Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-09-18
FHE CAMPAIGN
FUNDS AGAI N.
Alton B. Parker Speaks on Perk-
ms Admissions in Insur-
anCe Investigation.


able that the admissions made under
oath by George w. Perkins before the
insurance Investigation committee con-
corning contributions a~ggregating near
ly $3.50, 900 made to the national Re-
publican campaign funds on the joint
authority of John A. Mccall and him
self, acting for the New York Life In
surance company, may be made the
basis of civil suits by the attorney
general of the state to force restitution
to the policy holders of the sums so
contributed.
On unimpeachable authority it is
stated that the further prosecution of
the investigation by the Legislative
committee during the coming week will
be conducted with u view to the prob
ability Of its forming the legal basis
for such civil suits.
Former Chief Judge Alton r. Parker,
last year the Democratic candidate for
president of the United States, has re-
ferred to the charges made by him in
the presidential campaign last fall that
corporation funds were being used in
aid Of the Republican campaign. To a
correspondent who called at Rose
mount, Judge parker's home, and ask
ed him If he had anything to say in
relation to the statement OF Vice Pres
ident George w. Perkins of the New
York Life Insurance company made
before the legislative committee inyes-
tigating the insurance business to the
effect that President John A. Mccall
of that company had caused a contri-
button of about $4,000 to be made
last year to the Republican national
campaign fund Judge Parker said:
Eyes, / believe l ought to say, now
that there is no political excitement to
distract the public attention, that the
president of the New York Life was
not the only such contributor. The Of
ficers of other great life insurance com
panies, such as the Equitable and the
Mutual, also contributed of the policy
holders funds for campaign purposes
last year. What has been proved in
the case of the New York Life will I'M
doubtedly be proved in the other cases.
The facts exist, and honest and able
counsel, backed by an honest commit
tee. will undoubtedly bring them out
for the public good.
"Were there an investigation of rail-
road, manufacturing and other cor
porations it would be found that these
life insurance officers were not the
only corporation officers who put their
hands into the treasury and took out
moneys belonging to widows and or
phans to help secure a partisan tri-
umph.
THAT their acts were unlawful and
their purposes corrupt goes without
saying. They intended to Nhave the
money used, as it was, in corrupting
the electorate. Mr.. Perkins makes the
point that John A. Mccall, the presi-
dent of the New York Life, is n Demo
crat. Apparently he would have the
public assume that when Mr.. Mccall
unlawfulIy and wrongfully contribut-
ed these funds-the company's share
probably as a member of the under
writing syndicate-it was evidence of
political virtue rather than misconduct.
1.-THE truth about it is-and | say 1t
without feeling. but emphatically-that
men like Mccall have no political con-
victions that stand in the way of their
personal advantage. Such men desire
the triumph of that party which will
better serve their personal financial
interests and will-for contributions
past, present and future-continue to
protect those interests by lenient leg
islation and by pretense at execution
of law which shall be tenderly blind to
all their offenses. That party they
espouse in the board room and con
tribute to it of the moneys they hold
in trust and occasionally q little of
their own. The underlying principles
which divide the great mass Of the
people into parties have no effect up
on such men. Their one inquiry is,
Will the party organization in its hour
of triumph remember Our generosity
and respond to our demands? OF
course the organization does remember.
for it expects a similar contribution
next time. And the expectation Is not
in vain.
'sThere is, however. something worse.
If possible, than the escape of such Of
tenders from justice. 1t is the grad
ual demoralizatin of voters and the
dulling of the public conscience caus-
ed by the efforts to make these vast
sums of money procure the ballots they
were intended to procure, %corruptly
and otherwise. How great that de-
moralization has already become is
fairly presented by Mr.. Steffens In his
articles ii McClure's, contributed dur
ing the last few months. Those arti-
Giles ought to be read and pondered
by every good citizen. Mere party ad-
vantage should not be sought from
the disclosures made in this investiga.
ton, but the facts should be diligently
sought, that the people may become so
aroused that they will insist upon leg
islation making it a criminal offensc
for officers to contribute corporate