Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-24
GOVERNOR WOODROW WILSON
DISCUSSES PARTIES AND LEG.
IsLATIoN.
SYSTEM AND NOT PARTIES
TO BLAME FOR CORRUPTION
Machines" Defended as Necessary
Evil to Maintain Political orsaniza-
tions-Intsrests Naturally Turn to
Machine When Legislation 10 Desired
Wilson Speaks at Minneapolis

Woodrow Wilson addressed the Pub
licity Club Of this city at luncheon to-
day Governor Wilson devoted most
of his address to a discussion OF the
connections between business and leg
islation, speaking particularly ABOUT
the business interference with leg1sla-
ton which has created some OF the
worst influences In our recent POLITICS.
He said in part:
"The modern world is, OF course.
business world. A great many OF the
older and more fundamental questions
of our politics we regard as long ago
settled. The business OF politics Is
nowadays a business Of adjustment, OF
meeting new conditions as they arise
and making law suitable to our chang
ing life The most remarkable and
influential changes that have taken
place in recent years In America nave
been economic rather than pontlcal.
Business has bulked larger and larger
and has consequently been more aHc
more interlaced not only with ma
tional policy but with legislative
change turnout the country.
TT Is perfectly legitimate, OF course
that the business interests of the
country should enjoy the protection OF
the law not only, but that they should
bs in every way furthered ana
strengthened and facilitated by legis-
lation. The country has no Jealousy
Of any connection between business
and politics which is a legitimate con-
nection. It il not in the least averse
from open efforts to accommodate law
to the material development which
has so strengthened the country IN
all that it has undertaken by supply
ing its Extraordinary life with its
physical foundation.
The Political Machine.
"But the illegitimate connections be-
TIVE zen business and legislation are an
other matter. Every community Is
vaguely aware that the political ma
chine upon which it looks aslcance has
certain very definite connections with
men who are engaged in business on
large scale. and the suspicion winch
attaches to the machine itself has pc
gun to attach also to business enter
p.ises 1ust because these connections
are known to exist. If these connec-
tons were open and avowed, II every
body knew just what they involved
and 1,1st what use was being made OF
the alliance, there would be no dill
Guilty in keeping an eye upon ana1rs
and in controlling them by public
opinion. But unfortunately the whole
process OF Iaw-making in America Is
a very obscure one There Is no high
way Of legislation. but there are many
by-vays. Parties are not organized
in such way in our legislatures as
to make any one group OF men avow-
eddy responsible for the course OF
Legislation. The bills introduced into
our legislatures are introduced upon
private initiative. either the initiative
of individuals outside the legislature
who desire certain changes IN the IA"
for their own convenience or benefit.
or the initiative Of individual mem
bers Of the legislatures themselves.
The whole process OF discussion, If
any discussion at all takes place, Is
private and shut away from public
scrutiny and knowledge. There are
so many circles within circles. there
are so many indirect and private ways
of getting at legislative action that
our communities are constantly I'M
| easy during legislative sessions.
Too Much Privacy.
SIT is this confusion and obscur1ty
and privacy Of our legislative method
that gives the political machine Its
opportunity. Apparently nothing but
the political machine can bring order
out Of the chaos. There is no central
force in any legislature which can
itself guide the course OF lawmak1ng.
There is no publicly responsible man
or group of men who are known to
formulate legislation and to take
charge Of It from the time Of Its intro
duction until the time OF Its enact
meat. It has, therefore, been possible
for an outside force-the political ma
chine the body Of men who nominated
the LEGISLATORS and who conducted the
contest for their election. to assume
the role OF control Business men
who desired something done by way
OF changing the law under which they
were acting or who wished TO prevent
legislation which seemed to them 70
| threaten their own interests, nave
known that there was this definite
/ body Of persons to resort to, ana they
have made terms with them. Ihey
have agreed to supply them VIII
money for campaign expenses ana 70
stand by them in all other cases where
| money was necessary II In return they
1 might resort to them for protection OF
for resistance In matters Of legisla-
1 lion. knGI0 IdV0 UVSA sAaAASS
was q matter Of no surprise to US to
learn that legislatures looked to q GER
tain man who was not even member
! Of their body for the Instructions al
to what they were to do with partic-
ular laws, and we have become Gym
ically accustomed to the presumption
that the instructions they received
were received after the majority had
| conferred with those who were back
ing him and assisting him in the bust
ness world
| Ind,seriminats Blame Unjust.
| ut 10 not altogether Just to indulge
IN indiscrimiuate blame for this state
OF AFFAIRS: our legislatures being al
loose ends. nobody in particular heine
Irresponsible, 1t was natural not TO say
inevitable, that some sort OF control
should spring up. The machine. which
was the center Of party organisation
was the natural instrument Of control
and men who had buSlnesS INTEREST,"
to promote naturally resorted TO thu
body which exercised the control
i There need have; bean nothing sinister
i about this. &c tie whole matter i1A<
i - open ana cAndid and honest, pub.
~ IN '.zgnsd not hsvs csntsfst