River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-08-23

was introduced a Dill pfONluluS lOI d
primary election law and the direct
nomination of candidates for office
without the intervention of caucus, or
convention, or political boss.
Must Enforce Laws.
81 have been in favor Of these re-
forms because | have believed that
they were reforms, and because
have believed in them. / believe in
them now. / have never supported
any change in the law unless / be-
Ieyed that the change was providing
a better law, and / realize now, as |
believe | have realized twelve years
ago, when this fight for the control of
the state by the people of the state,
and not by the agents of eastern and
European owned corporations, was
younger than it is today, that it is not
the making of "A few laws or of many
laws, unless those laws are enforced,
that the things that are wrong in the
administration of our affairs are to be
corrected.
For Control of Corporations.
"There are some questions that are
pressing for settlement by the next
egislature-among them the idea-an
enlarged application of the idea-of
control of public service corporations.
/ am in favor of the most effectual
control 1t is a question that may
be left to the legislature, and it is one
that will require the best thought Of
the men who will compose that body,
whether authority over all the public
service corporations in this state, out
side of the railroads-for the control
Of which provision has already been
made-operating in SO many different
places and under so many different
conditions, should be placed in the
hands of a state commission, or
whether, by Legislative enactment,
the localities, the municipalities most
closely concerned. should be given the
power to deal with their own affairs
and to control them in their own
way
"While acknowledging some doubt
as to the best possible settlement of
this question and while acknowledge
ing that l am not prepared to speak
the final and settling word about it, |
wish to impress on the minds of the
people of the state that | feel about
the necessity for the control by pub
lie authority of the street car and
interurban lines, and the electric
lighting and gas companies, and the
telephone and telegraph companies,
just as / now feel, and always have
felt, about the control of the railroads.
/ claim to be a pioneer in that field.
People Have Remedy.
/ am in earnest in this matter, and
although | can not say that | believe
81 esent conditions to be intolerable-
for present conditions have long been
tclerable-or that they have been
unbearable, for they have long been
borne-I do think that for the people
to tolerate them longer, and to bear
them longer, is foolish and unneces-
sary, because they have the power to
correct what they complain of. They
might have corrected it years ago.
They can do it next winter. They
can do it later-but they can do it,
wher they so determine.
81 am a refnrmer, and my belief
and interest in reform does not take
on the frenzied form of denunciation
OF all corporations and every man
interested in a corporation, because
they go as far as the law allows them
to go. My Indignation is rather for
the PEOPLE who permit themselves to
be legally robbed, than for the street
car company that charges more for
rides than it ought to charge, or the
electric lighting company that makes
the city pay more than it needs pay;
if the citizens will wake up and assert
their power.
What | mean is this: that, in the
long run, and as a general PROPOSE
ton, the people who govern them
selves get about as good government
as they deserve If not, whose is the
blame?
"For the first time in my political
experience the question is being rails
port it is proper for candidate for
office to owe his nomination, and
his election.
1T may be we'll that this question
is raised at this time, not having
been raised two years ago, when few
c: us who were nominated and elected,
could have been nominated could
have been nominated or elected, re
ceiving only such republican votes as
it is considered respectable to re-
ceive this year. For my part, I am
ready to meet this question and to
answer it, and to compare my own
actions, and ny own activities in
the solicitation of support with those
of some other gentlemen who are, per
haps more critical than myself in re-
gard to matters of this kind.
Never ASKED for Support.
For myself, make this statement;
that | have not knowingly since my
candidacy for the republican nomina-
ton for governor was announced, by
word or mouth, or by printed circular
or by written letter marked personal
solicited the support of any demo
Graf or Of any republican, who was
not supporter of the regular Tepub-
lican ticket two years ago; and 1
have never given my countenance to
any such solicitation on my account
bv any friend of mine