Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-23
LAFoLLETrE SPEAKS IN HAsrxes
Many Hear wisconsin Senator Discuss
Corruption in Legislatures

Many Hear wisconsin Senator Discuss
Corruption in Legislatures.
HASTINGS. Neb.. July 22.-(specIaI Tele-
gram.)-Before an audience which was I'M
doubtedly the largest ever assembled in
Hastings to hear a political speech, SEN
ator LaFollette of Wisconsin this after
noon talked for nearly four hours of cor
ruption in the legislative bodies Of cities
and states and Of corporation control of
the national law-making body. His speech
was full Of sensational utterances regarding
the servitude of public officials to railroad
and allied interests. The address was de-
livered at the Hastings chautauqua and
was listened to by over 5000 persons. Mr.
LaFollette had been engaged to speak on
Saturday, but he was unable to come until
today. Special excursion trains were op-
Grated from Kearney. Red Cloud and Han
over. Kan. and each brought several hun
bred persons The big tent in which MIR.
LaFollette spoke was crowded for almost
two hours before he started his address.
Senator LaFollette began by saying that
the country is today confronted by greater
dangers than ever before challenged the at
tention of the American people. He spoke
OF Lncoln's speech on the battlefield OF
Gettysburg. containing, he said. the simp-
lest definition Of democracy ever uttered,
though the same in meaning as that of
Washington Hamilton and Webster. Have
we got that kind of a government today?''
he asked. Are the common councils of the
cities the legislatures OF the states, the
national congress truly representative OF
the will of the people? No There is no
common council, no legislature and no SEES
sion Of the legislature which the corpora
ton interests seek to control ahd fail
want to enlist the bankers and the busi-
ness men OF this town in the great move
ment 10 save the country. You cannot
pick up a newspaper tomorrow morning
without reading Of some grand jury lnvesti-
eating or indicting some public offlcial who
has betrayed his trust. In Milwaukee q
grand jury has been In session two years
investigating the wrongdoings OF public
officials. 1t has indicted nearly everybody
who ever had anything to do with the gov.
eminent OF that city. Scores of men have
been convicted and many OF them pleaded
guilty"
Mr.. LaFollette declared that the rail.
roads had destroyed competition In the
grain business and that the American peo-
pie had to depend for their anthracite coal
upon eight railroads which got entire con-
lfOl OF lne supply by COMBINING ownership
OF the mines with that Of the roads Twelve
men, he said. controlled three-fourths OF
the railroad capital OF the country and less
than 100 control practically every impor-
tant industry. The speaker devoted the
major portion OF his time to a discuss or
OF the railroad rate questions. The passage
OF the rate bill by the last session OF con.
gress, he said was a step In the right
! direction, but he declared that the Ian
contained one vital defect-the absence Of
any means or authority by which a ''reas
enable rate" could be determined The
Interstate Commerce commission can never
/ Ak a reasonable rate until II finds ths
value OF the railroad property and usel
that value as a basis in determining what
/ the rate should be-"
Senator LaFollette added that when tn,
rate debate was in progress In the senat,
/ he offered eight amendments, seven Of
which had been recommended by the In
/ terstate Commerce commission. Each on,
Of these was tabled. He read the vote OF
the senators on several OF these amend
ments and said the lineup OF the members
| was practically the same on all. Mr.. Ia
| Toilette closed with a review OF the hgh
which he led In Wisconsin. He said thai
in 1885 enough delegates to the state con
vention we're pledged 20 his support 70 IN
sure his nomination for governor. but that
enough Of them TO defeat him were after