Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-08-19
LA FoLLETTE's RECORD

In introducing Senator FalfcnIu
last Friday evening, L. E. McGill
read a newspaper extract containing,
among other things, the following
Give us a man like Fairchfld, who
has done something and can do some
thing" The test indicated is an eX
cellent one, although the particular
application to Fairchild does not ap-
peal to us In politics as in business,
We need men who do things, and III
peared like insuperable Obstacles
To secure the primary law, it was
necessary to smash one Of the strong
est and smOOthest running political
machines ever known. To secure laws
properly taxing and regulating rates
of railroads, it was necessary to cir
cumvent and overcome the influence
of a horde of railroad attorneys and
lobbyists, highly paid by the gigantic
corporations and furnished with UNI
limited sums Of money to be used in
debauching legislators In this fight
the railroads were assisted by the
remnants of the political machine,
which saw here a possible chance, in
combination with the railroads, to re-
gain lost power. Seeing the trend of
things toward reform, the great insur-
ance companies, the brewers and dis
tfllers and other special interests
Joined with the railroads and machine
politicians in an effort to down La
Toilette and block the movement
toward securing a square deal for the
people,
Without a campaign barrel, without
a machine organization, armed only
with a righteous cause and an in
domitable determination, La Toilette
adopted the novel plan of ignoring
the politicians and going direct to the
people. Elected governor in 1900 in
spite of opposition Of the bosses, he
was confronted by a legislation sub
servient to the special interests, and
reform legislation was denied. Again
he went before the people, attacking
those members of the legislature who
had proved recreant to the peoples
interests. From the platform he read
the records of those members who
had voted against reform legislation
effecting the defeat of many of them,
Again triumphantly elected, he found
an assembly which voiced the wishes
of the people, but a senate controlled
by the interests. Some start was
made toward legislating for the peo-
pie, but it was more shadow than
substance. A third time he appealed
to the people, and this time the boss
es and corporations were swept from
their fOrtresses, and a legislature was
secured which passed comprehensive
reform measures, and finally elected
LaFollette to the United States Senate.
His work in that body is briefly
outlined in another column. At the
outset the regular organization, con-
trOlled by the interests, attempted to
ignore aim, giving him no important
committee assignments, and attempt
ing to block every move. However,
he made his presence felt, and after
the session he went before the PEG
pie with his plea for reform, reading
the record of his fellow senators Oh
measures of vital public Importance.
His method took wonderfully we'll
with the voters. and the fossilized
senators began to hear from their
constituents. The habit of investl-
eating the record, introduced and in
stilled by La Toilette, spread far and
wide Magazines and newspapers took
up the search. They dug into the
records of the Aldriches, Platts, De
pews and smaller fry, unearthing
seething mass of corruption and dis
criminatOry legislation. One by one
the old guard dropped from the pol
itical arena, until La Toilette is now
followed by a band of seven senators
ana about four times that many rep
resentatives, all seeking legislation
that will restore the rights of the
people Although small in number,
these so-called Insurgents have al
ready compelled the regular organiza-
ton to concede much in the way OF
reform. While the regulars could
easily outvote the Insurgents, they
feared the publicity of the La Fol
lette method.
Returns from the primaries of Kan
sas, Iowa and other states indicate
that the La Toilette leayen is rapid
ly working. The death roll of the
regulars is growing apace. While it
is too much to hope that the reform
forces will have a majority in the
next Congress, their numbers will be
so augmented that they will be en-
abled to accomplish much good.
In the words quoted by Mr. McGill
with so much JUNCTION, Give us a
man who has done something and can
do something Return La Toilette