The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-06
PARKER MAKES REPLY
TO ROOSEVELT'S DENIAL
Reiferafes His Charge of Heavy Trust Con-
fHbutions to Republicans.
He Says That Roosevelt Only Attempts to Divert
Public Opinion.

poration, or to refrain from doing
something to its injury. No other mo-
tive can be imagined. In the nature Of
things no other motive can exist. The
relations established mean the expecta-
ton, If not an agreement, actual or inn
pied, that governmental action is to be
influenced by and for corporation in
terests. No sophistry can give any
other aspect to the transaction in the
minds of reasonable men. Let the de-
tenders of the practice, if it has de-
lenders, answer these questions:
Questions to Answer.
''Why do corporations and trusts SUBJ
scribe to political campaigns?
What would trust think of a
party which, after accepting from the
trust a campaign contribution of $780,
COO, should permit the party's repre-
sentatives in Office to take action mimi
cal to the trust?
Would the public interests be safe
IN the hands of a party, the greater
part of whose campaign funds had been
contributed by corporations and trusts :?
If the public welfare and the in
terests of subscribing corporation or
trust should conflict, which would like
ly be protected?
The scheme of our government op-
poses favoritism, but in it's adminis-
tlation there has been much of it.
Indeed, it has been growing with such
rapidity in recent years that these few
that have enjoyed favors contributed
either directly by statute or indirectly
by the non-proSecution of violations of
law, represent, control and are possess
ed of many hundreds of millions Of
dollars. These interests have decided
to attempt to continue the present ad-
minist1ation in power. Their repre-
sentatives scolded about the President
for some months, and thus contribut-
ed their part toward the effort which
was assiduously made to satisfy the
country that the trusts were opposed
to the present administration.
Was 1t But Make Believe.
Whether there were real difficulties
between these great powers and the
administration, difficulties which have
since been settled to the satisfaction of
all parties concerned, or whether there
were no difficulties to be compromised
and adjusted, their action being but a
play to deceive the voters, the fact
remains that the trusts are not now
opposed to the continuance of the pres
ent administration. On the contrary,
1t is common knowledge that they
have determined to furnish such a sum
of money to the Republican National
Committee as it is hoped will secure
the 'fioaters' in the doubtful states for
the Republican ticket Such an at
tempt constitutes both a menace and
challenge to every patriotic and law
abiding person in this country, a chal-
Ienge which ought to be accepted. The
question ought to be settled now
whether the 'f1oaters' and illegal COM
binations can together control an cleo
ton in this country Such a contest
means on one side vast sums of money
and every man with an itching palm.
1t ought to array every honest, inde-
pendent and patriotic citizen on the
other side"
What Roosevelt Should Have Done.
You have learned from it's reading
that the purpose of that address was
to warn the people against the cor
rupting of the electorate by tariff
bred trusts and other monopolies. 1t
contained no criticism of the Presi-
dent. 1t simply called attention to a
noaorious and offensive situation-a
situation which presented to my mind
the greatest of the moral issues of the
campaign, yes, of many campaigns. If
he had said, on the day after the de-
livery of my address, after the con-
sultation about it which he and Sena-
tor Knox had yes, 1 never thought
of it before, but Parker is right, Why
would a trust take money out of it's
treasury, money belonging to its
stockholders, consisting of women and
children, as well as men of both par
ties, unless its purpose is to get some
thing in return, something which it's
officers regard as more than an equiv
alent for the moneys taken out of the
treasury Now, he is right, and I am
going to stop it. Perhaps the National
Committee cannot pay back the mon
eys contributed in this way that they
have already expended, but there shall
be no more such contributions. 1 will
join Parker in an effort to protect the
ballot of the honest citizen from be-
ing over-ridden by merchandise bal
lots"
If he had said that, it would have
sounded like the Roosevelt we once
knew. And if he had followed it by
acts in execution of his words, it
would have been of far less conse-
quence to the people which one of us
should be elected than it is now. But
he did not do it. He shut his eyes to
what was going on, and since that
time there has been the frequent
meeting of the trust magnates, and
the moneys have been pouring into the
treasury all the more freely and all
the more plentifully, because of the
attitude taken by me, and which, 1t is
true, / have enforced from day to
day.
Roosevelt Doesn't Deny Them.
The President does not deny these
contributions now. This is what he
saws: THAT contributions have been
made to the Republican Committee as
contributions have been made to the
Democratic Committee. is not the
question at issue. Mr.. Parker's as
sertion is in effect that such contribu-
tions had been made for improper mo-
tives, either I'm consequence Of the act,
or in consequence Of improper prom
ises, direct or indirect. on the part Of
the recipients"
That is the only paragraph in Pres
ident Roosevelt's statement which
touches either directly or indirectly on
the question as to whether the trusts
have made contributions to the Re-
publican campaign fund. 1t is all
most. In terms. an admission that the
funds have been contributed to the
campaign. In coupling the Demo-
cratic campaign fund with the Repub-
lican campaign fund, the President at
tenpted to so associate the two that
a denial Of his assertion could not be
made without duplicating the Demo-
cratic Committee. He is I'm a position
~. have haarf