The Detroit times., 1911-11-22
HONEST BUSINESS IS
PROSPEROUS IN SENATOR
LAFOllETTPS STATE
Wisconsin Statesman Has No
Fight on Big Business When
1t Follows Proper Course.
PASSES ARE FORBIDDEN.
Railroads Must Go Before Legis-
lature and Present De-
mands in the Open.
PASSES ARE FORBIDDEN
BY HERBERT QUICK.
.dltor of Farm and Fireside.

Editor Of Farm and Fireside.
The biggest piece OF railway con-
struction In the United States for dec
AIDES is the Chicago, Milwaukee IL
Puget Sound railway extending from
the twin cities of Minneapolis and St
Paul on the east to the twin cities OF
Seattle aud Tacoma on the west.
II was finished only a short time
ago. II Is part OF the great ST
Paul system, which has Its home
Office in Milwaukee. And thereby
hands tale of LaFollette and LaFol-
letteism--a tale which shows how La
Toilette hurts business"
When the ST. Paul wanted TO start
this gigantic piece OF work. II need
cd some changes in the laws OF It's
home state TO permit the great bond
and stock operations OF the new line.
And it's home state was Wisconsin.
Once Wisconsin had been just about
run by the railways. but their reign
was over Wisconsin was in the Tell
clutch OF LaFollette. The law Tor
bade gaining the goodwill OF legislat-
ors by passes Another law Larol-
lette had put on the statute books
made 1t unhealthy for lobbyist TO
hand around the capitol. without
passes and lobbyists how could rail-
road get the laws il needed?
Burton Hanson, general solicitor or
the ST. Paul system, saw a state ON
Ger whom he knew and laid the case
before him. What can | do?' ne
uleaded What can | do
Well" said the LaFollette man,
III you have a good case why don
you go before the legislature man 10
man. and ask what you want?'
Such thing never seems to nave
occurred to the general solicitor but
really why not? 1t was a business
matter concerning the state. why
use Influence" or lobby about as
II II were a crime? Why not be fair
and open?
Doubtless the railway people re-
membered many reasons why the La
Toilette people should make tnelr
way hard. Had not the railways al
ways made common cause with every
corrupt influence in the state TO beat
I.aFollette? Had they not brioed
away his delegates and fought MIN In
the struggle for direct primariesT
Had there been single arrow In the
uuiver OF corrupt politics and bitter
partisanship that they had not shot
AT LaFollette for IL years? And was
not LaFollette demagogue2 What
better chance for a demagogue than
10. take the field against the big rail-
way? A demagogue could say that
tbis was a predatory move by the rail-
way trust. and make capital FOR him.
aa,f nv opposing It. Or, II corrupt,
the L.aFollette politicians might make
the railway pay big price for what
II asked.
Hanson went before the legislature,
And without any lobby, or any money,
or any passes. or any favors ne got
what he waned.
Special Favors Go Out.
Jare's the lesson in this for the
ration: When LaFolletteism comes
In special fayors go out. Enemies
gat a fair deal IL what they want is
right arellette- being a great con-
structive statesman, fought the rall-
ways tooth and nail when they were
wrong-as they were in the ant-pass'
the primary, and the tax lights; put
the state government OF Wiscon SIN
does not remember these Things In
its official action. II Is too big ana
too great to be grateful
One of the first fights the senator
had 70 make against Big Business was
for equality OF taxation. The rail.
roads and other public utilities paid
licenses which relieved them of their
inst share of taxes as compared with
other property. II is so still In most
states.
But. thanks TO IaFollette. II is so
no longer in Wisconsin After beat
ing the enemy in the anti-pass, anti
lobby and primary struggles, LaFol-
lette put through tax commission
law under which these public utility
properties are made to pay taxes at
the same rate according TO their val
ues as farms and homes.
This to Wisconsin people does not
seem revolutionary in any bad sense.
In 1899 the railroads fot of by pay |
y,tIIfOn dollars wear