E. L. PHILIPP, LOBBYIST
E. L. Philipp, Lobbyist Stalwart Candidate for Governor NO SOONER had the taxation and direct primary bills been introduced than the looby gathered in Madison in full force. Lobbyists had been...
...Is it true that you ordered-out of the executive office...
...Just how will you pass it...
...It came to be a common thing to have one after another of my friends drop in and say: "Governor, is it true that you have had a row with...
...You know that better than I do...
...They sought to build up in the minds of the people the fear that the executive was controlling the legislative branch of the government...
...Why, I'll take those fellows over to a room in the Park Hotel, close the door and stand them up against the wall...
...The railroads, threatened with the taxation bills, and the bosses, threatened by the direct primary, evidently regarded it as the death struggle...
...They deliberately organized a campaign of abuse and misrepresentation...
...I never saw anything like it...
...This railroad taxation matter—wouldn't you be willing to let that go if you could get your primary bill through...
...The newspapers, controlled by the machine interests, began to print these abusive statements and sent them broadcast...
...Philipp," I said, "you have just driven in and clinched the argument for regulating your rates...
...He moved his chair up close to mine...
...We can meet that all right just by raising rates or by changing a classification here and there...
...AND THIS MAN NOW HAS THE BRASS TO OFFER HIMSELF AS A CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OF WISCONSIN STATE...
...Lobbyists had been there before, but never in such numbers or with such an organization...
...And I will pass it for you, if you will let up on railroad taxation...
...How little they understood...
...And that is the next thing we are going to do...
...They tried to rouse the country people by arguing that it favored the cities...
...Not only were the regular lobbyists in attendance but they made a practice during the entire winter of bringing in delegations of mere or less influential men from all parts of the state, some of whom often remained two or three weeks and brought every sort c" pressure to bear on the members of the legislature...
...there was nothing we could get hold of...
...At first we took no notice of their campaign of misrepresentation, but it grew and grew until it got on the nerves of all of us...
...It did not seem to occur to them that practically every argument they made against the direct primary applied far moi'd sirongjy t.o the old caucus and convention system, But we fought as vigorously as they, and presently it began to appear that we might get some of our measures through...
...he repeated...
...In spite of it all, however, we drove straight ahead...
...But," he argued, "if you can get this primary election bill through you will have done a great thing...
...Philipp," I said, "there is no use in you and me trying to mislead each other...
...Even if they had succeeded in eliminating me, the movement, which is fundamental, would still have swept on...
...No," I said, "these pledges are straight promises...
...they said that city people could get out more readily to primaries than country people...
...It seems incredible, as I look back upon it now, that it could be humanly possible to create such an atmosphere of distrust...
...In so far as anything was said in disparagement of the administration members of the legislature it was that they were sycophants who took their orders every morning from the executive office...
...The most preposterous arguments were advanced...
...How will I pass it...
...The whole fight was centered upon me personally...
...I will help you put it through...
...One night, after the legislature had been in session about two months Emanuel Philipp came to my office...
...And this was Philipp's last interview with me^ —Quoted from "La Follette's Autobiography," beginning page 244...
...They thought that if they could crush me, that would stop the movement...
...No one will know it and we can take back .every cent of increased taxes in rates from the people...
...What good will it do you, anyhow, to increase railroad taxation...
...stories were told of my shameless treatment of members, of my backing them up against the wall of the executive office, shaking my fist in their faces and warning them if they did not pass our bills, I would use all my power to crush them...
...I asked...
...I understand and you understand that the Senate is organized against both the direct primary and taxation bills...
...We felt that we were fighting something in the dark all the while...
...How will I pass it...
...And I'll say to them, 'You vote for the primary election bill!' And they'll vote for it, because I own them, they're mine...
...Their stories were minutely detailed and spread about among the hotels and on railroad trains...
...They said that I had completely lost my head...
...After the bills prepared by the Tax Commission were in, the primary election bill was drafted and redrafted and introduced by E. Ray Stevens of Madison, one of the ablest men ever in public life in Wisconsin, and now a judge of the circuit court of the state...
...They endeavored to give me a reputation for discourtesy and browbeating...
...Now, look here," he said, "you want to pass the primary election bill, don't you...
...They argued that the proposed law was unconstitutional because it interfered with the "right of the people to assemble...
...Extended speeches were made against it, and these were promptly printed and sent broadcast...
...The committee having it in charge at once began a Series of open meetings, and the lobby brought to Madison people from every part of the state to attend the hearings and to protest...
...Well," he said, "now look here...
...It evidently made an impression on the lobby...
Vol. 6 • August 1914 • No. 31
