The Penn's Grove record., 1906-09-21
LA TOILETTE HITS THE BOSSES
Told How RAILROADS Rot the people.

Told How Railroads Rob the People.
U. S. Senator Robert M. La Toilette,
of Wisconsin, spoke in Camden last
Monday night under the auspices of
anti-machine Republicans known as the
Colby faction.
In all his addresses the Senator dwelt
at great length upon railroad rate legis-
%lation, and expressed views similar to
those of William J. Bryan-favoring
Government control, if private owner
ship, under rate legislation, shall have
proved fulfil to guard the peoples
rights and interests.
Senator LaFollette said in part: 'sThe
biggest question in Washington this
year was that of transportation. That
question means how much can every
man save and how much we may leave
to the children, for it affects every man
who buys products that must come as
freight over the railroads.
"You have found an increase in liv.
ing since 1897. In May of that year
the Supreme Court rendered a decision
that took away the public power of the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
regulate railroad rates. Well, what
happened? The railroads began in
creasing the rates and have been at
it ever since. That affects every citi-
zen.
'"The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion warned Congress that the railroads
must be checked, but little attention
was paid to the situation. For nine
years the people cried out for a square
deal, but Congress turned a deaf ear
until the last session. In the meantime
the cost of living increased 30 per cent,
and the greater part of this has gone
to the railroads. But what a bill we
gotl l am here to say it Will not give
you much help. DON'T expect it for
you will be disappointed.
"This act is wanting in that which
is necessary under a decision of the Su-
preme Court that the railroads had a
right to collect tolls enough to pay a
fair return on their bonds and stocks.
But the railroads kept on issuing bonds
and stocks for the benefit of the fellows
on the inside, and they now want, and
do compel, citizens to pay dividends on
this watered stock that never cost them
a dollar. That is robbery"
AT Burlington in the afternoon he
said in part:
What we want is a direct vote at the
primaries. The great of the citizen
ship of this country is not corrupt. The
the people may make a few mistakes at
first in choosing their men for office but
the people can rectify these mistakes
themselves. The thing is to get the
direct vote of the people, and that a.
lone is representative government. By
the delegate system there is a great
danger that the delegates may be
bought off even after they have been
pledged to their constituents, and in
luenced, either by money or promise
of Office.
l have had that experience out in
Wisconsin, when | ran for governor a
few years ago. When / went down to
the convention l had enough delegates
pledged to mt to nominate me on the
first formal ballot. The machine men
got in among the delegates that night
and the result was l was defeated. 7
wouldn't say this if | didn't know it to
be the truth, but have my proof of it.
Here in Jersey you may look upon
me as a ''tenderfoot from the West as
politics is concerned. Out there we
have had people buy the delegates at
the conventions. Perhaps they don't
do that on Easthere. But I have come
to believe that the best thing the people
can do is to choose their candidates
themselves.
| say that an American citizen has a
part in the government just as long his
representative in the legislative halls
is faithful. The moment that corpor-
ations gain control of that representa-
i've and he voted their interests instead
of the interests of the people he RICH.
there representative government ceases.
The Senator or Congressman, or any
o Their public official, and therefore his
record should be made public. The
trouble with you people here in Jersey
i S that you don't half know the records
of your Congressman OF Representa-
tives. Look up their records, and if
you find that they are representing you
end them back. If they represent the
corportions, elect somebody else.
The Senator concluded with the rail-
road part of his Mount Holley speech
THE SOLAR SYSTEM.