The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-25
PARKER GOES TO SHOW
 AND CROWD GOES WILD
Remarkable Scenes in New York Theatre Candidate,
 In Speech at EsOpus, Inyeighs Against Corruption in Election.

ohu HO Wofu UT dct oI Fmiue Suati CduoS
 8 gulf to be opened between them.
 tween an individual employing his
 wealth in the manner authorised by law
 and individuals or corporations who op- crate In defiance of law. The first Is in-
 dependent of 1t. the latter dependent
 on Government favoritism. It is but a
 little while since. the body of people at
 large provided the legitimate expenses of a campaign.
 Contributors of the Past.
 Then farmer and lawyer, doctor and
 mechanic, day 1aborer and banker, each
 contributed something toward the erec-
 ton of banners. the circulation of lit-
 erature and the expenses of public
 meetings, and each contributor was d
 better citizen for it. It stimulated his patriotism and the contributions were devoted to the legitimate advancement of the cause. not made for the deliber- l ate corruption of masses of electors. Gradually and also effectively. but | surely not permanently, has all this | been changed. Some of the entefbrises | which have unduly thrived through fa.t voritism and which have been permit ted by statute to Indirectly levy tribute on the people, have In the course of | time become so rich and strong that they can and do contribute large sums when it is made clear that 1t will ben eft them, and they contribute when 1t Is made clear that they shall continue to tax the people for their own bene- ht On such promises contributions have been not infrequentiy made in colonization, repeating and bribery in doubtful States.
 The Floating Vote. This has built up a class of voters known to local leaders as 'ioaters.' a class so numerous that party canvassers allow to them in their canvass books a separate column headed with that name. This condition is recognized by party workers local, State and national. They are no longer shocked by 1t. It has become so prevalent that they are be-
 coming hardened to 1t.
 They sometimes wonder where 1t is to end, but under the stress of a cam paign they postpone consideration un- til the next election. I am persuaded the time to begin the fight against those who would control the results of election contests for their private cor porate interests, as distinguished from the public interest, should begin now
 and whatever the election may be- 1t
 should be continued until the evil is check ked.
 AC sGAGFH1AfEAH NPAHtNNtCU AhtCfr@tG which formerly poured out their treas ure in order to continue existing and procure the passage Of new laws per-. mitting It's further accumulation, have been joined by the combinations pop
 ularly called trusts To Perpetnate RepubIieanIsn.. Their plan is to perpetuate the pres
 ent administration. Some of the com
 binations or trusts as do not profit by aid of the tariff, secure their profits by the exercise of monopolies. Hence their officers are opposed to the en- forcement of law as against them.
 When such forces unite to furnish
 the money which they are promised will control the election, their purpose is l clear as monday. It is to buy the
 election, to purchase four years more | of profit by tariff taxation or four years | more of extortion from the public by
 means of monopoly.
 Political contributions by corpora
 tions and trusts mean corruption.
 They cannot be honest, mainly because
 interests are moved by merely business | consideration. A proportion will sub-
 scribe to a political party because they | expect the party. through control of | offices, to do something for the benefit | Of the corporations. or to refrain from
 doing something to their Injury. No other motive can exist.
 '"The relations established mean the
 expectation, if not by agreement. actual
 or implied, that governmental action is to be Influenced in the corporations in- ] terest.
 1 Some Pointed Questions.
 No sophistry can give any other as-
 pect to the transaction in the minds of l reasonable men. Let the defenders of the practice, If 1t has defenders, answer l these questions:
 'Why do corporations and trusts sub
 scribe to political campaigns? What would a trust think of a party
 who, after accepting from the ttrust campaign contribution of Ss00,000,
 should permit the party's representa- tive in office to take action inimical to l the trusts?
 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 corporations or trusts should conflict, which would
 likely be protected?
 The scheme of our Government op-
 poses favoritism. but in its admlnistra- tion there has been much of It. In- deed it has been growing so rapidly fin recent years that those few who have enjoyed favors contributed either di- rectly by statute or indirectly by the non- prosecution of violations Of law, represent. control and are possessed of many hundreds of millions of dollars. These interests have attempted to con- tinue the present administration In power.
 Their representatives scolded about the President for some months and thus contributed their part towards the ef- fort which was assIduously made to 1 satisfy the country that the trusts were opposed to their present administration
 whether there were real difficulties be- tween the dificulties 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 opposed | to the continuance of the present ad- 1 ministration. On the contrary it Is | common knowledge that they have de- termined to furnish such a sum of | money to the Republican National Com
 mittee as 1t is hoped will secure the
 'ioaters' In the doubtful States for the
 Republican ticket.
 l Such an attempt constitutes both a | menace and challenge to every law
 abiding person in the country. A chaI- | Ienge which ought to be accepted. The | question ought to be settled now wheth- | CT the 'fioaters' and Illegal comblna-
 tions can together control an election ! in this country. Such a contest means on one side vast sums of money ana