THE LEOPARD'S SPOTS
The Leopard's Spots THE primary vote was small. The Progressive Republicans divided among five candidates. This enabled the Standpat Republicans to nominate Philipp with a minority of only about...
...new depots, and better seating capacity both on trains and at stations have been ordered...
...wouldn't you be willing to let that go, if you could get this primary bill through...
...It has protected the people of Wisconsin against proposed increases in railroad and utility rates by denying applications for increase aggregating $1,500,000...
...An additional saving of $800,000 annually was involved in the passenger rate cases with which the Commission should be credited...
...But the railroads continued the practice, and their partners in crime, the big shippers of Wisconsin, joined with the...
...If brought down to date it would show an even more remarkable record of valuable services to the public...
...In either case a letter or postal card is addressed to the Commission...
...I will help you put it through...
...That note will be found on page 597, the "American Magazine" of March, 1912, jn the following words: "This is not all that Mr...
...It may have been ordained that the joining of the Progressive element in the two old parties should be first demonstrated in Wisconsin...
...Can they forget the hard campaigns which some of us made pleading for support and co-operation for the election of a legislature which would aid in enacting a law establishing a commission to correct these conditions...
...It responds to the simplest appeal made in the most informal manner...
...Under the old caucus and convention system, the skilled manipulator could ALWAYS make the minority win...
...These are samples of the kind of requests that come every day to the Railroad Commission which lead to investigations and orders to remedy the defects or irregularities...
...I publish the full conversation at this time because Philipp and his record are an issue before the people of Wisconsin at this time...
...The Commission aids the citizen to meet the everyday problems of dealing with public service corporations...
...Its decisions have been accepted in all but thirty cases which were appealed to the courts, and in no rate case or municipal purchase case has the Commission been reversed...
...The Commission seems to have put an end to discriminations...
...And I will say to them 'You------ ------ ------, you vote for the primary election bill.' That's how I will do it...
...These conspirators feared a strong Commission backed by the aggressive spirit then moving the people, would put an end to their graft with the railroads so harmful to the state and ruinous to honest competitors...
...But because he was not TECHNICALLY guilty of violating the law as President of the Union Refrigerator Transit Company, even though he was guilty of such violation as Vice President of the Northern Refrigerator Transit Company, Philipp secured a judgment for $15,000 against "McClures...
...I have had a telephone in my office for ten years and have been paying $18 a year for a maximum of 600 calls...
...If you can do anything for us we will appreciate it very much.'' "I am taking water from the water company on a flat rate basis...
...He has persistently refused to support Progressive Republican candidates nominated by overwhelming majorities under the law, because they were not Standpat Republicans...
...The man who was most effective in delaying the reform of these abuses...
...The condition is certainly right for it in our state...
...The telephone company now insists that I sign a new contract giving 1,000 calls a year at $50...
...The progressive candidate for governor of Wisconsin in this campaign is John J. Blaine of Boscobel...
...We can meet that all right by just changing the classifications here and there...
...His ideals of public service are reflected in his work as a lobbyist and in what he said to me that night in the Executive Office...
...Let no man be misled by the smooth catch phrases of platform or campaign speeches...
...This report shows that: The Commission has jurisdiction over 50 railroads, 31 street railways, 194 water plants, 693 telephone plants, 15 heating plants, 4 telegraph utilities, 6 express companies, 55 gas plants and 271 electric plants...
...It has appeared for Wisconsin shippers before the Interstate Commerce Commission in cases involving hundreds of thousands of dollars to our people...
...It presents to the Commission at Washington annually an average of at least fifty matters of special interest to Wisconsin shippers...
...This was a mistake...
...But," he argued, "if you can get this primary election bill through, you will have done a great thing...
...Please look into this matter and see if we are not entitled to better service...
...In the meantime the editor of that magazine had become editor of the "American Magazine" and had secured publication of my Autobiography serially...
...Because of his experience with Philipp, he urged omission of portions of the conversation which Philipp had with me in the Exeputive office...
...I publish now for the first time ALL of the conversation between Philipp and myself in the last interview which took place between us...
