The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-11

to give the most dennlte ana posi-
tive definition of democracy which
has ever fallen from human lips.
'twhen this government was estab-
lished no one in the world be-
lieved that 1t would last long. Other
governments Of It's nature had failed.
In other governments corruption had
gotten in somehow or other and
caused the whole 10 fall The gov
crnment went on decade after decade
and finally an old philosopher came
over from England. He studied con-
dittons well and went back and wrote
the statement, In the United States
4 never heard OF man spending his
money TO corrupt his government.
The government which our fathers
had founded for Atty years had gone
on without pollution getting into Its
heart.
Suppose he was living now" said
IIalTollette with the first touch OF
humor. Suppose he came over now.
Would he be able to write the same
thing? II he couldn't. then that
thing which has destroyed all gov
ernments has gotten into ours. If
80, let us beware.
Coming down another fifty years
another great student is here. He
too comes from a foreign govern
ment. He studies legislation in our
government in the committee rooms
of congress. He studies conditions
here and goes back and writes In his
American Commonwealth. )" Mr.. La
1Nollette raised his book, shook 1t
before the audience, where Mr.. Bryce
refers to the great corporations.
which are the bane Of our govern
ment. "Their management Is Sec
ret. There are some good honest
men In them, but enough tainted ones
ito pollute the whole lump. Many
congressman are personally interest
C dand lobby for themselves The
hotels at Washington are nests OF
intrigue. ask this question" said
Mr. I4aFolette, "what has happened
In the past twenty years? Have con-
ditlons improved or grown Worse?
You know Of the many things which
show that things are growing worse.
You know that there is something
which Is making Milwaukee FAM
''ous. You know of the pollution at
lSln Francisco. was In Cincinnati
Ia short time ago and | spoke 70 an
laudlence of three hundred business
men. Following the address we were
in the banquet rooms and everybody
seemed anxious to say something
of conditions at Cincinnati. They
told me secretly about George Cox.
He seemed to have a great Influence.
iThey were afraid OF him. His influ-
ence was great. and II sometimes
seemed to extend even to the courts.
With various other illustrations. MIR.
I.aFolette stated that 1t was not his
purpose to discuss these but some oi
1.-THE greater forces, which are work
ling at the heart or the government
They have bought the will of the
people and subverted It. There isn't
SO much direct and open bribery az
at the time of the foundation Of this
government. Instead, the powerful
Corporations choose their Representa-
ltives to represent the people. Oul
government. where the representa-
tive was to be the servant of tht
people,
Having traced the political life o
the nltion up to the pest twent,
years and noted the change in thu
form of government OF The father
the senator left Il with the audienc'
IN Judge II conditions had improve,
in the Last twenty years. The speak
er continuing, stated that he woul'
trace the history Of business life an
he believed that thereby he cov''
Ifind the trouble in our political life
There are fur epochs In the histor
'of the business life of our country
In the first period all business wa
done by individuals and partnerships
THE vast resources on the countr
which Mr.. LaFollette noted cause
a revision in the second period. |
this period three or more men wer
allowed by the statute books OF tn
states to fle a certain paper for tll
Organization Of cooperation. A mi
, llion persons might join this corpora
ltion and all the business be place
lin the hands of few directors.
At this point the senator took son
: time 70 note the plan Of the corpor1
: ton" I say that tie corporate
5 was the best thing ever invented
: business. The natural laws OF trat
] prevailed. They were supply. d
,mand and competition. Those a
y Gods laws. They are fair. Th'
U give every man fair chance. Tho
u times were the most prosperous
Q our history, We made the create
e strides In our history The natur
e products were equally divided al
U the results OF labor We're distrtbut
: more equally, and the corporation e
a tracted reasonable profits y
e In coming to the third period
a our business history. Mr.. LaFolfet
y grew almost fierce as he shout
: lagainst the conditions which pI
vailed at that time. 1t was the pt
iod of the combination OF corpor