The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-09-27
Prohibit by Law
Campaign Corruption Funds.

That was a very pertinent letter
written by Franklin Leonard. a de-
feated candidate for Congress in a
New York City district, TO President
John a. Mccall of the New York Life
Insurance COMPANY
Mr.. Leonard's letter was prompted
by President McCaTs statement be-
fore The legislative committee that he
had ordered a contribution % about
SIS 900 TO the republican national
campaign fund En- 1904 The letter
follows.
mr. John A. Mccall. President Of the
New York Life Insurance company,
New York City.
Dear Sir:-L.ast year I held q
policy amounting TO $4,000 In the
New York Lie Insurance cOmpauv.
and paid tle YEARLY premium. AT me
same time D was nominated FOR Con
gress by the democratic party I'm The
seventh district This was a close
and doubtful district. end you vri
doubtless admit that large sums from
The republican campaign fund were
expended in The district. Personally.
j am satisfied that those funds helped
10 bring about my defeat
would particularly Ike TO know
how much Of my money. paid 20 your
company in trust Tor my little family
after my death, together with the
funds OF more than $4,000 other dem
Ccrats and friends who cast their
votes for me I'm the Seventh district.
was used % bring 2boIt my defeat.
and defeat che viii of the voters.
venture the opinion chat even my
republican opponents would hardly
advocate the use of funds and the
funds of thousands ca other policy
holders En- this matter. Your truly,
FRANKLIN LEONARD.
This, as we remarked above. IS q
very pertinent letter. although we fail
TO see wherein it contains anything
out OF which much partisan capital
can be made.
The chief point I'm this whole mat
ter lies in the fact that campaign con
tributions of that kind can be made,
accepted. and used for the purpose oil
coruptng voters and perverting pub
lie sentiment
The fact that the republican party
happened TO get this corruption fund
has no particular bearing on the Quos-
ton. 10 would have been equally as
corrupt had 81 been received and used
by the democratic party. and that par
ty Is not In a position 60 brag much
over the negative viuue of not hav-
ms got any OF e.
AS q matter OF fact. the chief srgu-
ment used 80 secure Judge Parker's
nomination In 1904 was based on the !
assumption that 81 he were nominated
fhc democrats could get more money
with which 10 defeat Roosevelt than
Mark Hanna ever got 20 beat Bryan. 4
And Judge Parker himself never
opened his head about corrupt cam /
paign contributions until after ne saw
that the democratic PARTY was not
going TO get any of them.
What the American voter must
learn and profit by in these recent
revelations is the fact that such con
tribuuons are wrong. that the use OF
them Is worse. and that the system 4
which permits the use Of money in
this way is responsible for the whole
trouble.
The system itself should be destroy
cd. 1t should De made impossible TO
either offer or accept or use money
for such purposes. The people
should. I'm fact. be left free 20 an non
est expression Of sentiment without
having TO combat millions OF either
their own or anyone elso's money in
the form of q corruption fund used to
defeat The popular VIII
There is no partisan feature in the