The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-24
The New Deal
by Senator Robert M. La Toilette
tFrOm a speech delivered at Fond Du

| Lac, Wis, May l9).
| r EFT us look the facts in the face and take
IL realistic view of the political conditions that
confront us. The leading progreSsives of this
country in 1882 openly advocated the election of
Franklin D. Roosevelt as a Progressive Demo-
GRAFT With the support of progressive and in
dependent voters, he carried Wisconsin and
other states where the Democratic organization
was discredited and feeble minority.
President Roosevelt was nominated and
elected because the people believed him to be
| man who could not be controlled by reaction
aries in his own party nor by selfish and corrupt
| groups that have always sought to manipulate
party machinery in their own interests. During
| the campaign he boldly declared his purpose to
| free the government from control by these
| groups, to restore our natural resources as a
part Of the commonwealth to use the AUTHORITY
of his great Office to create purchasing power in
the handS OF the masses, and to end the system
OF looting and exploitation that had piled up
| dishonest and speculative profits in few hands
| The courage with which he faced a tremendous
task accounts for the confidence and support the
people have given him, notwithstanding mis-
takes, diSappontments and condemnation of
certain policies of his administration
| No one can deny that the principal achieve
ments OF the present administration had their
origin IN years of effort by progreSsives of both
parties and have been accomplished since March
4, 1883, by active cooperation between the
President and progressive senators and repre
sentatives within and without the Democratic
party
Onoer the Hoover administration, the pro-
gressives led the fight to make great wealth nav
taxes to provide federal relief for the victims of
the depression. I have commended from the be-
ginning that it was unfair to place the burden
OF this emergency upon farmers and horoo
owners VINO pay the local taxes The relief af
loroed has not been adequate But there would
nave peen no relief whatever no civil works no
PUBIC works program, and no serious effort tn
make wealth pay its share of the costs of this
emergency had not the progressive hlazed +bo
trail for nearly three years before the adrniris
tration came to power.
ME Democratic congress recently passed a..
u revenue bill which would have o11oT,oS
| WeaIChy taxpayers to escape the burdens of tbic
oppression had not the progressives forced ac-
Clon 10 increase taxes upon those best able tn
pay. ""Ae "
IL was the long struggle waged by the
progreSSlVes under the leadership of Senator
tn w. MOTIFS OF Nebraska, which prevented
Che lease OF Muscle Shoals years ago to private
power interests. 1t is being used today to force
reaucClonS IN electric rates throughout the
iLIooIe west and south. The Tennessee valley
is being developed in an effort to solve the
economic problems of great section of the
| 0SoRA"O 00Wpr
trust on reactionaries in key positions in both
parties. "O'--
those Who control the Republican machine
are SO bankrupt of ideas that they cry for
restoration of the policies which helped to
produce the depression. They lack faith in the
clCzens OF the United States They are the
only important group which believes the Aneri-
can people can be induced to give up free insti-
buttons for Communism, FasciSm or tyranny in
any other form.
The same reactionary interests which domi-
nate the Republican party are now reaching
OUT Tor control OF the Democratic party through
Cne state and congressional elections of 1884
They will have their candidates in the pr-
marles, masquerading as supporters of Presi-
dent Roosevelt and hiding under the cloak of
his popularity They have already crept into the
machinery Of the party in many of the states.
DEMOCRATIC administrations in one state
- after another have made barter of public
patronage to build political machines ano
4 checked the advance made under progressive
leadership by placing the emphasis upon party
regularity rather than upon genuine service tc
the people.
The same interests which seized upon the ma
lions distress to pyramid their profits when
woodrow Wilson led this country into the World
war, are determined to gain every advantage
they can out of the present emergency
1hoSe who have gathered the ownership OF
the wealth of the United States into their own
hands have actually grown in power through
the wholesale conflscation of homes, farms, and
small business in the last five years. Their stake
IN the control of government is greater than it
| was in 1929
The promise of the administration at Wash
lngton will surely be blasted if the campaign this
year results in the election of enough reaction
aries IN either party, to combine and again be-
tray The peoples government to the forces that
ruled it for generation and plunged us into
tnls depression The interests that seized control
OF our resources and coniscated the savings of
a nation will not abdicate or retire without a
struggle They are fighting for their existence
today and they will be quick to take advantage
| OF any mistake of the President or the CONGRESS
] and SION of anath1 ILL., .-.~..,- 49,