The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-28
FIRST GUN FIRED
BY | AFOLL TIE
Wisconsin Senator Opens His
Speaking Campaign for
Presidency.
TRUSTS ARE ARRA'GNEO
Tells What Progressives Have
Done and What They
Hone 10 Do
TRUSTS ARE ARRAIGNED

ideas for the cure OF evils resulting
from the present system Of govern
ment.
MIR. La Toilette launched into dis.
cussion of Ebert IL. Gary's plan for
Federal regulation OF prices as n re-
lief from monopoly. Mr.. La Toilette
said he had no patience with this me-
thod. In his analysis no went farther
and said that ultimately the govern
mcnt would have to fix prices of labor
hours of employment and compensa-
ton of original producers in order to
fix accurately the prices to DO offered
the consumers.
Grcut EVIL in Trusts.
Instead of the Gary plan or the Taft
plan of Federal license for lncor-
porations Senator La Toilette propos-
cd his own plan for commission on
restraint of trade to relieve the coun-
try of the condition IN which he finds
1t, The Senator saw grent evil in the
growth OF the trusts, and describing 1T
said:
"A tremendous power has grown
up In the country In recent years.
Again and again II has proven strong
enough to nominate the candidate of
both political parties. 1t rules In the
organization of legislative bodies,
state and national and of the com
nittees which frame legislation. Its
influence is felt In Cabinets and III
tho policies OF administrations. Its
influence Is seen in the appointment,
of prosecuting officers and the selec-
ton of judges upon the bench.
I'm business II has crippled or de-
stroyed competition. 1t has stined in
diridual initiative. It has fixed lin
tations in the field of production 1t
makes prices and imposes It's burdens
upon the consuming public at will.
I'm finance Its power IS unlimited.
In largo affairs It gives or withholds
credit. and from time to time con-
tracts. or initiates the volume of the
money required for the transaction of
the business of the country, regard
less of everything excepting Its own
profits.
1t has acquired large control q
the public domain, monopolized the
natural resources, timber. iron, coal
and oil.
And this mighty power has grown
up in n country where. under tho Con-
stitution and the law. the citizen is
sovereign"
Although Senator La Toilette made
nor suggested his own candidacy. he
included In his speech denunciation
OF the Payne-Aldfch tariff law i'm
mediately following his praise of labor
organizations and his opinion that the
Sherman antitrust law did not con-
template their regulation.
An outrageous Assault.
The passage of the Payne Aldrich
bill WAS the most outrageous assault
of private interest upon the people re-
corded in tarlft history" he said
He criticized the proposed national
reserve association of the Aldrich
monetary plan. The greatest men
ace TO competition at tho present time
is the control of credit and the con-
centration OF money in the hands OF
those who control the trusts" no con-
tauued. Elasticity In our currency Ia
imperative. and must be secured. but
any plan to secure II. like that Of the
proposed national reserve associa-
ton, which puts control In the hands
of the banks and moneyed interests,
Will strengthen the power OF the trusts
to get capital. and to keep competi-
tors from getting It. Any such plan
must be con tro1led by the people II
Is the peoples money that is expected
to give security to any plan. and the
peoples money must not bo controlled
by those who. on the plea OF elacticity
will be able to use 1t to kill competi-
tors OF tho trusts"
Senator La Toilette described the
manner of growth of trusts and mo-
! nopolies and attributed to patent
rights. the tariff laws and the money
trust tho reason for their being.
at any time within the last ten or
| Rfteen years. whenever q voice has
been raised in protest. 1t has been ST.
fenced or discredited as an attack upon
| Honest. unselflsh. patriotic effort to
| awaken the public to an appreciation
of thu dangers threatened by this great
power has heen denounced as the work
Of the demagogue and self-seeker.
Whoever has been conspicuous In any
movement.municipal. State OF ma.
proclaimed dangerous. and wherever
such leader has been ~thoroughgoing
and effective In his work-through a
controlled press. and upon the highest
has bean especially characterized and
the public particularly warned against
him. But finally. the time seems to
sentative citizen admits the gravity Of
people"
Toilette declared. has as It's aim the
restoration Of the government to the
people. THE real cure for the llls OF
democracy Is more democracy" was
one OF his eptgrams
What Struggle Mems.
THAT is what the struggle In Wis
consin. In California, in Ohio and Penn
sylvania. New Hampshire and Kansas,
and In every other State In this Union,
mcans-that government shall DO
brought back to and committed to- the
hands OF the people; that they are
supreme over Legislatures, over gov
| eminent. over Presidents, over Consti-
| tutions, over courts he asserted.
| of Legislative and administrative
| achievement In Wisconsin on the so
called Progressive principle as proof
OF his theory that better government
can be given, the people by restoring
| that function to them.
| The very backbone OF true repre-
sentative government Is the direct par
| ticipation in the affairs OF government
by the people through direct primaries
for the nomination of candidates." no
said. He declared that the old ma
| chine politicians had lost control In
| Wisconsin through this law. He also
| favored the presidential primary sys-
| tenn OF this he said:
1 III there La onA thing mora fhnr nm