Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-10-06


Washington, Oct. 6.-Senator La Fol-
lette today in a spectacular speech be-
fore the senate defied those in this
country who charged him with sedition
and treason. Denouneing the campaign
of libel and character assassination
against men opposing war measures, he
declared "neither the clamor Of the
mob nor the voice of power will turn
me-"
1t was the first time senator ever
replied to so serious a charge Of tho
electorate. In dramatic situations it
ranked with the famous speech of Sen
ator Lorimer, Illinois, May 2S, 1910
when he was charged with buying his
senate seat.
He assailed the "war party" for
Crying to intimidate congress and the
people," and fiercely defended free
speech. He demanded statement OF
war aims.
The galleries were packed and the
senate floor crowded when the Wiseon-
sin solon began his address. At first
he spoke slowly and in deep voice,
scarcely audible. Soon, however, he was
hitting his stride--waving his manu-
script in one hand, pounding on the
desks about him, vigorously reaffirm-
ing his position ON the war.
H'Not by the breadth Of hail" he
shouted, twill / turn from the course
/ marked out for myself, guided by
such knowledge as | can obtain and con-
trolled and directed by a solemn con-
,,iction of right and duty.
'Since the declaration of war the tri-
umphant war party has pursued those
senators and representatives who voted
against war with malicious falsehood
and recklessly libelous attacks, going
10 the extreme limit of charging them
with treason,D La Toilette said.
Newspaper Criticism.
ttT have before me newspaper clip
nings. some of them libels against me
alone, some directed as well against
other senators. One Of these newspaper
reports, most widely circulated, repre-
sents federal judge as saying IN a
charge to grand jurors that certain aus
senators, among whom l haVo
the honor to be included, should Dc
stood up against a wall and given what
they deserve Implying, of course
that we should be shot. If this were q
single or exceptional case of defamation
| should not trouble the senate with q
reference to it.
HI find other senators, accused OK
the highest crimes of which any man
can be guilty-treason and disloyaltys
accused not only with no evidence TO
support the accusation, but without the
that such evidence anywhere
exists.
traitors Not Treated Right
T'But it Is not alone members OF con-
gress the war party in this country has
sought to intimidate. The mandate has
gone forth to the sovereign people that
they must be silent while those things
arc being done by their government
which most vitally concern their we'll
being, their happiness and their lives.
"Today and for weeks past honest
and Iaw-abiding citizens of this country
are being terrorized and outraged IN
their rights by those sworn to uphold
the laws and protect the rights of the
people. have in my possession numer-
Gus affidavits establishing the fact that
people are being mlawfully arrested,
thrown into Jail, held ineommunleado
for days, only to be eventually reIeas-
ed. without ever having been taken m
to court, because they have committed
no crime. Private residences are BENG
invaded, loyal citizens of undoubted IN
tegrity and probity arrested, eross.ex-
amined and the most sacred eonstitu-
tional rights guaranteed to every citizen
are being continually violated.
His View of Loyalty.
fsIt appears to be the purpose OF
those conducting this campaign to throw
the country into a state Of terror, to
coeree public opinion, to stifle criticism
and suppress discussion of the great is
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