The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-25
MIR. PARKER PLAYS
 TRUST INFLUENCE
Continued from First Paue)


 come so prevalent that they are becom- Ing hardened to 1t. They sometimes won der where it Is to end, but under the stress of a campaign they postpone con- sideration until the next election. l am persuaded the time to begin the fight against those who would control the re- suits Of election contests for their pri- vate corporate interests, as distinguished from the public interest should begin now and whatever the result of the election may be, it should be continued until the evil Is checked
 The excessively protected interests which formerly poured out their treasure in order to continue existing and pro- cure the passage of new laws permitting it's further accumulation, haNe been join cd by the combinations popularly called trusts.
 Their plan Is to perpetuate the pres ent administration. Some of the eombi- nations or trusts which do not profit by aid of the tariff, secure their profits by the price of monopolies. Hence their of ficers are opposed to the enforcement of laws against them.
 When such forces unite to furnish the money which they are promised will con- trol the election, their purpose is clear as monday. It is to buy the election, to purchase four years more of profit by tar
 
 tion from the public by means of monop- oly.
 Contributions Mean Corruption.
 Political contributions by corporations and trusts mean a corruption. They cannot be honest, merely because inter- ests are moved by merely business con slderation. A proportion will subscribe to a political party because they expect the party through control of offices to do something for the benefit of the corpora .tions or to efrain from doing something to Its injury. No other motive can ex- ist. The relations established mean the expectation If not agreement actual or im- piled, that governmental action Is to be Inferred n the corporations interests. No sophistry can give any other aspect to the transaction in the minds of req sonable mep. Let the defenders of the practice, if It has defenders, answer these questions: Why do corporations and trusts subscribe to political campaigns? What would a trust think of a party after accepting from the trust cam- paign contribution of $500,000, should per- init the party's representative in office ito action inl'nical to the trusts? Would the public interests be safe in the party, the great art of whose campaign funds had been contributed by corporations and trusts? If public welfare and interests or SuDScI1Dln2 COTppfdllOn or trust conflict, watch would likely be protected?
 Government Opposes Favorltsm.
 '"The scheme of our government op- poses favoritism, but in It's administration there has been much of it. Indeed, 1t has been growing so rapidly In recent years that those few who have enjoyed favors contributed either directly by statute or Indirectly by the non prosecution Of viola tions of law, represent, control and are possessed of many hundreds of millions of dollars. These interests have attempt ed to continue the present administration In power. Their representatives scolded about the President for some months and thus contributed their part towards the efforts which was assiduously made to satisfy the country that the trusts were opposed to their present administration whether there were real difficulties be- tween them, difficulties which since had been settled to the satisfaction of all par ties concerned, or whether there were no difficulties to be compromised and ad- justed.
 "Their action being but play to de- ,ceiye the voters, the fact remains that the trusts are not now opposed to the continuance of the present administration On the contrary it is common knowledge that they have determined to furnish such a sum of money to the republican na- tional committee as 1t Is hoped will se- cure the "foaters'Ain the doubtful states for the republican ticket. Such an attempt constitutes both a menace and chal- lenge to every law-abidlng person in the country challenge which ought to be accepted The question ought to be set tied now whether the 'fioaters' and Illegal combinations can together control an election In this country. Such contest means on one side vast sums of money and every man with an itching palm. It ought to array every honest, Independent and patriotic citizen on either side"