The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1905-12-29
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.
The Important Question Governing
Money Used in the Political
Canvass.

Senator Tlllman has Introduce rev
olution calling for an investigation by Q
| comrittec Of both branches Of congress
into the contributions by national banks
t. the campaign funds OF either OF tse
parties. other members Of congress
have proposed bills 10 prohibit all such
contributions by any corporations.
They Rave the effective aid OF the presi'
dent tn this task. says the St Louis
Globe Democrat. In his message ne
declared that all contributions by cor
porat'nps to any political committee.
or for any political purpose. should Ie
forbidden BY law" These words viii he
| quotet by every orator In each house
who speaks IN favor Of shutting on
such contributions hereafter. II Is all
right. too. that they should claim tho
president as being on their side. as he
Is. for the presidents influence will 20
n long way toward getting the leg.sla-
ton which Is aimed al.
The important poin, about the use of
money In i this: is u used
for corrupt purposes This Is the Only
question Of direct consequence In ron
nection with the employment of money
Ia politics. LARGE sums Of money ars
needed to run national eampairns In the
modern style. The committees on both
ildes seek GU, all the cash which they
can get. Everybody who Is likely to 10
susceptible to the ordinary political APP
rcals. and who has money, Is asked to
contribute something. The democrats
are just as active as the republicans
In this quest. II they DO not, get as much
money as the republicans II Is because
the solid business Interests. democratic
As well "a republican. are against demo-
| cratic ideas. and believe democrats
victory would be harmful TO the country.
That vas the case In an emlnen'ly large
degree In 1896. when Mccall. the head
u tho New York Life insurance
company. though a democrat, madea
large contribution 90 the republican
campaign fund. There were thousands
o. wealthy democrats In the country
who did like Mccall In tina, campaign.
but. unlike Mccall. most OF them prob
ably contributed their own cash, and
rot that lntrusted TO them by the inter
.sts over which they presided.
Nevertheless, the point Of importance
IL; DO the national campaign commit
tees use the money %corruptly7 EN-Can.
aldatc Parker. when the Insurance In.
~,estlgation BEGAN a few months ago.
made a pretonse that he was beaten by
the use Of money. Nobody paid any
serious attention 10 him. however. His
charge. II true. would hit the demo.
Gratis harder than Il would the rcpub.
leans. for II votes had been bough, n
the canvass II must have been demo.
cratic votes. All the republicans and
independents voted the republican
ticket without any financial persuasion.
The only persons who could have been
opugh, 10 vote for the republican an
ida,e. II any we're bought. must have
been democrats. In that case the de.
mooracy must be so venal that II not only
Goes no, deserve to carry elections, but
II does not deserve 10 live. To this com.
pleNlon the bribery question comes at
last. II there be any brlbing done IN
rational campaigns let It he brough,
out. Trust funds should be kept sacred
ly their c~ustodinns. but II any person
wants TO give any u his money TO tho
democratic or the republican campaign
committees h" should not be- prevented
from doing y. or denounced on tina;
account let those who ARE condemning
campaign contributions furnish some
evidence that the cash has been used fot
corrupt purposes or forever hold their
peace.