...Murphy came in and informed me that Philipp wished to see me...
...You know," I continued, "that a majority of the Senate is dead opposed to the primary bill...
...railroads in fighting the establishment of a Railroad Commission in this state...
...Again and again the power of the lobby won over members of the legislature to violate their obligations to their constituents and to defeat this legislation...
...The Leopard's Spots THE primary vote was small...
...Philipp, as Vice President of the Northern Refrigerator Transit Company, which rented its cars from Philipp's other company, the Union Refrigerator Transit Company, had received rebates...
...Philipp said裕HE EDITOR...
...Why, I will take those fellows over to a room in the Park Hotel...
...This insured competitive shipping points, competitive markets, competitive buying...
...Nothing has done more for the development of the state and all its industries uniformly and impartially than the abolition of secret rates and rebates...
...His election will mean that government in Wisconsin will be held true to the principles repeatedly affirmed by overwhelming votes for more than a decade...
...If the result be accepted, it involves a complete reversal of the established policy in state government which the people have confirmed at every election for fourteen years by votes nearly doubling the total vote cast at this primary...
...He seeks the office of Governor...
...Dangerous railroad crossings have been elevated or equipped with warning bells...
...The matter may be too small to warrant the employment of an attorney...
...The federal government made it a crime...
...Philipp," I said, "there is no use of you and I trying to mislead each other about the situation here...
...I will close the door and stand them up against the wall...
...Immediately he made known the object of his call...
...The reactionaries of the two old parties have secured control on a fluke...
...He entered the room, and moved a chair up close to mine...
...It sums up the work of this Commission from the time it was established in 1905 until 1913...
...It has given consideration to 7,660 complaints, all of which were disposed of...
...There is no longer any cause to complain that the humblest citizen of Wisconsin cannot secure justice in case of controversy with a railroad company or any other public service corporation...
...unsafe construction and operation of railroad bridges, power lines, water works and other public utility plants have been examined into and corrected...
...During all the time I have had a telephone I have not used more than the maximum number of calls allowed a month, except two or three times...
...Again and again the legislature was elected and pledged...
...Blaine's candidacy offers an opportunity to the progressive voters of this state to elect a governor...
...Can they forget the wrongs they suffered at the hands of these unregulated railroads and public utilities...
...Murphy, my private secretary, was at his desk in the outer office talking with Assemblyman Hall...
...And that's the next thing we are going to do...
...What I want to know is whether I must accept this additional service that I do not need...
...If progressives vote their convictions, they will vote for a progressive...
...When the Commission was established, the railroads of Wisconsin were giving special advantages in rates, secret commissions and rebates to favored places and shippers, who prospered and grew rich while neighbors and competitors lost ground and often were driven to the wall...
...It secured a 20 per cent reduction in interstate cheese rates...
...Can the people of Wisconsin forget that this Commission was established as the result of one of the hardest battles ever fought...
...They are tied fast to their tickets which divided them and, for the first time in many years, prevents their helping each other...
...The railroad preferred to build up concentration shipping points and a few big shippers...
...And they'll vote for it, because------ ------'em, I own them,用aid for them,葉hey're mine...
...It should still be possible to correct the result...
...If, through complications in a particular election it manifestly fails, public interest should not be permitted to suffer...
...The primary was adopted in the hope of securing an expression of the majority by direct vote...
...I frequently travel between 'A' and 'B' and the trains on the 'C' road frequently pull out just as the train on the 'D' is coming in, and I have to drive or wait four hours for another train...
...how will I pass it...
...How will I pass it," he repeated...
...E. L. Philipp has been for fourteen years the arch enemy of every reform against corporate wrong which we have enacted in Wisconsin...
...investigates the case, issues its orders through the Commission, and justice is done...
...We have asked the lighting company several times to connect us to their main line which is about two blocks away, but as yet they have not done so, and furthermore it looks as though they do not intend to...
...The leopard does not change his spots...
...Well," he said, "now look here,葉his railroad taxation matter...
...Remember how Stalwart legislators violated the strongest platform pledges in 1900, 1902, and 1904...
