The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-05-24
New Jersey Executive Pointed
Out His Objection, 70 Mon
eyed Politics
COMMITTEE LEGISLATION IS
COUNTRY'S GREATEST DANGER
Remedy Lies in Taking the Public
Into the Confidence Of the Corpora.
lions and Making Public Opinion q
Help Instead Of Hinderance.

Minneapolis, May 24.-Gov. Wood
row Wilson addressed the Publicity
club Of this city at luncheon today.
Governor Wilson devoted most Of his
address to q discussion Of the con-
nections between business and legis-
llation, speaking particularly about
the business Interference with legis-
lation which has created some Of the
worst influences In our recent poll
tics. He said in part:
The modern world is, Of course. a
business world. A great many Of the
older and more fundamental ques-
tions Of our politics we regard as
long ago settled. The business Of
politics is nowadays business Of ad-
justment, Of meeting new conditions
as they arise and making law suitable
to our changing life. The most re-
markable and influential changes
that have taken place in recent years
In America have been economic rath-
or than political. Business has bulk
ed larger and larger and has conse-
''Quently been more and more interlac-
cd not only with national policy but
with legislative change throughout
the country
It 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 be In every way flrthered ara
lation. The country has no Jealousy
Of any connection between business
and politics which Is legitimate
connection. It ID not In the least
averse from open efforts to accommo-
date law, b the material development
which hAs - strengthened the. cpun,
try In all that it has undertaken BY
supplying ~ extraord dinary life with
its physical foundation. &
But the illegitimate connections be-
tween business and legislation are
another matter. Every community IL
vaguely aware that the political ma
chine upon which It looks askance
has certain very definite connections
with men who are engaged in busi-
ness on q large scale, and the sus-
picion which attaches to the machine
itself has begun to attach also to
business enterprises just because
these connections are known to ex-
list. II these connections were open
and avowed. IL everybody knew Just
what they involved and Just what
use was being made Of the alliance.
there would be no dif1culty In keep
ing an eye upon affairs and In con-
trolling them by public opinion. But
unfortunately the whole process Of
law-maLing In America is q very OBJ
scure one. There is no highway Of
Ia Snla Han ,hyyt, 4
ways. Parties are, not organized in
such way in our legislatures as to
make any one group Of men avowed-
ly responsible for the course Of legis-
lation. The bills are introduced upon
private initiative, either the Initiative
of individuals outside the legislature
who desire certain changes in the
law for their own convenience or
benefit, or the initiative Of individual
members Of the legislatures them
selves. The whole process Of dis
,cussion, II any discussion at all takes
place, il p.iyate and shut away from
public scrutiny and knowledge. There
are so many circles within circles,
there are so many indirect and pri-
vate ways Of getting at Legislative ac-
ton that our committees are con-
istantly uneasy during legislative ses-
sions.
Machine Power
Il is this confusion and obscurity
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
i force in any legislature which can
itself guide the course Of lawmaking.
There ID 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 In
! PRODUCTION until the time Of it's en-
. ~l.A...ak Il So &ian,aoEossnE iaas. nos.