Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-07-10
Comment and Criticism
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

In the passing of Senator Robert
NJ. LaFOllette the United States mas
lost more than picturesque figure
who has many times brought the
United States Senate up standing.
The country has lost a great states
man and public servant who, during
long and arduous career as Con-
gresham, Governor and Senator, gave
of his strength and devotion with a
prodigal hand.
1t ought not be particularly cred
table TO any man to say that he was
incorruptible-all men ought to be
that way. But all men are not and
Senator LaFollette was. And he was
forever hunting down those who were
hostile to public welfare, forever
seeking ways in which to bring new
freedom and new happiness to the
masses of the people.
Senator LaFollette was not a mere
muck-faker' not mere hunter of bad
men and bad measures. He was an
inveterate seeker of remedies for Ill
and evil. But he realized always that
the first job was to drive out the
forces of evil-and at that tremendous
task he was the countfy's most able
public official, beyond doubt.
There will not be agreement as to
IaFollette's political program, but
more than any offering of our time,
his proposals, his political creed, epito-
mixed the desires of those who want
to move forward. His passing brings
a personal sorrow to untold thousands.
There are trusting souls here and
| there who will give Wall Street credit
for being as pure as the driven snow
and who scorn the thought that among
the bankers of the great Manhattan
canyons there is anything but desire
to serve the human race.
Frank X. Kent, the able Washington
correspondent of the Baltimore Sun, Is
not among that class. Just now Kent
is touring the country, trying to find
out for his newspaper what the folks
of the hinterland are thinking about.
He writes to his paper the following
pungent and significant paragraphs:
at is not possible for an obseryant
person to cross the country and talk
with the bankers in the small towns
from 1000 up to $50, 0OO-without
grasping the fact that the great fig
ures in finance not only can reach
when they want every banker and
banking institution from coast to
roast, but in a political campaign, OF
! on a public issue, they not only can
but do reach them with the New York
viewpoint and the New York feeling
as to whether a candidates success
would be for the best interests of bust
ness.
"The propaganda that goes out from
these big (Wal Street, banks is the
most skillful and thoroughly dissem.
mated of any in the country.
The banking machine is, in fact
| the most compact and effective in the
country, and its propaganda is the
most widespread and carefully read.
"What it means is that in any ma
| tiona fight, the banking interests, big
and little, line up with a greater de-
gree of solidity, and consequently with
greater effect than any other class IN
| the country"
The little bank, as Kent says, is TIED
to the big bank, and all manner OF
people are tied to the little bank by
| obligations of one kind or another, OF
out of sheer inability to think that
anything the banker says or does isn't
just gospel truth.
Banks and bankers have their use
full functions, but rulership of the peo.
pie in the interest of banks and great
finance is not among those functions
Somehow democracy must learn to
function for the people without an oil.
| garchy of finance or any other kind
| of oligarchy. There is no use blaming
the bankers for trying, but what shall
be said of the peoDle who let them get