The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-05-24
Says Present System Has Made
Corruption Possible. Public
ity Also Great CorreC-
tive Force
NEED LEGISLATIVE LEADERS
In Address at Minneapolis Today,
Woodrow Wilson States that OBJ
sourity of Legislative Methods
is Much To Blame.

Minneapolis Mimi, May 24.-Gov
Woodrow Wilson addressed the Pub
licity club of this city at luncheon to-
day. Governor Wilson devoted most
of his address to discussion of the
connections between business and leg
islation. speaking particularly about
erywhere the holiday was made on ac-
tion which has created some of the
worst influences I'm our recent politics.
He said I'm part:
1T Is perfectly legitimate, of course,
that the business interests of the coun-
try should enjoy the protection of the
law not only. but that they should be
in every way furthered and strength
ened and facilitated by legislation.
The country has no jealousy of any
connection between business and poli-
tics which Is a legitimate connections
1t is not i'm the least averse from open
efforts to accommodate law to the ma
terial development which has so
strengthened the country in all that it
has undertaken by supplying its extra
ordinary life with it's physical founda-
tion.
Legislation Lacks Leadership.
But the illegitimate connections be
tween business and legislation are an
other matter. Every community is
vaguely aware that the political ma
chine upon which ii looks askance has
certain very definite connections with
men who are engaged I'm business on
a large scale, and the suspicion which
attaches to the machine itself has be-
gun to attach also to business enter
priscs just because these connections
are known to exist. III these connec-
tions were open and avowed if every
body knew just what they involved
and just what use was being made of
the alliance. there would be no difB-
Guilty In keeping an eye upon affairs
and i'm controlling them by public
opinion. But unfortunately the whole
process of law making in America is
a very obscure one.
Privacy Also To Blame.
ut is this confusion and obscurity
and privacy of our legislative method
that gives the political machine it's
opportunity. Apparently nothing but
the political machine can bring order
force in any legislature which can
itself guide the course of lawmaking.
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 it's enactment.
1t has. therefore, been possible for an
outside force-the political machine,
the body of men who nominated the
legislators and who conducted the con-
test for their election, to assume the
role of control.
Tariff Good Illustration.
"One of the best instances that could
be cited is the whole disappointing
business of our legislation with regard
TO import duties. The tariff has been
the most prolific source of the corrupt
of business with politics
that the experience of the country has
afforded. Almost every kind of bust
ness is affected directly or indirectly
by the tariff laws and 1t has in recent
years become notorious that the sche-
dulles of the tariff were arranged by the
Ways and Means Committee of the
House of Representatives and the FL
nance Committee of the Senate with "A
very tender regard for particular busi-
ness interests.
Solution Is Publicity.
"The country has definitely made up
its mind that IL will get at the root
OF this matter and of all other matters
like II. and that IL will break up this
alliance. Leading business men are
now becoming great factors in the
of the country from a
system which was leading from bad
to worse. There are those. of course.
who are welded to the old ways and
who will stand out for them to the
last. but they will sink into a minority
and be overcome. They have found
that their old excuse that ft was ne
To defend themselves against
unfair legislation Is no longer a good
excuse. that there is a better way of
defending themselves than through the
private use of money. and that is to
take the public into their confidenoed
10 make absolutely open all their deal
Ings with legislative bodies and legis-
Iative officers. and let the public Judge
as between them and those with whom
they are dealing in the field of poll
tics"
Would Simplify Politics.
"This discovery on their part of what
ought to have been obvious all along
points out the way Of reform. for un-
publicity comes very near
being the cure-all for political and eco