...I want to have a meter installed...
...The state was interested in building up every town, according to its natural advantages, and in giving every shipper an equal chance...
...I finally consented to such omission, provided that the magazine should publish at the end of the conversation as detailed, an editorial note, explaining that portions had been omitted...
...The company is willing, but insists that I pay for the meter...
...The editor of the "American Magazine" was editor of "McClure's Magazine" when Philipp sued the latter for libel on the ground that it had published in substance that Philipp, President of the Union Refrigerator Transit Company and his company had received rebates from the Chicago, Milwaukee & St...
...Blaine should be elected...
...Do I have to do this...
...It has reduced utility rates at least $500,000 per annum, and made an additional saving of $125,000 every year to consumers by standardizing the services of the gas and electric light companies...
...I asked him to show him in...
...Shall Wisconsin shame itself before the country by electing as Governor a man who boasted of his power over members of the legislature, declaring, "I own them用aid for them葉hey're mine...
...We have been having a good deal of trouble lately to get connections...
...Philipp," I said, "you have just driven in and clinched the argument for regulating your rates...
...It may be so large that the citizen cannot think of assuming the burden and risk of a fight with a great corporation...
...What good will it do you anyhow to increase the railroad taxation," he added...
...Certain it is that Emanuel Philipp will have no just cause for complaint...
...the man who was most skillful and most adroit in handling members of the legislature was Emanuel Philipp, railroad lobbyist...
...One night about two months after the legislature had convened in 1901, I was sitting at my desk in the Governor's private office...
...His mouth is closed...
...The Railroad Commission of Wisconsin and Emanuel L. Philipp A REPORT of the Railroad Commission of Wisconsin is before me...
...Special rates to favorites, secret commissions and rebates were a cruel injustice...
...The railroads have been required to put on additional passenger and freight trains to meet the demands of an adequate public service...
...It has reduced freight rates on grain, livestock, dairy products and other commodities, making an annual saving to the people of more than $1,300,000...
...My son-in-law and I each have built a house on the outskirts of town...
...He has openly boasted of his repudiation of the direct primary ever since it became a law...
...Can the people of Wisconsin trust the man to execute the law which as a lobbyist he opposed...
...It must be remembered that this is a service to ALL the people of the state, who are the real freight payers in all transportation, state and interstate...
...I have a branch store at 'R' and it is important that I should be able to reach it by telephone and that they should be able to get me...
...He was the one man of those whom I encountered during all those years, the one and only man to boast that he owned members of the legislature and could vote them according to his orders...
...Fair rates and services are enforced now as to competing towns and shippers...
...I understand and you understand how the Senate stands...
...I said, "Just how will you pass it...
...It has enforced an improved service from the railroads and utilities of the state...
...YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DO...
...And I will pass it for you if you will let up on railroad taxation...
...Blaine is a progressive Republican, whose service in the state Senate proved his qualities of leadership and tested his courage...
...No one will know it, and we can take it back, every cent, in increased rates from the people...
...The state furnishes the expert...
...Paul Railroad...
...exorbitant freight and express charges have been investigated and reduced upon individual complaints...
...It was a long hard fight...
...Well," he added, "I will help you pass it...
...That means FOUR MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR saved through the Railroad Commission to the people of Wisconsin, or a GRAND TOTAL of more than THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS since the Commission was established...
...Please see what can be done to improve this service...
...My gas meter is certainly fast...
...Now, look here," he said, "you want to pass the primary election bill, don't you...
...This enabled the Standpat Republicans to nominate Philipp with a minority of only about one-third of the votes polled...
...Will you have an inspector come and test it...
...No,'' I said, "these pledges are all straight promises,熔ne of them as much a promise as another...
...Able, earnest, experenced in state affairs and loyal to principle, his whole record is one of unswerving and faithful service to the people...
...I quote it from the transcript of my original dictation, just as it was submitted to the "American Magazine" for publication in connection with my Autobiography, which ran serially in that periodical...
Vol. 6 • October 1914 • No. 42
