Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-19
The Senator's Adrdess

New York. Sept. Ex-senator Rob-
ert NJ. LaFollette, in Madison Square
Garden onight. told the first audience
he has addressed since announcing
his candidacy for president that he
did not intend to be diverted from
the discussion Of the vital economic
issues of the campaign by the fool
ish and preposterous assertions Of
our opponents that in some way we
as progressives desire to weaken or
impair the provisions Of the consti-
tuition of the United States relating
to the federal courts
Raps Old Parties
He made this declaration after as
sailing the policies and the candi-
dates of the Republican and Demo-
cratic Parties. which re asserted are
as alike as two peas In pod, and
continued:
Il propose to keep in the fore
ground Of the discussion throughout
this campaign the record of the two
old parties in recent years and the
policies inaugurated by them under
which the railways and other cor
porations have made larger profits
than ever before in their peacetime
history during the same length OF
time while labor and the small BUSH
ness men have eked out a bare exis-
tcnce and the farmers have been
driven into bankruptcy by the hum
dreds Of thousands and the loss in
value of farm lands and farm pro-
ducts has exceeded forty billions OF
dollars"
critieizes Coolidge
Senator Lafollette discussed the
record of the Harding Coolidge ad-
ministration, the acts of which, he
contended. must be judged as a
whole" and declared that President
Coolidge knew every act and policy
Of the last administration because he
was a participant in their formula
ton" He referred to John w. Davis
as a certain distinguished lawyer
now running for president and try
ing to get the people to forget his
former clients" who blocked" eff
forts of the public to bring about a
reduction In telephone rates in New
York.
Declaring that parties and can
didates should be judged on their re-
cords and not on pre- election prom
ises," the Wisconsin senator contin-
ued:
1.-THE best that the Republican
Party, for example. can offer with
its present candidate, is four years
more of missovernment such as We
have witnessed during the last four
years--the same controY by powerful
private interests, the same cynical
bestowal Of special privileges on the
favored few. the same shameful be-
trayals Of the public trust.
by an extraordinary procedure
adopted at the beginning of President
Hardings administration. the vice pres
ident was made a member Of the pres.
idsnt's cabinet so that he might not
only be fully Informed Of every policy
and action. but so that he might also
give his counsel and advice.
Orgy Of Corruption
''But even il the then vice president
had not as a member of the cabinet
participated in the making of policies,
It would have made little difference. All
that was necessary in Washington dur
ing the last four years was the posses
sion OF fairly good hearing to gain
the knowledge that q monstrous orgy
Of corruption was taking place.
2 "A man might have been blind a man
might have been dumb. but IL he still
retain his sense of hearing he would
have learned from trustworthy sources
that the department of justice was q
nest OF corruption. that the depart
ment Of the interior under Secretary
Fail was bartering away the nations
resources, and that almost every de-
partlnent was honeycombed with cor
ruptton. 1t was heard In the corri-
doris Of the Capitol. in committee
rooms, in banks and in business
houses. There was no escape. 1t was
every where
what He Started
II had no private sources OF fnfor-