The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1913-11-14
Senator LaF gillette.

audience IN Union City at Keynolus
Theatre Tuesday night. Judge Swiggart
introduced the speaker as a great COM
moner and a great man. His sub
5ect was Representative Government. :
He opened by quoting from Washing
Ton, from jefferson and even from Mad
ison to prove the principles Of democ-
racy. Senator LaFoIlette is a Repub-
Iican in his party alignment, but a
democrat in principle with a small d..
Washington declaration was the right
Of the people to have the kind OF gov
eminent they want. Most everyone is
familiar with Jefferson's utterances, and
the speaker concluded that either these
principles are best or not as good as a
benevolent despotism. He started with
the Reyolutionists to show that without
an army, without money, without recog-
milton they, the best manhood and in
telIigence OF the human race, fought
for the principles OF freedom, they
fought for individual rights, individual
sovereignty. Fifty years later the French
political economist Tocqueville came
over to see what progress we were max
ing. to find out how democratic instltu-
tions Jared in this country. His report
was a volume OF the best work IN the
history of governments, a commentary
favorable to the American republic.
Fifty years more and the English his
toriau, Mr. Bryce, came over to lnvestl-
gate our system. He entered the COM
mittee rooms, visited the State assem-
blies and saw the secret work therein.
His report, was also written volume,
but how different. Men interested In
private monopoly had secured seats in
Congress. There was what is termed a
lobby; corruption and intrigue was prev
alent around the public places in Wash
ington, and the government Of the peo-
ple was tainted. There we've, OF course,
some honest men in Congress. Fifty
years more, that was, and what change
from the independence and patriotism
OF the forefathers. Chief Justices
Brewer and Brown, before death took
them from the highest tribunal OF Amer
ica, gave utterance to the danger that
was menacing our government IN the
control Of legislation by the insidious
power OF monopoly.
But the speaker had only time to
touch on these points, and he wen
back to start parallel on the history
of business. America was the country
Of business as well as political freedom
Man could enjoy any pursuit at his owl
discretion, and capital was easily fount
for individual enterprise. Business grew
and soon the opportunities OF mining
and industry were opened. Stock com
panies were organized, and each shar'
OF stock was represented in the manage
ment OF these enterprises What next
Imagine wooden mill monopoly TO
illustration with, say Morgan as presl
dent Of one of twelve corporations
They are manufacturing woolens Will
twenty-three per cent pure wool. Com
petition compels them all to keep u
the grade, but comes along Morgan ant
calls the directors Of the twelve factorie
for joint conference. He propose
that the per centage Of wool in tn
cloth be reduced to ten, and that !
they will all agree much more none.
can be made by the combination. Blu
il not one cannot sell low grade woo
unless the other does. So was organ
lied the first trust, and the talons 9
this great overwhelming evil are eatin
the vitals OF our government and enslay
ing our people. Mr.. LaFollette sal
that he is giving his life to the work
restoring the government to the peopl
and he hoped that Almighty God woul
give him fifteen or twenty years NOR
for this purpose.
Mr.. LaFollette related to the aud
ance the manner in which he studio
the process OF interlocking directories
He applied at the Congressional Librar
for record OF the, New York City q
rectorates and for directories OF th
same nature in other cities and into
cart load Of these books he delved unit
the problem presented itself. In Ne
York City the directors Of the big co
porations in al numbered 96. IT
names Of these 90 men appeared
different corporations and to his su
prise many OF the names appeared
nearly ali OF the corporations In ia
the names appeared almost the same
every one. He was acquainted VII
some Of the men and knew that the
IA 80 hava means enough to acQui