The Washington herald., 1911-12-28
LA TOILETTE OPENS FIGHT
WITH VITRIOLIC ATTACKS

| Cleveland, Ohio, Dec. 21.-RObert NJ. La
| Toilette, United States Senator from
! Wisconsin. formally launched his boom
| for the Republican Presidential nOmina-
tion in two speeches delivered in this
State to-day. Mr.. La Toilette spoke in
Youngstown this morning on the subject
! of ''Self-government and the trusts" and
he delivered a speech tonight i'm this
| city on The courts and labor combina- =
tiOns." The Youngstown meeting was in
the nature of a progressive jOllfiCation.
Senator Moses +. Clapp. of Minnesota;
Senator Coo ]. Crawford, of South Da-
kOta; Representative George 3. Norris.
Of Nebra ska: Representative Charles w.
Morse. of Wisconsin. and La Toilette
men from many sections of Ohio were
present.
In his speeches to-day Senator La Fol-
lette bitterly arraigned the corporations;
and his remarks. notably at Youngstown,
were critical of the Federal courts Mr..
La Toilette made A bid for the labor
vote Of Cleveland tonight when he made
the assertion that labor organizations
should not be placed under the prOhibi-
tions of the Sherman antitrust law.
Charges DETERMINATIONS.
1T is a curious fact about the enforce
ment of the law" he said that while
the courts have carefully protected in
vestors in trusts against loss in values
the only instance where the extreme pen
atty of threefOld damages has been i'm
posed was in the case of labor organiZa-
ton. The court has gone to the extent of
SGiZing upon the savings Of members of
a labor organization. and has ordered
that these little investments should be
paid over. far as they go, toward
giving the employers three times the
damages that the union had caused to
them. Certainly 1t is very strange that
when the court goes to its furthest limit
in imposing penalties on combinations Of
capital all of the capitalist owners get
away with the full value of their prop
erty. even though the court explicitly
says that the biggest ones committed
crimes in getting it: but when the court
goes to the same limit in enforcing PEN
alties on combinations of labor. II takes
away the homes and small savings of the
guilty members. \ law which treats in
vestOrs as innocent if they form a trust
and guilty if they form a labor union
does not command the respect. nor ap-
peal to the sense OF justice of the Amer
lean people"
Mr.. La Toilette attacked the bank
ing monopoly" declaring that the
greatest menace to competition at the
present time is the control of credit
and the concentration of money in the
hands of those who control the trusts"
He placed himself on record as favor
ing reduction or repeal of the tariff
wherever it fosters unfair competi
ton"
Popular Government at stake.
In beginning his speech at Youngs-
town. Senator La Toilette said: The
great issue before the American peo-
pie to-day is the control of their own
government. In the midst OF political
struggle it is not easy to see the his
tOrical relation of the present progress
sive movement. But it represents a
conflict as old as the history of man
the fight to maintain human liberty
the rights of all the people against
the encroachment of a powerful few.
"A tremendous power has grown up
in the country in recent years. Again
and again it has proven strong enough
to nominate the candidates of both polit-
iCal parties. 1t rules in the organization
of legislative bodies, State and national,
and of the committees which frame leg
islation. Its influence is felt in cabinets
and in the policies of administrations
Its influence is seen in the appointment
Of prosecuting officers and the selection
of judges upon the bench.
I'm business it has crippled or destroy
ed competition. 1t has stihed individual
initiative. 1t has fixed limitations in
the field of production. 1t makes prices
and imposes it's burdens upon the con
Stunning public at will
I'm finance its power is unlimited. In
large affairs it gives or withholds credit,
and from time to time contracts or in
iates the volume of the money required
for the transaction of the business of
the country, regardless of everything ex-
cepting its own profits
Mr.. La Toilette is scheduled to de-
liver speeches at Cleveland, Dayton, and
Cincinnati this week. He will then pro-
ceed to Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana,
returning to Washington on January s.