The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-19
SALE OF TIE REPUBLIC.
What Big Campaign Contributions
Mean to the Country.

even asserted with much warmth by one
of their organs, that it was. The money
interests subscribed literally to the Me
Kinley campaign fund; they regarded
their contributions rs the purchase
money, the price demanded for the main.
tenance of the gold standard and the
right to exact an ever increasing tribute
from the producing classes; and having
paid highly, they demand the delivery of
che goods.
So, when some Republican Senators
stand up in the Senate and urge internn
tiOnal bimetallisn. urge the overthrow of
the gold standard by International agree
meut, and thus threaten to deprive the
speculative ciques of the power to tax
the community through the means Of an
approaching dollar, the moneyed inter
ests are up in arms. They cry fraud.
They regard this effort on the part of the
Republican Senators TO attain bime:al
lism through international agreement us
Il bres ch Of contract, and they want to
know if those who solicited their contri-
buttons arc going to permit Republican
Senators to 20 back on the bargain that
they-thc moncyed interests-supposed
they had sealed with the Republican
party, when they handed over their CON
tributions. y condition that they made
precedent to the giving OF their coutrbu.
tions was that the Republican party
should bind itself to the maintenance of
the gold standard without alteration or
addition, and it was on this understand.
ing that the contributions were given AMI
received. This is what the New York
Nation tells us, and when it finds those
who represent the party that proGted
from the contributions, that was bought
to take its position in advocacy of the
gold standard by the promise of contribu-
tions, actually urging international
bmetallism, 1t warns up to denounce
such action rs IA scandalous, almost IL
criminal, violation of political faith"
True, the Republican platform of 1896
recognized bimetallism, if it could be at
tanned by international agreement, AS de-
sirable: 50 also it is true that in accepting
the Presder tial nomination on that plat
form Mr. Mckinley pledged himself to
strive after such an agreement But all
this goes for naught, because campaign
contributions Were given on condition
that the Republican party should we'd
itself irretrievably to the maintenance of
the existing gold STANDARD. What was
paid for with money must be delivered.
What was declared TO be''the policy OF the
party in the platform but which those who
contributed to the campaign fund de-
manded should he eliminated in the prac-
tical reading Of the platform and consid-
cred as Il dead letter, put in the platform
to catch votes, must lie ignored.
1t is natural that men should contri.
butte OF their earnings to carry on Il cam
paign in advocacy of n policy that they
believe will promote their we'll being. 1t
is right that they should do so, and so
long rs the money they contribute out of
their own earnings is used legitinlately
no one has the right to object. But when
they take out of their own earnings, not
out of their own moneys. but of the
moneys Of corporations, of financial in
situations, of banks and trust companies,
OF even saving banks, take of moneys ell.
trusted to their care, and use such
moneys to corrupt IL party, to purchase
the policy of n party to cause the leaders
of a great party 10 betray it, and lead it
into an abandonment OF its principles, it
is time tn call n halt
When the principles of II party can he
bought and sold, when policies calculated
to enrich the few and impovcrish the
money, not of men: i'm oligarchy of
wealth, not IL republic. And it is to this
estate that our republic has been brought
by the victory of the Republican party:
victor: gained after the sale of its princi-
piles for gold after it had turned on its
proud record OF champion of human
rights, and, in consideration of campaign
contributions become the champion OF
property rights.
Whether our people can throw OIL the
oligarchy that rules through money, and
the republic, with renewed vigor anu
purity. he built up anew, remains to be
seen. The hope of the country lies in the
probity, Justice and Intelligence of the
,.if Of L.. 4.
ger lies in their impoverishment. 1t is
the impOvershment of our producing
classes that has undermined the republic
1t is the enslavement of our to;lng mil
lions, through growing impoverishmrnt,
that threatens it's complete overthrow.
An impoverished man. living from hand
to:nputh,and knowing that loss of employ
ment will bring him tace to fnce with
starvation grows to fear the frown of his
employer; he loses his independence and
does the bidding of his employer without
the workshop rs we'll as within. We
knew intimidation of voters on Il large
scale during the last campaign. intimdn-
ton through fear of dismissal. ana the
more impoverished the wage carriers be-
come the more potent must be the power
of the employer over his .cmployc, until
at last the latter becomes his mere slave.
50 1t is that the inpoverishment of our
productive classes insidiously under
mines the republic, for, destroying the in.
dependence of men, it enables money to
rule.
But horn in the cradle of liberty.
blessed with the birthright that is that
of no other people, strong despite the in
creased burdensomcness of mortgages and
taxes, in the ownership of their homes to
degree enjoyed by no other people, and
practiccd to think for themselves. our
producing classes are in Il better position
than those of any other country to dis.
Germ, and discerning. throw oil the insd.
ious weight that is grinding them down