The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-09-25
LA TOILETTE
ON RAILROADS
The Whnlwind Orator Speaks
III the Lyceum Hall last
Wednesday.
NO INFLUENCE ON LEGISLATION

NO INFL UENCE ON LEGISLATION
Senator Robert M. La Toilette, Of
| Wisconsin, is spending the present
week in New Jersey, speaking in the
llarger towns for the s new idea"
movement. He was In Morristown
on Wednesday Afternoon, the meeting |
being held ID the Lyceum at three
O'clock In the afternoon. The attenu-
ance was good considering the Swelter-
ling weather which prevailed. Thel
speaker, despite the heat, held the at
| tenti0n Of his hearers for two hours.
Persons were in attendance from New
York and Summit as we'll as other
parts Of Morris county.
The hall was undecOrated except |
| for flag on the speakerS's stand and |
there was no band. It. G. Burnham,
president Of the Republican GOOD |
Government Club presided and in in |
| PRODUCING the speaker referred to the
| great wave of honesty and seeking for
truth which is sweeping over the
country. 1t started in the northwest
land has been helped along by our
President and has brought TO the
Ifront men like Folk and La Toilette
and has meant a purging OF great
cities and will drive out the political
BOSS.
Senator La Toilette said he was
interested in the movement under the
Leadership of Senator Colby Of New
Jersey. 1t is great awakening and
there is some reason for it. a great
body of people cannon be moved with
out some cause. 1t is realization
which has come 10 our citizenship of
great change. Our forefathers made
i government for us in which every man
has a part with equal right, opportun-
tiles, responsibilities and burdens.
Ours is a representative government
j throughout.
| Something has happened since the1
government was established and the
present movement is is the attempt
of the people to again take possession
of their own.
4 Seventy-fve years ago De Tocque-
vile in his work on the American
government said that he never heard
of a man spending his wealth TO cor
rupt the people, after the writer's
study OF American conditions. Seven
! teen years ago Bryce In his Ameri-
can Commonwealth" had a different
story to tell, and called attention to
the insiduOus corruption OF every body
which had the dealing out OF fran
chiseS or favors. There is responSi-
bility for every man and woman toll
take care Of the government and TO dol
/ it quickly, for their is a completely Or
ganized system tied by community uf
Interests working day and night with
common councils, legislatures and
elected representatives in Washing
ton. There is no time, when Tie in
81
Fgreat corporations, where they seek
control that they fail to control. We
must get busy now If we would hand
1 down the government tOour children.
Senator La Toilette reviewed the
history Of industrial and commercial
| life, tracing the origin and rise Of
companies and the consolidation OF
these latter, until in many cases one
man fixes prices and dominates mar
ket. 1t was attempted once before in
England, but the criminal statutes
killed it, The men at the head Of
these institutions saw the need of con-
/ trolling legislation. They wanted
franchises, special privileges enlarged
powers, interference with their doings
stopped until now no legislative body,
municipal stale or national is safe.
/ All this was anticipated years ago.
i Every generation has its prophet. The
politician sees the evils OF the hour
and perhaps does what he can to meet
them day by day. The statesman sees
vastly more. BY the gift of phophecy,
great understanding, power OF intel
lect, he frames legislation. Lincoln
said there would arise a crisis greater
than slavery. Garfield, referring to
the railroads, said they owned our
greatest highways and levy tribute at
| will.
1t is not one State or party, but the
great body OF the American people
acting together to save the country
The time has passed for following
blindly party names or leaders, 1t is
the time for action Vote for the
country until it is safe. Men in min=
ority parties can we'll leave them for
the time being and join with honest
| men Of dominent parties.
We need not the warnings of states
men, but where the possibilities have
been so great and the population not
dense and free land for the settlers.
we have failed to remember that the
character of our government makes
necessary eternal vigilence. The dam
ger is now that the power is mightier
than ever before, we deal with cor
porations with no semblance of man.
One phase he emphasized, which he
said ran through all kinds OF COM
panieS, that Is over capitalization,
which has broken up into vast for
tunes. They levy on the people
charges not only enough to pay a fair
return on the Investment, but on the
water as we'll. He called at entiOn as
an example to the U. s. Steel COrpOr-
Iation. controlling the greatest bed of