The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-05-24
NEW JERSEY EXECUTIVE
SPEAKS AT MINNEAPOLIS
Says Business interference
With Legislation Creates Bad
Political Influence


Minneapolis Mimi. May ~ 4G0v
I Woodrow Wilson addressed the pub
Hciiy club Of this city al luncheon
today Governor Wilson deyoted
most Of his address to a discussion
Of the connections between business
and legislation, speaking particular
! ly about business interference with
legislation whif has created some
Of the worst ingfN aces In our recent
| politics He SAID In part
The modern world IL, Of course
business world A great many of
the older and more fundamental
questions OF our politics we regard
as long ago settled The business ol
| politics Is nowadays business OF
adjustment Of meeting new condi-
ti0ns al they arise aud making Law
suitable to our changing life The
m0st remarkable and influential
changes that have taken place In
recent years IN America have been
economic rather than political. BUS
iness has builked larger and larger
and has consequently been more and
more interlaced not only 8fth nation
al policy bu with legislative change
throughout the country
'it is perfectly legitimate 81 course
tnat the business interests "a the
country should euioy the protection
of the law not only, bat that theAe
should be ID every way fuffhered
and strengthened and facilitated By
legislation The country has no iealv
ousy OF any connection between bus
ness and politics which Is legiti-
mate connection 1t W not lii the
least ayerse from open efforts To ac-
! eommOdate Jaw 10 the material der
vel0pmeui which has 30 strengthened
I the country h all that /. has under
taken by supplying its extraordinary
4 lte with Its physical foundation,
But This is Different
But the illegitimate connections
between business and legislation are
another matter Every community
/ II vaguely aware that the political
machine upon which II lOGxs askance
has certain very definite eonnecaions
I with men Who age engaged iii bnsl
ness on d large scale, and the suSpi
elon which attaches TO the machine
Itself has begun 20 attach also 70
business enterprises Just because
/ these connections were open and
ay0wed Vi every body kBew just
what they Involved aud Just what
use Was being made of The alliance
/ there Wouid be 10 difficulty Iii keeD.
I ing aa eye upon affairs and til con-
trolling them BY public opinion But
unfortunately the whole process ol
/ law making % America is a very OBJ
scure one There Is no highway 81
legislation but there are many bg
4 ways Parties are not organized IN
such d way ia our LEGISLATURES as ii
make any one group III meu ayOw-
/ eliy responsible Tor the course ol
legislation ibe bills introduced into
cur legislatures are introduced up0n
private initiative. either tbs inltia
/ tive of individuals outside The le1ie-
\ latufe 9h0 desire certain changes
Id the law for their own convenience
er benefit or the initiative as gndl
vidual members 0f the legislatures
themselves Tho whole process d
/ discussion, II private aud shut awaA
from public aenliiny and knowledge
There are ~ many circles within
circles there are 10 many insilFeci
and private eays Df getting at log
islaliye action tha aai communities
aFe constantly uneasy during iegi8
latige sessions