Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-12-01
WILLIAM J. BRYAN
ON THE USE OF MONEY IN POLL
TICS, IN THE COMMONER.
Certain Proper and Legitimate Expenses Have
to be Met, but the Largest Items Of Ex.
pense are Usually improper. Corporations
Paw for Future Favors.

Pay for Future Favors.
The growing use of monev in politics
is an evil which demands immediate and
serious consideration. No one acquaint-
ed with the facts can believe that the
large campaign funds expended every
where by the republicans and in some
sections by the democratic reorganizers
are either necessary or legitimate. In
one voting precinct of Neb aska the re-
publicans boosted that they spent more
than one hundred dollars. AS there are
only fen more than one hundred voters
in the precinct referred to it would mean
campaign fund of about $1,000 for
Nebraska alone if the same effort was
made in all the precincts. A Connecticut
paper, speaking OF the democratic cam.
paign, says that the twenty-four state
committeeman should be required to
raise one thousand dollars each. "If any
committeeman cannot produce this
sum-" says the paper, "let him step
down and make room for another who
can do it," and it adds: "With the sum
of $24 900 assured beyond question there
should be no difficulty in securing enough
more to enable all the legitimate ex-
penses of the campaign to be met with
out a heavy assessment on the candi-
dates" Twenty-four thousand is only
a beginning in Connecticut!
There are certain proper and legitimate
expenses which cannot be avoided, but
it is notorious fa;t that large sums are
used for purposes which cannot be de.
tended. Men are hired to "work" when
it is known that the money is intended
for their votes; some are hired to stay
at home, while still others are bought
outright.
AS a rule, the large campaign funds
are coll. cted from corporations that have
favors to ask at the hands OF the govern
ment and the money is subscribed in re.
turn for assurances that make it impos-
sib'e for the party receiving the same to
DO its duty to the people. In the sugar
trust investigation few years ago Mr.
Havemyer testified that the trust gave
to the democratic party in New York
and to the republican party in Massa.
chusetts. When asked about New
Jersey, he said that that state was doubt
full and that he would have to look at the
books beforefne could say to which side
the trust contributed.
The use OF large funds gives a great
advantage to the party which the cor
pora:ions support. For instance, in
Nebraska the republicans offered this
year to furnish transportation to any
college boy or other person away from
home who would return home and vote
the republican ticket. In close leeis
lative or congressional contest the voters
thus returned at the committees ex-
pense might turn the scale, not to speak
of the effect Of this offer on the mind of
person away from home and anxious
to visit his family.
In the heat of campaign strong
partisan might rejoice in the fact that
his party had the largest campaign fund,
but no To- er of his country can, on re-
Election, doubt the corrupting influence
of immense campaign funds drawn from
insolent and arrogant monopolies.
In 1892 the Cleveland committee had
a very large fund; in 1896 the republican
committee had still larger fund. In
1900 the republican national committee
was so wei supplied with funds that one
trust msgnate was surprised to receive
after the election considerable sum as
a rebate on his contribution.
Instead OF trying to initiate the repub-
licans in the matter Of expenditure the
democrats should appeal to the con-
science OF fair-minded and well-meaning
republicans and win them over to c.ean
and honest political methods.