Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-10-12

Robert M. La Toilette of Wisconsin,
lecturiDg under the auspices # the Y.
NJ. c. A. in the opera rouse here
Wednesday night. blu1tly charged
Sen. Knute Nelson with having voted
against an amendment to the railroa
rate bill which would have saved the
people of the Unit.d States 1885. 600, .
600 a year.
Mr.. La Follette's charge va, made
in response to queries from the audi
euce az to how Minnesota congress-
men had voted on tn rate bill and
amendments, which Sen. L. Toilette
discussed in his le tare.
''How did our senators votef'
asked q man in the gallery.
"And our cooQressmeD, too" inter-
posed George Atchison, a known
citizen of Mapkato. IS ven toas Of
speeches have been sent into this con-
gressional district this fsll, and some
Of the speeches have not been deliv'
cred yet.
In reply Sen La Toilette read the
rollcalls on two of his amendments to
the rate bill.
On the one authorizing the inter-
state commerce commission to make q
valuation of the railroad properties In
the United States, Sen. Nelson voted
"No" and Sen. Clapp did not vote.
On the amendment which forbids
federal judges who own railroad stock
or ride on passes from trying railroad
cases, Sen. Clspo voted mo" and
Sen. Nelson did not vote.
"You do not have to go through
very many rollcslls when you are in.
vestigatiug the record of one of your
representatives in the government at
Washington. Two rollcalls, or even
one, if the subject is one of moment
Gus interest to the people, will show
you tie lineup as between the men
who are serving the people and those
VINO are serving the corporations.
II am not going to evade the ques.
ton asked me.' continued San. La
Toilette. ANY senator or congress-
man ought to vote every time 80 that
he will be proud to have his constitu-
ents know how be voted. That is
what We pay for printing the Congress
sional Record for. It would be q
mighty sight easier for me to be q
good fellow and keep qniet about my
colleagues. but believe that in an
swering such questions as those just
put to me am doing tho public SER
vice, and l propose to continue the
work during the four or five years that
are left of my term in the senate.
THE rollcalls have read tell their
own story.
As to Sen. Clapp. he is a member
of the Interstate commerce committee
in the senate. the very committee
which should have given the psople of
this country the relief which the in
terStats commerce commission has
been urging siucs 1897.
In the house, the resp ons'bility of
the individual mem Der is rot so great,
as look a. it, as it IS in the senate.
In the house u member IS 20 verless
until he obtains the recognition of
the speaker. A till is helpless in the
h Jus, if a committee s9"elches it.
Bat In the senate any senator Gao
gat the floor at any time and make q
ringing protest against the suppress
sion of a worthy bill or move to dis
charge the committee and bring the
bill no for immediate action
Sen. La Folletta's audience filled
the opera house aud included num-
Der Of visitors t. Mankatc. Including
James Msnanan. the attorney for
the Minnesota Shippers associate On
George $, LOTUS, W. 81. Hubbard,
Labor Commissioner W. 81. Williams
Of Minneapolis. Anton Schaefer, dem
ocratlc candidate for railroad commits
sioner, and Fred E. Wheaton, demo-
crs tic candidate for clerk Of the SUI
preme court.
San. La Toilette left after his lec-
ture for Humboldt, Ia. It was an
nouced hare that he will speak in st.
Pacl soon after the election.