Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-26
A PUBLICITY MEASURE
One Proposed by Mr.. Perry
Belmont.
MONEY CONTRIBUTIONS
TO POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS TO BE
MADE PUBLIC.
He Has Taken House Here and VIII
Press the Subject in
Congress.

Mr. Perry Belmont of New York is very
much in earnest in his campaign for state
and national legislation requiring political
organizations to make public the source OF
money contributions to political campaigns.
Following his efforts in behalf of state pub
licity, which are in fair way of fruition
in New York, he has come to Washington
to make an effort for national aid in the
same direction.
A bill will be offered IN Congress, embody-
ing the views of the best legal talent, to
cover the question. Mr.. Belmont has taken
a house here for the winter and will devote
himself to this subject. He is the official
head of an organization in New York
pledged to the effort.
Mr. Belmont's Statement.
! Il recall. said Mr. Belmont yesterday.
that last April The Star published an inter-
view with me in which l stated that IL an
investigation could be obtained the public
would be much interested, from the view
point of the stakeholder and the policy hold
er in insurance corporations, to find to what
extent these great corporations have been
contributors to political campaigns, con-
tributing, of course, out of the monies OF
the policy holders and stockholders.
1T is hardly necessary to refer to the
recent disclosures in the investigation now
proceeding in New York. 1t is quite likely
that everybody who reads the newspapers
understands the situation. Il believe that
realization of the state of affairs developed
by the pending inquiry will serve to quicken
public interest in the proposition to make a
national law, as well as state law, cover
ing the subject of publicity in campaign
contributions.
Politicians Not Opposed to Bill.
TT is mistake to suppose that the poll
ticians are opposing the measure requiring
publicity of campaign expenditures by po-
litical committees, such publication already
being required of candidates. On the con-
trary, the list of members of the committee
supporting the proposed amendments to the
existing law contains the names of many
who are popularity classed politicians.
The fact is that they are in revolt against
serving as the mere messenger boys for
great corporations. The man with bar
rel is no longer very much in vogue, cam
paign managers now depending upon great
contributions furnished by men who are in
reality using other peoples money.
THE purpose and effect of the publicity
bill is to prevent such contributions by in
voluntary subscribers to campaign funds.
Policyholders and stockholders have come
to learn that through their involutary con-
tributions they have made the managers
of corpora lions also the masters of the po-
litical organizations. Campaign money is
public money and the policy of the proposed
publicity law is to treat campaign money
as public money.
THE power of an idea in determining an
election cannot be measurer. Recent cleo
tions in many of the states. including New
York, have demonstrated the indsputable
fact that the campaign of the immediate
future will be dominated by ideas, and that
enormous and corrupting expenditures of
money will no longer be considered either
necessary or important to carry an cleo
ton"
Special Committee Appointed.
Mr.. Belmont has appointed the following
national committee to aid in the movement
before Congress:
Governor Joseph NJ. Folk, Missouri; ex-
Governor Lucius f. c. Garvin Rhode
Island; Governor-elect Swanson of Virginia
NJ. E. Ingalls, Nevada; Melville Stone AS
ISOLATED Press; c. B. NJ. Harvey, editor
| Harper's; Oscar S. Straus, New York; Nor
| man Hack, New York; John c. Milburn,
! New York; Edward M. Shepard, New York
j. w. Kern, Indiana; Clark Howell, Geor-
| gia; J. Hampden Robb, New York; John
| Wanamaker, Pennsylvania; Martin Little
| ton, New York; j. II. Clark, Ohio; Judsor
| E. Harmon, Ohio; w. D. Vandiver Mis-
souri,; Judge ]. ]. Willett, Alabama; b. B
| Smaley Vermont; Josiah Quincy, Mis-.
| sssippi; John E. Lamb, Indiana; Col. Alex.
ander Troup Connecticut; p. H. Quinn
| Rhode Island; Charles w. Knapp, Missouri
/ Edward Lauterbach, New York; Francis
| Lydne Stetson. Ex-Governor Frank S. Black
| New York: d. N. Lockwood, New York