The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1910-09-08

laVOr OIL Tile p0Opl0. Ills Is Gl ue
in every legislative body bat es-
pecially of the Congress Of the
United States.
Money, organized wealth has
attempted to dominate our poll
tical life for many years and in
many cases it has succeeded.
We all recognize our present
condition. We cannot be un-
mindful of the fact that corpor
ate wealth does exercise an un-
due influence upon Legislation,
that often our public servants
are recreant to their trust.
Great corporations boldly pro
coed today in violation of botL
natural and statute laws. Such
statute law as we have they VIC
late and through ways that are
dark they control members OF
Legislatures and the U. S.
Congress and too often prevent
any effectual restrictions upon
their wrongful course. They
are non-partisan in their atten-
tions and bestow their favors
upon Republicans and Demo
Gratis alike. There must be d
wise and judicious control of
these great com binations. Leg
islatiOn must be had to that end
and the laws must be obeyed
The over balancing power Of
wealth upon legislation must not
be tolerated, but we must all of
the time remember that it is not
wealth that must be DESTROYED.
1t is only the corrupt use of it..
Wealth in itself Is harmless.
1t is only the wrong use of it
that is dangerous, and in deal
ing with it there must not be
destruction, but it's fangs by
which it is able to poison the
body polite must be drawn.
And so come to my second
point, and that is that 1T is the duty
of every citizen to become interest
ed in these questions, TO carefully
and industrlously study them and
do his part in solving them. 1t is
the duty of the citizen to study
political questions not only in the
excitement and turmoil of polti-
cal campaign when ones par tianship
is aroused to whitehead. but also
in the calm untroubIed current OF
daily life when the atmosphere is
clear and the confusion gone, when
one can quietly make study of
men and what they have done, aud
form judgment of what they viii.
do in the future.
| do not propose to discuss today
any special forms of legislation to
bring relief, but there are some
things absolutely necessary before
substantial improvement will come
and the first requisite is absolute
and answering honesty in public
life. The boodler, the CRATER, the
bride taker and the bride giver
must be eliminated from political
life and to bring this about our
government must be brought closer
to the people.
This can only be accomplished by
the people themselves taking a
greater interest in their govern
ment. 1t is the duty of every
American citizen if it is humanity
possible for him to do to attend the
primaries tomorrow and vote and
attend every primary and every
election in his district. 1t is his
duty to himself, his duty to his coln
try, his duty to his children to vote
his honest convictions whatever
they may be. haying solely in mind
the best interests of his country.
If man would serve his country
and see it prosper he must even do
more than thai. He must be willing
to make some sacrifice of time and
thought and effort in the politics of
his country. He must be willing If
need be to place the public good
higher than his material welfare.
Is this too much to ask,
When United States Senators are
elected by direct vote of the people,
then we will have a different class of
men in the United States Senate,
men who will legislate for all the
people all the time. While it is not
my purpose today to discuss political
questions from a partisan stand
point, that man is bliEd indeed who
has not observed in our own beloved
state of Wisconsin during the past