The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-11-08

; IS hoped VIII secure the 'fioaters' n
the doubtful states for the Repub-
lican ticket Such an attempt con-
! stitutes both a menace and a chal-
lenge TO every patriotic and law aoid-
! ing person in this country, a challenge
which ought TO be accepted The
! question ought to be. settled now
| whether the 'fioaters' and illegal com
/ binations can together control an elee-
ton in this country. Such a contest
| means on one side vast sums Of mon
ey, and every man with an itching
| palm. L ought 10 array every hon
est, Independent and patriotic citizen
on the other side"
You have learned from its reading
that the purpose of that address was
10 warn the people against the cor-up-
ton or the electorate by tariff-bred
| trusts and other monopolies. 1t con-
| tanned no criticism of the President. 1t
| sinFrly called attention to a notorious
and offensive situation-a situation
which presented TO my mind the great
est Of moral issues of the campaign
yes, of many campaigns If he had
said on the day after the delivery of
my address, after the consultation
| about 1t, which he and Senator Knox
had: Yes, l never thought of it be-
fore, but Parker is right. Why should
a trust take money out of the treasury,
money belonging to it's stockholders,
consisting of women and children, as
| well as men of both parties, unless il
purposes to get something in return,
| something which it's officers that re-
gard 1t as more than an equivalent for
the moneys taken out of the treasury.
Now. he is right, and am going to
stop it. Perhaps the national commit
tee cannot pay back the moneys con-
\ Fri in hot
already expended, but there shall be no
more such contributions. I will join
| Parker in an effort to protect the BAL
lot of the honest citizen from being
| over-ridden' by merchandise ballots
If he had said that, that 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 consequence to the peo-
pie 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 trusts
magnates but the moneys have oean
pouring into the treasury all the more
freely and all the more plentifully, be-
| cause Of the attitude taken by me, and
that it is true have enforced from day
to day.
The President does not deny these
|
says:
That contributions have been made
to the Republican committee as contr1-
buttons have been made to the Demo-
cratic committee is not the question at
issue. Mr.. Parker's assertion is in eff
feet that such contributions have been
made with improper motives, either in
consequence of the act or in coTsa-
quence of the improper promises, direct
or indirect, on the part of the recipi-
ents."
That is the only paragraph which
touches either directly or indirectly en-
the question as to whether the truSIs~
have made contributions to the Repub-
lican campaign fund. 1t is almost n
terms an admission that the trusts
have contributed to the Republican
fund. In coupling the Democratic
campaign fund with the Republican
campaign fund, the President attempt
ed to so associate the two, that a Ge-
nial oe his assertion could not be made
without duplicating the Democratic
committee. He is in a position to know
what contributions have been made TO
the Republican national committee by
the trusts, if there had been no con-
tributions he could easily have said so.
He cannot say so. He has waited until
the closing hour of the campaign -
make easier the pretense of an answer.
But it is not an answer. 1t is confes-
sion with a plea in avoidance address
ed to a kindly and generous people.
If there was any doubt of the source
Of this great campaign fund, it Is 40
longer a matter of suspicion, for Mr..
Elihu Root, the former secretary Of
war. frankly admitted last night that
| trusts and corporations We're heavy
contributors. He denied only that the
total amounts thus acquired or utilized
was as large as in previous years. More
over the Republican candidate himself
denies only that definite immunity
has been promised trusts for their as
sistance. He declares that he Is mere
ly to give them a square deal, and the
terms may be interpreted not by he
laws Of the land but by himself. 1T
is plain that when the time shall come
to determine what a square deaf' be-
tween the government of the United
States and the contributing trusts reaL-
ly is the beneficiary of the generosity OF
the latter must either recognize thei-
service or confess imself guilty of base
ngrattude.
The Presidents argument and his po-
sition seem to justify such contribu-
tions and the inference he would have
the public draw from his utterance, IS
Of course, that contributions have been
made by the trusts to the Democrats
national committee. At this time.
therefore I@am justified in making
statement which 1 had not intended 10
make.
requested the Democratic national
campaign managers. Mr.. President
that they should not receive directly
or indirectly from any trust money for
campaign purposes. 1 notified them
that proposed if elected, to enter upon
the discharge Of the duties OF that
great office unhampered by any oo.i-
CATION to interests or to men.
/ said to them I would rather be de-
feated than to be fettered in the effort
to accomplish reforms that are sore,y
needed. And 1 am advised by them my
request has been scrupulously res
, pected.
Instead Of cooperating with me in
checking this monstrous evil which Sc
Ilicusiy threatens the liberties OF our
| people YOU called into consultation your