New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-07
ADVISES PENAL STATUTE
J. N. Hayes Thinks 1t Would Stop
COrDOratiOn Contributions.

Noble HAYES the lawyer Of No. IS William
81 was asked yesterday whether his attention
had been called to the statement repeatedly mace
on the platform and In the press in the last cam
uafgu that the Tanmany campaign funo had OeeA
largely supplied from contributions from corpora
tions street railroads and other public utlhty cor
porations- In reply he said:
II has been but have no positive means OF
n4 tr 70 that extent but it has been an open
secret many years that a certain CAS- e - ,Si-
treasures TO political parties ard candldtIes 20 %
general has 0een the pelet tnat LIS 1s1S,s ~
many thoushtfuI men regarding IT, that numerous
fI3fts nav co9fribGtions on The part corpora
tons by express provision OF law. -. o., .,s
Penal code which would make il a felony toT an
oIleeI OF q on -iete any OF the corporate funds
81 DoIiticaI party or candidate. 1t Is now IN
inasnuch as IHss sLS tn afTsirs Of the corpora
poidaTs and have 10 political functions -,
OF tne sII,is hinder his control for a political
canddate or party Is quite as unla~ful as ~ ~OI.a
pc lot 81 {be estate 10 any third person whom he
might wish to befriend. or TO the decedeh' pOiiu
cal eneI I7n Of such contributions made by the
f f oraEeed in an action law BY sJockhOldeT
of such corporation ms ciS S ItIhely - 81 81
out whether the contribution was MADE .. not "
is one of secrets OF the BOARD OF Iirectors- anu
am satisfied that II the corporations are nOt
,ItrnateIy to contrOl. corporate treasures nlusl
he closed TO political paiue and strikers mere
is not a particle OF DOUBT tIdt SlCH -
-ro,,id - vtelcOued by the great majority or IL
rectors of corporations While many ulIetors -
T-i~si, rus-rI1pIfous in regard 70 deDauchins the
eiartio1s II bv so doing they can serve the eros
- +be corDoratiOn which they represent. 4 great
-, {rrv ~ directors see in this practice system
- IIaotr,ail which they yield 70 reluctantly
A law making this system OF polllcaI cOltrloL-
tirs infamous would be SEIZE nforciIg lasii1cl
- ~ directors who vote these contributions aIe
MN of the highest business character anu stat-.
'-g in the immunity. sney DO as dlrector5 WA
49, yvould not think CT doing as lndlVldudIS,
,reSyrveI,y enough and 1t BY the sophisJry
tt.+ fbev are acting officially and not lndlViuusy
ana i'm the interest OF the properly emu us.eU ~
them In such capacity they nOio ny IT -
Concerned with the interests OF the state OF ~
IN a cold. hard matter or business
- rhess men confronted win a peIal
statute forbtdding this practice under severe Pe.
-, and infamy as the common law oreaker -
65roIt 20 10 who grabs your watch and taxes MS
sSaTces 81 getting around the corner As an IN
stsrcs ~ a director OF n large corporation OPPoSSu
=. 80. Dracrice we have r. Fulton Cutting. =
director 81 the Beet Sugar Trust, who has Away
o1poeed it, and inyeighed against II on the stump
in the last campaign 60 l. ----s a.. -
practice IL should be crushed out with an iron
hand before il assumes greater proPorto.ls IN
less checked. the very foundations OF government
f,Ind that could BE- raised TO subvert government
nv A combination Of the trusts OF this coun-
nv where a great common interest was at
rraxe The danger the State from combinations
and even monopoly Of industries IS nothing a.
compared with the danger which threatens u
from the OF this great corporate wealth. Tor tne
purpose Of controlling elections and influencing
legislative action. Certainly good citizens have
a this time no higher interest than the preSer-
walton of the purity OF the elective franchise