The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-13
La TOILETTE SEES
OLIGARCHY PERIL
Declares Ten Years Will Tell
Whether People or Money
Kings Rule.
Journal Special Service.

journal special Service "A
Chicago, Oct. ls.--'sIn the next ten
years the story Of democracy in this
country will be. written and we have
either an oligarchy or republican
form or government, said Governor
Ia Toilette to large audience in the
Z. M; Z; A. auditorium last night.
90 we nave not q representative form
people are losing their control and the
ing undermined and it's strength sap
PED. want to be conservative and T
am a conservative because want to get
the business men with this cause. The
corporations Of commerce, combined
with the political machines, control
wherever they seek to control
uoa s1IthWe e Y per cent Of all the
wealth. OF the country is in the control
OF a few corporations. They need en-
and maintain trained Hobbies at every
state capital to secure their desires.
i Legislators Listed.
every man is listed. His associations
his weaknesses, his vices and his debts
are all known to these lobbyists, and the
moment he arrives at the state capitol
ne Is taken In charge by someone de-
tailed to minister to these weaknesses
OF wees and gain power over him.
fevolutioonary times and compared taxa
ZION without representation to the pres
ent; system whereby, he declared, the
people are compelled to pay taxes
which corporations dodge. It is az Oh.
press1ve, he asserted, to permit monop-
oiy. OF the natural resources, such as
OIL, coal and iron, now as it was to
quarter the soldiers Of King George on
me people of the days Of our fore
"s# Times Have Changed. !
He read this statement by the French
writer, Alex de Tocqueville: -. - -
In the United States I never heard
ola OF q ma man, spending his wealth to cor
.;Ihat was seventyfour years ago.
laughed. =. :
Governor La Toilette paid particular
attention to the railroads after he had
aeplcted the conditions Of the country
IN strong language. When; he declared
that from 1873 the state of Wisconsin
mad been under the control of the rail
roads until recently (referring to his
own election ,, the audience gave him
an ovation lasting several minutes.
Rate Reform First
"Our forefathers recognized the fact
that transportation is a function of
government he said. 1T do not mean
government ownership. Do not hurry
me. We may come to that later. bnt
hrst want to see thoro system of
rate regulation adopted by every state
ana by., the federal government. If
m rna5 Iai5 thGfe is no avoiding govern
Governor La Toilette praised Presi.
never been known to DODGE cr;s;s
and that all the railroads We're aeainst
his nomination. s'''ns'
b.. "Ins 1904 I was here at the conpen
tlon,'' said he, 'tbut 4 did not oct in
because every railroad influence in the
country was against tme.,'
Governor La Toilette advocated the
amendment of the. interstate commerce
law SO that the commission will have
power to put the rates down to the rea
b - La Toilette on Boodlers.
In closing Governor La Toilette hac
this to say of .boodlers: D''@
:.Ih es =. first time I was up for nomin
alton for governor of. Wisconsin, + hai
enough delegates pledged to give M
the, nomination on the first ballot. II
room Of a United States senator dele
gates We're bought over night at from
$50 to $500 apiece. said bought, and
!. wouldn>t say that if couldn It prove
IT,. AFTER that a boss came to me anC
care of you when the time comes.'
told him [ had always taken care o1
myself. - - - - '~-> ~
+ 90 Ii you are fighting for reform voy
can t carry the white flag or compro
"We think our government start.
with the election. That s only LITTLE
part. Back of the casting Of the bal
lot is the making.
81, learned recently that it cost 8
certain man $4,000 to buy off my sec
ond nomination:
",y@ Americas Greatest Peril.
II believe that the greatest peri
that ever menaced this government il
undermining it beneath the very foun
dations Of the structure nurtured b1
washington and preserved by Lincoln
It v would be all right if this peril were
Visible, if it were an invading army
Our government will never be over
thrown by foreign foe. The trouble
is that it is unseen. It will accomplish
it's work without bloodshed or blowing
Of flies. 's
>@."Our government is being under
mined with corruption, and in the mex
racv will be written in this country: i
will be decided then whether we are t,
have an oligarchy or republican gov
eminent. It remains with the people
I am confident they will battle for thu
latter.N .ge,: "