The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-03-01
SENATOR GRONNA
PAYS TRIBUTE
TO La TOILETTE
SAYS HE is MAN OF THE TYPE OF
LINCOLN AND ROOSEVELT
CREDIT FOR REFORMS.
OUTLINES PROGRESSIVE PROGRAM
Business Has Nothing to Fear Should
Wisconsin Senator Be Elected to
Presidency-WouId Make For Indus
trial Peace.
OUTLINES PROGRESSIVE PROGRAM
(By Associated Press.l

Baltimore, Md, March 1.-Prophe-
sying that North Dakota would declare
for Senator La Toilette for president,
Senator A. j.. Gronna before the Au-
GUSTAV Society here last night, paid
a glowing tribute to the Wisconsin
Senator. He sketched the growth OF
Republican "progressiveism" and gave
much of the credit for the movement
to Senator La Toilette who, he said,
was "a man of ability, honor and cour-
age, of the type of Lincoln and Roose-
velt."
Mr. Gronna declared the progressive
movement was not mere factional-
ism," nor that it was engineered by
men seeking personal political ag-
grandizement
Most unbiased Observers he said.
now recognize that the movement is
more than a struggle between party
factions and their leaders, with politi-
cal preferment of past control as the
prize to be won, and that it is move
ment in defense of popular rights and
| in opposition to the control of govern
ment by the great moneyed interests
of the nation"
Predicting that the "stand-patters''
in the Republican party would make
vigorous fight against the adoption of
the basic principle of progressiveism,
Mr.. Gronna outlined them. They in
cluded, he said, the direct primary,
the initiative referendum and recall,
the direct election of all United States
} Senators, corrupt practices act and
/, an income tax. Extension of the re-
call to the judiciary was defended by
the speaker.
There is no reason why the judges
should be exempted from the opera
tion of this principle" he contended.
"If the people have the right to say
what laws shall be enacted, they have
the right to say what those laws mean
; after having been enacted Other
wise the right to make the laws be-
l comes more or less ineffective, as
laws can be nullified in their inter
pretation This applies whether the
laws in question are constitutions or
statutes. If the people have the right
to adopt a constitution they also have
s; the right to have that constitution in
y terpreted in accordance with their
0 understanding of it."
Mr.. Gronna charged that an organ
n lied attempt had been made through
out the country to picture La Toilette
as IAN irresponsible reactionary and
impracticable visionary, whose efforts
would be destructive and not instruc-
n tive
"An examination Of La Follette's
record, however," he said, 'of the laws
the enactment of which he has secured
as governor and as Senator, or whose
St enactment he has urged if not able te
In secure it, ought to convince any can
ar did man that honest legitimate bust
e. ness has nothing to fear from La Fol
r. sette's election to the presidency"
d. La Follette's record as governor o
e, Wisconsin then was taken up by MI
Gronna. who dwelt at considerable
lei 9Th on the formers policy with rel
. efence to the railroads of the state
!: This policy. he said, had resulted in
: complete regulation of railroad rates
. fair alike to the companies and to tn
= shippers. and had established me-
= relationship between the common ca
= riers and the people of the state
: Wisconsin highly beneficial to both.
: Referring to the Wisconsin Sen
= tors tariff views. Mr. sGronna said b
: policy was merely "a tariff equal
/ = the difference in cost of production |
: home and abroad La Toilette,
= said, advocated the establishment
= permanent tariff board to arrive
: this difference. but board modeis
: = ION lines differing from the one no
J = existent.
"a tariff commission" he said. OF
- tContinued on psse four)