The Washington herald., 1908-02-16
La Toilette Declares Land at
Mercy of 76 Men.
RAPs AT CONVENTION SYSTEM
Declares Venality of Delegates Re-
spOnsibIe for His Defeat in Race
for GOvernOrship-Belie in Gov
ernment Control OF Railroads.
Development of the Country.

iltrHA - TIE VIII 1H TIE People
Our government has undergone a
change. It isnt the pure representa-
tive form of government our fathers
made for US 100 years ago.
'As ! believe in God,I believe that
the kind of government our fathers
built does not exist in this country
to-day"
Baltimore. Md, Feb. 15.-The above
sentences, taken from the address de-
livered here by United States Senator
Robert n. La Toilette. Of Wisconsin. in
dicate in what direction that gentleman,
who by his colleagues is called radical.
thinks the political affairs of the United
States are drifting
The subject Of Senator la F0llettes
lecture was Representative govern
ment"
In treating his subject the Senator first
sketched the political growth Of this
country, pointing out changes since the
government was established,~ and then
took up Industrial development. showing
The relationship between the business en-
terprises and the lawmaking and enfOTc-
ing powers and how the former are trying
to control the latter He declared the
country was at the mercy Of seventy-six
captains of finance who not only are
endeavoring 10 sti1e competition and wipe
out commercial indepeGdency, but who
are also trying to throttle our govern
ment, both State and national
Change in Fifty Years.
Senator La Toilette read from de Toe
queviIle's study of the United States. as
follows: IN the United States never
heard Of a man spending his money 10
corrupt the people or the government"
Then the Senator added THAT was fifty
years ago and, turning 20 Bryce s
American Commonwealth read "a pas
sage IN which the English statesman said
that the assemblages in the United States
contain many honest men, but the num-
her Of dishonest representatives is large
enough to corrupt tile whole
Mr.. La Toilette referred 10 cities i'm
which crookedness has been prevalent.
and concluded by saying that Milwaukee,
in his own State. now has something
that is making it famous besides the
manufacture OF a certain brand Of beer,
Tor" said he, "the grand jury has been
in session for nearly two years. during
which time scores OF men have been in
Through -Four stages.
In describing the industrial development
Of the country. the Senator said 1t had
passed through four stages. First came
the time when business was transacted
by individuals or partnerships Then
came private corporations. next combiDa-
ti0ns of private corporations and then
combinations of combinations The pTi-
yate corporation period MIR La Toilette
said, was the most prosperous this cOun-
tly ever knew.
The following are some pointed remarks
taken from the Senator's speech:
Demand. supply, and competition are
the natural laws OF business. The trusts
are doing all in their power 10 stifie these
laws.
BY stringent criminal laws. England
has choked the life ont Of trusts IN that
country. Here they have run riot
You cannot name an important prod
uCt the price Of which is not dominated
by the boards Of directors which control
that line of business
'Seveuty-siX men, holding 1850 direc-
torships in the great business concerns
Of the country, control the business Of
the nation
The railroads are dominated by eight
men who control S9000,008005 of the Sl5.-
600 0C00000 Of railroad capital.
"The United States Steel Corporation,
combining property worth S4o000.009 was
capitalized at $4,000 Il controls 50
per cent of all the iron ore in the COuB-
try.
Scratch out Carnegie's Name.
"The~name over the Carnegie libraries
should be scratched out and in its place
should be put the words: Built by the
people OF the United States
The great financial institutions are
reaching out 10 control the government
Of our country.
"A few days ago / saw John Pierpont
Morgan sitting in the gallery~of the Sen
ate while AIdrich was speaking on his
currency bill. / saw members with their
hands folded looking up 10 this new
savior of our country and about his head
] imagined they saw a halo Of glory.
What do YOU suppose he was doing there2
I am as good Republican as there
is anywhere in this audience tonight.
but / have reached that stage when
propose To stand by my country before
stand by my party.
Il want to say to you Marylanders:
Do not blindly follow your party stand
ard unless the party is working for the
best interests Of the State. stand for
your country before all else.
Government in Peril.
4 do not hesitate 10 say that our rep
! resentative government is in peril
In neither party is the trouble with
the rank and file 1t lies in the conven-
ton system l was a candidate for gov
erDor of Wisconsin 1--WE times After the
first time ! could have got the nomination
in fifteen minutes If ! had entered into d
deal with the organization and suEren-
dered to its demands. In 1895 / went to
| the convention with enough votes to nom
mate me on the first ballot. Between 10
o'clock and midnight on the day before
the convention enough of my delegates
were bought i'm the room at one of the
hotels of a United States Senator to de-
feat me-
Il 60 not want the railroads owned by
! the government. but / want to see them
controlled by the State and national gov
eTnments.
Il quit as fine a law practice as any
man ever had in a town of 10000 inhabi-
tants to take up this fight for the peo-
pie I could have left my little family a
small fortune, but l hope 10 leave them
! something which they will prize higher
than money When the history of This
fight for the emancipation of State and
national government from the domination
of corporate influence is written I want
to be in a position where my children
will be proud of the name / shall leave
them.
John stuaPt Is Dead