The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-02
LAFOLLETTE ST|RS SAGINAW CROWD Completes the First Day in
 Michigan HE DISCUSSES TRUSTS Says He Would Leave Republican Party if He Thought Democratic
 Party Was Better Instru-
 ment-Speeches Today
 
HE DISCUSSES TRUSTS

Saginaw, Mich, January After speak ing at Flint and Bay City during the day, Senator Robert NJ. LaFollette wound up his first days campaign in Michigan fin the interests of his progressive" candi- dacy for the republican nomination for president with an address here tonight. He discussed the trusts and their relation to the tariff, the money trust as the ell max of all and the necessity of returning the government as he said, to the hands of the people. He asked the support of all, republicans and democrats alike, in doing this.
 The Dingley tariff law, he said, by raising the tariffs high enough to elimi- nate foreign competition opened the way for the trusts.
 Alexander Hamilton, Henry Clay and William Mckinley" said Mir. LaFollette, would never have spoken of the tariff as they did If there had been no competi- ton. The standpatter today is the worst enemy of the protective system" He de- clared that few men in Wall street who have no politics but are interested only in business, control the affairs of the country and that the big problem now Is to return control to the people.
 'If I did not believe the republican ting control into the hands of the people," he said, T would leave it. If believed the democratic party was a better instru- ment l would join it. If I thought a new party would be more effective I would form it. But think the republican party is the best instrument there is.
 "There is quite a progressive sentiment all through the north. I don't know of any progressive sentiment or any pro- gressive legislation in the south and the strength of the democratic party is in the south. If this sentiment of the demo- crats of the south were the same as that of the democrats of the north I think It would be as good an instrument as the l republican party.
 "A true American believes in democ- racy. He believes men and women are equal and entitled to an equal chance. But the democratic party of the south Is not by inheritance that sort of organization. All the strength of the party in the south is the aristocracy.
 'The southern democrat despises alike the poor white and the negro and that is not the sentiment that makes for pop ular government"
 Senator I.aF ollette Is scheduled to speak at Oswego, Lansing and Grand Rapidt tomorrow.
 | After his address here tonight Sena- | I aIT fo1d pf ba l taken by the progressive republicans at Columbus today. He refused to read the story of the proceedings, and de- clined to make any comment. Bay City. Mich, January 1.-Robert M. LaFollette addressed a large audience in the National Guard armory here this afternoon. He defined the. progressive movement as standing for a representa- tive government, direct nomination of all officers, direct election of United States senators and for the initiative, ref erendum and recall.
 ''The enormous interests of the coun- try said the senator, 'are a great peril. The vast interests are welded together with powerful strength. The large in-
  ruin to the country in time of depres- sion. Woe unto the honest business en- terprises of the country in time of real storm. The serious penalties cannot be avoided.
 What the country needs is a revision of tariff, new standard. The tariff should be based on the cost of production between this country and abroad. The tariff now is based on the cost of pro- duction plus the enormous profits of the trusts. The government takes the word of the manufacturer"
 Senator LaFollette said that with the Dingly tariff bill to look up to- there was fine feeding for the trusts.
 Prom 1897 to 190O," he continued, "the interests formed 149 trusts with a com bined capital of $3,7S4,000,0o0 for the sole purpose of fixing prices and downing competition. lii 19O0 to l904 S664 organi- zations were brought into combinations with an enormous capital of s2O. 37s. .1s2,- 5ll. In 1908 the number of combined or ganizations had sweled to 10.o2o. capital ized at more than $31 .OOO,o ,ooo, 900. These fig ures do not include the consolidation of banks and trust companies"
 The speaker declared that the entire business interests of the country are to- day controlled oy mere handful of men. less than 100 who have the power to dic- tate prices, both purchasing and selling. He said that he firmly believed the ma jority of the ''standpatters" would soon take the blinkers of and line up with the progressves.'
 He made no reference either to Presi- aent Taft or to Colonel Roosevelt or to hs candidacy for the presidency.