Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-12-06
"A PLEA FOR THE PEOPLE,
Senator TiIlman's Lecture at
plattcyille Reviewed For
The Democrat.

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ber,26. His advertised subject was
"a Plea for the People" but in open
ing he said it is IA Plea to People"
Call 1t by what name you will IL was a
lfeenly stimulative speech.
1t was in no sense literary effort"
nor was it eloquent, unless a fiery
earnestness struggling for expression
be eloquent. And there were turns Of
blunt, frank, not TO say at times
coarse express sion. He impresscs you
as one who sees clearly, feels deeply
and without fear In voicing what he
believes should be said
1t is easy TO see why he Is called
"Pitchfork" Tillman, and ] am not
sure that he dislikes the nickname.
When he warns TO 1t it Is no contest
for points" with him but rather it is
Finish" fight when he attacks what
he deems wrong in our social and pol
itical life. Aud the good Lord knows
there's enough that is wrong in our
social and political life today TO stir
TO indignant shame all decent and pat
riotic people.
With biting, singing sarcasm and
ridicule be held up to scorn our Amer
lean women who trade the money their
fathers left them for titled and dcgen-
crate husbands in the old world. He
took fall out Of the republican party
whose managers have been filling the
party pouch with the money stolen
from widows and orphans by the heads
of large insurance companies. He
did not think the people are to blame
for they did not know which way to
turn for relief us the facts have been
kept from them for years by newspa-
pors owned or controlled by boodlers
ana corruptionists.
He WAS given closest attention as he
related the history of the railroad
rate bill In the Senate. President
Roosevelt's retreat at the critical mo-
ment when there were votes enough
TO pass the bill he had SO widely pub
lshcd that he wanted passed, the
dsgraceful and humiliating spectacle
of II few men not only bossing the
republican party but the President OF
these United States, rs we'll, was dwelt
upon IN tones of deep regret.
IL Is one thing for us to read in
newspapers and magazines of Aldrich
of Rhode Island, Allison OF Iowa,
Foraker of Ohio, Spooner Of Wiscon-
sin, and other u. $. Senators who
II not shareholders in Standard OIL,
In Railroad CORPORATIONS, IN Iron and
Steel Trusts are In the Senate because
there they can best serve these corpor-
ations. | gay IL il one thing TO read
how these men brought President to
time aud defeated the people In the
relief promised them, and quite anoth-
or thing TO hear the man who had the
bill In charge aud who knows every
move made, tell about 1T.
The nib OF the whole fight was on
whether the bill should have In it u
provision giving power to the Inter
State Commerce Commission TO fix
what IL regards II reasonable rate to
go into effect ut once and stay in eff
feet until u Court Of Reviews should
change IL, or whether the rate fixed by
In, N.,,,n,taat ia Ia, h,ll a
suspended by preliminary injunction
till tho railroads wore everybody out
by tedious delays OF lawsuits. OF
course the railroads could and would
enforce the old rate as long as they
could keep the new rate In court
Small wonder, in view of such
spectacle, that mon are saying "the
party be damned, give us chance
to vote for men with courage as we'll
rs honesty" La one of his closing
sentences he exclaimed, ~ sometimes
think the American people are incap-
able of carrying out this experiment
In free government, that they lack the
Intelligence and integrity to do It,"
But said he, "the remedy is In their
own hands" 1t lies in each citizen
IN his own way and for himself setting
about reforming himself until from the
sum total of individual effort as an
intelligent, patriotic baisis there shall
come demand for and united work to
secure, better social and political con
dittons, Truly yours,