Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-05-07

department at Washington. Most men
would have jumped at the offer. He
did not he took a fresh grip and con-
tinued the fight. To overcome disease
he went through a course Of physical
exercise. To mend his business pros
poets and to get out Of debt be de-
voted himself with redoubled energy
to the law. AS for the political end of
the battle, he organized bis forces for
victory in 1900. And he won.
In the life of most men comes some
crucial point where they have absolute
freedom to choose for better or worse
That choice determines their whole
after lives Had Robert NJ. La Fol-
lette yielded to temptation and accept
ed the appointment offered him by his
enemies he probably never would have
been heard of again in politics, at least
not in reform politics. He was strong
enough to resist and from that very
hour his prospects began to mend. he
was prepared to win the battle with
his enemies because he had won the
battle with himself.
In 1890 he was nominated and elect
ed governor of Wisconsin. The vic
tory was only personal, however. The
lobby again succeeded in defeating his
principles in the legislature. He re-
newed the fight, ran again for gov
ernor, was elected and won the en-
actment of part of his platform. Still
he was not satisfied, but ran a third
time for the governorship.
This time he notified the reaction
aries that he would fight to the last
ditch for all his principles, the three
most important Of which were state
primary law, equal taxation and a
railroad rate bill. His enemies raised
against him the third term cry and
massed a formidable opposition, led
by the two United States senators,
most Of the congressman and all the
railroads and other corporations in the
state. When the little fighter won
over all Of them the opposition bolted,
held another state convention, elected
a contesting delegation to the national
convention and nominated a state
ticket
Growing Triumph of His Career.
The succeeding fight was the hottest
In the history of Wisconsin politics.
The two senators, of whom the re-
doubtable Spooner was one, were
strong enough to have the La Toilette
delegation thrown out of the national
convention. He went back to Wlscon-
sin, began a vigorous campaign, won
his case In the courts for the legality
Of his ticket and was elected over all
competitors by an overwhelming plu-
rality. 1t was the browning triumph of
his career. He was then chosen to the
senate, but refused to resign the gov
ernorship until all Of his measures had
been enacted into law. The fight had
been going on for more than ten years,
but he had won at every point. With
the signing Of the bill that completed
his legislative programme he laid down
the reins as governor Of Wisconsin and
began his career as United States sena-
tor
AS might have been expected, La Fol-
lette was not welcome to the reigning
''inner circle" Of the upper house. The
senator's from the express companies,
the railroads, the trusts and the spe-
cial interests had little use for one from
the plain people.
Declined to Be a WaIIfloWer.
The new man made his presence felt,
however. from the first. He declined
to be a wallfiower. He had no respect
"a hoN a n
ator serve two years before he could
begin representing his people. He had
not been In his seat long before he pre-
vented the steal of millions of dollars
worth Of government coal lands by the
railroads In Indian Territory. He be-
gan almost at once fighting for an en-
ployers' liability act, shorter hours for
railway employees and physical yalua-
ton of railroads to get rid of the wa
tered stock fraud. He also lent yigor-
GUS support to the rate bill, his speech
being pronounced by students the
ablest of the session. He attacked the
railway mail graft, Despite the at
tempts of the corporation attorneys in
the senate to haze him, he went his
way and did his work. He showed
himself infinitely larger than all the
tribe of those who pretend to serve the
people while hiring themselves to the
peoples enemies.
1t is a matter for supreme thanksgiv-
ing that at last the American people
are learning their true friends. They
are seeing through the masks Of those
who pretend to serve public good, but
in reality serve only private greed
They have seen enough insurance
crookedness, railroad favoritism, brib-
cry, double dealing and joker legisla-
ton to put them on their guard for
evermore against the Industrial pirates
and the political grafters. 1t is men
such as La Toilette who have done
their part toward awakening the pub
lie conscience.
Robert M. La Toilette is one of the
great orators now before the public.