The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-06
PARKER MAKES REPLY
TO R00SEvELT'S DENIAL.
Continued from First page.

an answer. But it is not an answer.
1t is q confession with a plea in avoid
ance addressed TO a kindly and gem
erous people.
Root Made the Admission.
If there was any doubt of the source
OF this great campaign fund it is no
longer a matter of suspicion for Mr..
Elihu Root. the former Secretary of
War, frankly admitted last night that
trusts and corporations were heavy
contributors. He denied only that the
total amounts thus acquired or utilized
were as large as in previous years.
Moreover, the Republican condldafe
himself denies only that definite I'M
munity from prosecution has been
promised trusts for their assistance.
He declares that he is merely TO give
them a square deal, and the terms may
be interpreted not by the laws of the
land, but by himself. 1t is plain that
when the time shall come to deter
mine what a square deal" between
the government of the United States
and the contributing trusts really is
the beneficiary of the generosity of the
latter must either recognize their serv-
ice or confess himself guilty of base
ingratitude.
The Presidents argument and his
position seem to justify trust contri-
buttons. and the inference he would
have the public draw from his utter
ance, is of course that contributions
have been made by the trusts to the
Democratic National Committee. AT
this time, therefore, ! am justified in
making a statement, which l had not
intended to make.
1 request the Democratic national
campaign managers. Mr.. President
that they should not receive, directly
or indirectly, from any trust, money
for campaign purposes. q notified
them that 1 proposed, If elected, to en-
ter upon the discharge of the duties of
that great office unhampered by any
obligation to interests or to men.
/ said to them l would rather be
defeated than to be fettered in the eff
fort to accomplish reforms that are
sorely needed. And l am advised by
them that my request has been scrup-
ulously respected.
Instead of cooperating with me in
checking this monstrous evil, which
seriously threatens the liberties of our
people, you called into consultation
your late Attorney General and from
that consultation he came out to make
an attack upon me for presuming to
criticise the attempt of the trusts to
control the election. He did not an
sWer the charges, or attempt to. He
did attempt to divert public attention.
regret to say to you that it then
seemed apparent to me, Mr.. President,
that you regarded the election of more
Importance than the checking of this
evil.
Later I called attention to events
which have been presented and fire.
quently discussed by leading newspap-
ers in this city and this country fol-
lowing the enactment of a statute au-
thorizing the creation of the Bureau
of Labor and Commerce, a discussion
which began so long ago as the first
day of October.
Renews His Charge.
Now, let me recite them here as 1
have recited them before.
new department of the government
was created-the Department of Com
merce. To that department was in
trusted inquisitorial power to probe the
great trusts and corporations of the
country. Its head, the Secretary of
Commerce, was made a cabinet Off
Ger. "A half million dollars was APP
propriated for its work, of which sum
very little has been expended.
The President placed at the head of
this great Northumberland to
probe the secrets of all the trusts and
corporations, engaged in interstate
commercials private secretary. who
held that position for some months.
when he resigned and was made chair
man of the National Committee. Now.
these FACTS are not challenged in the
statement of the President, nor can
they be. The statute was passed and
money was appropriated to probe the
trusts, so Cortelyou was appointed AT
the head of it, He, without experience
IN national politics, and yet the Presi
dent says in his statement: 81 chose
Mr.. Cortelyou as chairman OF the Ma
tional Committee"
This Crime Exposed.
Now that this intended crime
against the franchise has been exnosed
IN time, now that the contributions Of
This money by these great monopolies
looking for the continuance of old ia
vors, or seeking new ones, stands ad-
United. now that these contributions
nave peen made in such sums as to
Induce and permit the most lavish ex-
penditures ever made, we. as a. neonIe
VIII 1all IN our duty if we shall not
reDuke at the polls this latest and
most Migrant attempt to control The
election-not for legitimate business
conducted for proper ends-but in or
der that the few may still further
strengthen their hold upon our indus
tries. We shall rue it, if, as a peonle
we do not make this rebuke SO en-
phatic that the offense will never
again be repeated.
But this is not enough We should
take every possible precaution to Sc
cure both Congress and the presiden
cy in order to assure legislation which
Will remove this illegal business from
politics. All along the line of our life
the purpose should be avowed and
1t should be pursued, with unre-
lenting fidelity to procure legislation
which shall make crime for the
officers of a trust or corporation
TO contribute money for the con-
troll of an election OF any kind. and
If 1t should do so, to provide for
their punishment in the most effective
way.
This is not the time to consider the
details of such a remedy, but one Is
needed which shall be so far reach
ing and so drastic as to dissolve ali
partnerships between corrupt business
interests and the government, and 10
make their renewal forever impossi-
BILE.
Not n Question of Men.
AS this is a government of laws. and
not Of men. ii does not seriously mat
ter whether one man or another holds
the great office of President Of the
United States. but the opportunities In