Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-11
CHAMBER OF new YORK POSSIBLE DEMOCRATIC LEADER

when it was carried Tor Grover Cleve
land
Senator La Toilette has been preach
ing Democratic doctrine and winning
Democratic votes, but standing osten-
sibly as Republican candidate. In
1904 he beat his opponent for govern
or by over 10000, while Mckinley, al
ways popular, beat Parker, who was
notably unpopular, by less than G0,000.
The reason was that La Toilette was
essentially Democratic and appealed
to the Democratic sentiment in both
parties.
Recently at pittsburg Senator La
Toilette gave an exhibition of his cour-
age and of his political sagacity. He
was addressing Il meeting of Pennsyl-
vania schoolteachers. The president
of the teachers association notified
Senator La Toilette that his address
must be wholly nonpartisan. With the
genial but at the same time somewhat
inscrutable smile that the Wisconsin
senator commonly carries, he agreed.
AS he spoke he had occasion to refer
to his rate bill, Il measure which, I'M
like the one forced through congress
by Roosevelt. would have amounted to
something had it been passed. He pro
ceeded to comment on the action OF
the two Pennsylvania senators il vot-
| ing against it. The chairman inter
rupted him. He resumed his discourse.
The chairman interrupted him again.
Every we'll" said La Toilette, Il will
not speak in this hall if l cannot say
the things l believe. If any of the au-
| dience desire to hear what | have to
say will speak in the open air.
| Thereupon he walked to the front
| steps of the Carnegie institute. follow
ed, as am told, by nearly 1000 listen
| ers, and spoke for an hour and Il half.
being repeatedly checred. The chair
man remained in the empty hall.
| That. after all. is the essence of De-
mocracy. Democracy stands for free
dom of speech. for Individual liberty,
for an appeal to the people and an ac-
ccptance of the peoples verdict.
| The New Southwestern States.
James Il. Garfield. secretary of the
| interior and a member of the preSi-
dents tennis cabinet, says, and appar
emily with authority, that Mr.. Roosc
| welt will cease his opposition to the
admission of Arizona and New Mexico
| as distinct and separate states. 1t has
been made clear enough that the PEG
pie of these states would never cease
their opposition to the consolidation 81
the two territories into one. II the
president lives up to his maxim, The
verdict of the people is considered
final" he will not merely be obliged
to permit the admission OF these TIVE
new states, whatever their politica
complexion, but will also be moral!
compelled TO allow immediate state
hood to Oklahoma. On the nth of thi.
month the people of Oklahoma vott
on their proposed constitution. Every
federal otficeholder i'll the territory i
fighting il, and Secretary Taft made /,
journey thither at public expense It
throw his considerable weight into III,
scales against it. If it is adopted b,
the people, what will the president do
VIII he find some quibble by which h
may be able to keep the eight clectora
votes which the new state will cas-
from the next presidential election, o
will he live up to his assertion that tn
verdict of the people is consideret
final?
In a Nutshell.
A fleet worth $10OO00C00.
Distance to San Francisco, 400
miles.
Route through the strait of Magel
Ian, famous the world over for il
tricacy and danger.
Value Of one battlcship, $5,000,000.
Time necessary to replace one shi
! if lost, three years.
Time necessary to bring ships bacl
to the Atlantic in event of trouble wit
European nation, ninety DAYS.