Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-11
NORRIS HITS POWER
TRUST IN POLITICS
NebraSkan Paints Dark Pic
ture in Opening Conference
of Progressives Here.
Continued From First Page

TO a great extent on account OF such
promises forgot, after election, the
pledges which they had made and not
only ignored them but frustrated every
attempt which was made by the Pro-
greSsives in the United States Senate to
redeem the pledge and give relief to
labor
we very properly boast of our free
dom and point with pride. to that re-
cent period in our history when we
struck the shackles of slavery from hui
man limbs But organized wealth has
invented a new form of slavery by
which the hands Of labor are man
anled In q new kind of involuntary
Servitude by means of judicial decree.
Charges Corruption.
- Recent Investigations by the Federal
Trade Commission have shown that
those who in the main control the sup
ply Of electricity have organized them
selves into the most gigantic, far
= reaching and comprehensive monopoly
which has ever been devised by the
mind of man. From one end of the
country to the other, from the humble
home in the country to the organized
clements Of society in the towns and
cities, this gigantic trust has secretly
enmeshed its Shiny fingers into the
warp and wool Of human life, and these
natural resources which ought to be
held for all the people are rapidly get
ting under the control OF organized hui
man greed. The people are charged ex-
orbitant prices for electricity which Is
manufactured and comes from the nat
1lral resources which were intended 70
be and which ought to be the common
source of happiness for men and women
4, everywhere, whether 1t be at the low
" fireside, supplying the needs and the
comforts of the individual family, or
whether it be in the mammoth factory
where the countless wheels are kept in
continuous motion by this miraculous
+, element Of modern civilization.
:. 1.-THE secret agents of this trust have
gone into political partnership with the
. lower elements of humanity and have
Undertaken to and in many cases have
succeeded in corrupting public of1cialS.
They have secretly and by unfair and
dishonest means attempted TO build up
a public sentiment all over the country
favor Of their peculiar ideas OF Gov
eminent. The evidence shows that
thew have continuously and unremit-
tinrly watered the stock Of their nu-
perous corporations, paying no atten-
tion whatever to their investments, but
rharrtnr rates based upon false capital
iyations and corrupt methods OF ac-
counting. They have taken part in
. ,uolitics from the school district dlrec-
tor ali the way up through the chan
nels of political activity to and incluo.
inr the presidency. They have spent
-r5ilIions in corrupting and misleading
4 legislatures, regulating commissions,
political parties and all other men and
ORGANISATIONS having 70 do with the so
called regulation Of public utilities.
Wherever It has been possible, they
have contaminated and misled the press
Of the Omitted States. They have done
all this and more, secretly ana under
cover, and the oxpense Of IL AL mas neen
and y being paid Sy those So. VINO s9,a m9s.
trust supplies.
mawwlaAaon Called Failure.
aSF,na ow1iy revenue Of this oombina-
tIea a from the sale Of electricity. 1t
makes fB unhoay Seyy upon al CLASSES
Of eur peopls.
Regulation has proven . failure Pc
-aax,Ea. In too many cases, the regulators
srs rse1IIated by this monopoliStic trust.
T1hIE combination Is now beginning ns
work, tbs purpose Of which Is to control
hath Of the great national party conVen-
. tions. Their attempt IS TO night the
cannpaign on O false issue, about which
/. ti1ey care nothing. but being careful
that the candidates for President In
each Of the parties shall nave tnen
. Viewpoint upon the real issue, wnlcn, 70
thu very best Of their ability, they VIII
keen IN the background, They will con-
tribute 70 both sides and, while the
sham battle is going on, they VIII ceie-
brate In high gIee, knowing that while
, in any case the people viii lose, yet they
are sure to win. If they win, as they
have won in the past, 1t WI De because
they are able TO incite in the minds OF
the people partisan spirit, wnlch VIII
grow ia intensity until the interests OF
the country are made second 70 tne m
.terestS Of the party.
"Partisanship is one of the greatest
evils of q democratic form OF govern
Inent. While parties are perhaps neces-
sary and q limited degree OF party spirit
ia not inirnical TO good government, yet
when the fires Of party spirit are KIN
lied and increased beyond reason con.
- Migration may result ana, as moicateo
In the farewell address OF George MssnI
inRton, consume the very fundamental
PRINCIPLES of government which 1t was
intended 10 warm and keep alive.
Purpose Of Conference.
''Enormous combinations Of wealth
are rapidly gaining control OF all OF our
business institutions and, through the
power OF money, are dangerously near
to the control of our political parties
and through them of the Government
itself. The individual Is not only losing
his initistiye but is rapidly becoming a
tnTsd sYnan for the overgrown corpora
ton. The use Of large sums Of money
IN our elections, unless restrained, Will
soon enRraft the dollar sign upon our
Nafsons Capital. The perpetuity OF
our institutions and the preservation OF
our q yilization demand that the power
Of Wealth shall be curbed IN It's Self1sh
and unholy ambition. The truth, how
ever UNPLEASANT must be taken TO the
people, and when they know the truth
the truth will set them free
These are some Of the questions and
some Of the dificulties which present
themselves 10 q patriotic people. 1t "a
with the hope that this conference may
% o. assistance in meeting these DIM
.---ciIItieS and solving these problems that
: we have extended TO you an invitation
3 TO be present, We want your ADVICE
. The country wants your Judgment
: with these ideas, so weakly expressed
. 8 SIacs the matter in your hands, with
: {lIe nope, with the belief, and with the
: Stsrs conviction that by diSpaSsionate
: sc,e1cal and intelligent consideration ano
: discussion this conference may take 9
Z great step forward in the solution Of
: these troublesome problems which now
= beset and surround US"
: COatigan Discusses Tariff.
Senator Costigan opened the discus
sion Of the tariff, the subject 70 tbs
frst session of the conference. He
: offered eight suggestions for legislation
dealing with the tariff for the con-
: sideration of the conference, as follows
That legislative steps be taken de
: signed to bring about the promp
: reduction Of all important tarih duties
especially on manufactured articles
which are higher than are required b!