Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1924-09-24
Results of La Folletteism in Wisconsin

It has always interested the writer
to note that among the most ardent
supporters of La Toilette and, per Sc,
the wisconsin Idea," are the critics
of governmental interference in home
affairs, high taxes, commissions, etc.
And it seems to us that whatever cred
it entails with the wisconsin Idea"
goes to La Toilette as its brain father
and whatever criticism is due it must
be attached to the same source. One
thing goes with the other.
Years ago, when the wisconsin
Idea" was being born, the state was
told it was in the hands of the rail-
roads, the money lenders, and other
brands of predatory wealth who dom
mated the state politically, robbed the
farmer and did all they could to es-
cape taxation, thus throwing the bur-
den on the common people. Some of
these charges were true and some I'M
true.
In those days taxes were light,
communities had home rule and the
right to bargain with utilities. Things
as a rule were cheap. Standards of
living were lower and people spent
less and worked for less. Railroads
charged on the principle what the
traffic will bear" but rates were not
oppressive Commissions and boards
did not exist. Communities felt their
responsibility and ran their own af-
fairs. The result, good or bad, was
their own creation and they put up
with it.
Since the wisconsin Idea" has be-
come firmly established we have an
tax commission, an industrial COM
mission, marketing commission, and
so on. The general rule has been to-
ward Capitalization of power in the
state capitol. Big business has found
it easier to deal with a commission
of five members than with a multitude
of municipalities. The individual in
the community has lost his identity
in government. He is still given
show of authority by being permitted
to vote on occasions. But the result
is so meaningless that he has lost in
terest in government because, ex-
cept to a mild degree, he does not
participate in government. The "Wis-
consin Idea" is essentially paternalis
tic, the handing down of power and
dispensations from above, trickling
from Iu6 IuTOu0, So W SpGdh.
All this in addition to being sub
versive of democracy is ruinously ex-
penSiVe. Taxes have gone to unheard
of proportions. Rates from utilities
have been increased and are maintain
ed. The utilities can do what no pri-
vate business can do: Have their
rates increased when costs are too
stiff We cannot build schoolhouse
or public building without author
ity and supervision from the state.
Virtually no public function escapes
state inspection. High salaried Off
GERS of all kinds abound. We are vir-
tually living in a bureaucracy. We
ask if instead of protecting us the
commission scheme is not used to
exploit us? We do not know but we
suspicion.
The La Toilette supporters cannot
be ignorant of these conditions. They
live in the state along with the rest
of us and share in the burdens. How
can they, when the Wisconsin Idea"
is carried out to it's full flower in the
very sanctuary of La Folletteism rec
oncile his doctrine as blessing?
Some people hold that the increase
of paternalistic power state and ma
tional, the gradual submergence of
the individual and the development of
a costly and complicated form of gov
eminent is a good thing. The Herald
does not think so. We must say what
we think.