The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-23
AWAKENING OF THE WEST.
RaRt Played by the Chautanaua---A New
 Political Power

fs't Played ,., sy shs Ghautaaqua--A New
 a.T URSsr pss. Of o, sa.n Ths
 There is a noticeable insistent undercur. rent in all of these northern Mississippi of and for the peopis-iocai and nationaiIy some influence that the politician cannot control and that he has failed to analyxe is aroused to an independence of @ thousbt @ os,ns sns action that is overriding those political forces and papers that locally have been gamblers street railroads and other local 'tnterests;" that in State campaigns for success. have sold out the peoples Legisia- that nationally have been subservient to great corporations This Independence is being shown in every Mississippi Valley time politician class in all of these States attributes It's inability at this time to get an accurate and definite line on how the people are thinking politically and how they are going to vote.
 It is admitted in all of these states that the elements of political success seem to be eral belief in all of these states was that political success depended on keeping on good terms with the saloons. the brewers, roads-whieh were allowed to control the Legislatures-and the great corporatious trusts and railroads that controlled the sit uation at Washington. All over these States at this time. the people are dissenting from this policy. The record best shows the truth of this statement. ..
 awakening of the people. Tn most of these States the new chautauqua lyceum forum on which these men have been appearing and telling the truth about the influences that have been controlling the people from their own city council to tho Senate nf tho United States, Is the thing that has been contributing most to this awakening and education of the people and to lifting them from their blind partisanship. that has enabled the politicians to deliver them to the enemies of good government. The result of the work that is being done ir this new forum. in which over 1,6oo, 900 people are talked to every year is thet the lost the whip hand. It Is becoming fol- lower with the people--distrustful of that leading. In t all these states new leaders are coming before the people The effect on government Is noticeable. Not only are the people. under La Foliette's leadership. re- tiring men in whom they have lost eonfi- dence from the United States Senate, but men who could get on local and State tick not acceptable today, and in every one of these States the conventions that nominate tickets are being guided more and mors by the question of whether the better eie- ment will stand for this man or not The primary election law is taking the place Of the old convention method. which was so directly under the control of the politician class. and in most Of these States now United States Senators cannot be elected by popular vote. they are being nominated In primaries for election by the dominant political party in the Legislature. The re- suit of all this Is that all of these states are enjoying better government. administer ed by better and freer men than ever in the past.
 People who have not been in touch with what Is going on the Chautauqua lyceuni forum. generally found with a surrounding of corn fields do not rsaiizr the intent in- terest and the awakening of the people. They rae interested in government and men never before An incident at Plattsville, Wis. will indicate their interest. La Fol- iette was billed to appear in the local Chau- tauqua at 1:3o one afternoon. The chairs were filled and people standing. were jam. med into the gent at o'clock His train but they were still there and he talked to them over an hour. and deeply were they interested that he and they ''knocked off long enough for supper and then he talked to this great crowd two or three hours in the evening.
 forum in Iowa and by mistake delivered his Shakespearean lecture. It is one of the masterpieces of the Chautauqua lyceuin platform, but the people had come to hear him in the forum in which they are now studying men and government, and they were dissatisfied and demanded his discussion of live. current questions of gov ernment Nothing, but government and the men who servA them interests the people in this new forum today.