisconsin in favor of
western and foreign producers. also
against certain localities Of the state "a
compared with others, and discriminate
in favor Of certain individuals rs com
pared with others in the same locality,
Is fully proven. Also that certain man
ufaeturers of Wisconsin have accepted
rebates to the amount of al, 800, 900 from
the railroads of Wisconsin. In addition
to this the railroads have withheld some
81, GOO, 600 from the official returns of
gross earnings, or in other words, cheat
ed thef tax payers of Wisconsin
1t is a remarkable fact that not only
the railroad officials but the manufac-
turers and business men of the state,
generally and specifically denied the ex-
istence of the alleged abuses which have
been proven TO exist. When all the
ingenuity of railroad officers to show a
large investment and small net returns,
in order to escape taxation, Ia it not
time the people re-elect r. Nj. La Fol-
lette and a legislature that has the moral
courage to stand between the railroads
and the people and see that justice is
done to all parties, A just control of
railroads is right and proper 1t is no
invasion Of property rights it is no in
vasion of the rights of the persons who
own stock or control these lines of rail-
ways, The point to get at Is a standard
OF -ates that are Just. Hence the need
of commissioners TO give them what they
are fairly entitled to, and limit them
from taking more. because when they
take more or discriminate it Ii an OPP
preston and injustice To all There is
a moral and legal right, az there is full
power TO restrain them,
Railroad officials are interested in
telling ua that 1t Is an intricate and
mysterious subject, this regulation of
TIE Ireights and charges Of their roads,
so as to produce any sort Of Just relation
between the producers and the carriers
and therefore men who have not stu