Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-19
HOW THE TRUSTS CONTROL.
Judge Parker Discusses Methods OF
Last Campaign.

Judge Parker Discusses Methods OF
Last Campaign.
correspondent of the Associated
Press visited Esopus last Sunday to
get the views of Judge Parker with
reference to the development that
John A. Mccall, president Of the New
York Life Insurance company last
year authorized the contribution Of
$4,000 Of the company's money to the
Republican campaign fund. Judge
Parker had made some charges along
that line and was not averse to talk
ing. He said:
Yes, / believe I 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 from the pol
icy-holders' funds for campaign pur-
poses last year. The underlying prin-
ciples divide the great mass OF the
people into parties which have no ef-
feet upon such men. Their only in
quiry is, will the party organization In
it's hour Of triumph remember our
generosity and respond to our de-
mands. OF course the organization
does remember, for 1t expects a SIM
liar contribution next time. And the
expectation Is not In vain. Last year
was not the first time. Such contri-
buttons had been made before In ma
tlonal, state and municipal elections.
"The officers responsible for these
raids upon the treasures OF corpora
tions have received their reward In un-
fettered management of different In
surance corporations; in unembarrass-
ed raids upon the public through trusts
condemned by both common and
statute law: In refusal to punish GRIM
inally the officers Of railroads and 9TH
er corporations violating the law; and
In statutory permission to manufacture
corporations and to levy tribute on the
people.
There can be no hope Of checking
the unlawful aggressions Of officers OF
great corporations so long as they may
thus form a quasi partnership with
the organization Of the dominant pol
,,ical party. For in the hour when the
administrative official seeks to punish
the offender he Is reminded by the head
of the organization OF the magnitude
ton.
"There is, however, something worse,
IL possible, than the escape Of such
offenders from justice. 1t Is the grad
ual decentralization of voters and the
dulling of public conscience caused by
the efforts to make these vast sums
of money procure the ballots they were
intended to procure. corruptly and 9TH
erwise.
What has been proved in the case
OF the New York Life will undoubtedly
be proved in the other cases. The
facts exist and honest and able coun-
sci backed by an honest committee Will
undoubtedly bring them out for the
public good.
Were there an investigation Of
railroad, 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 have the
money used, as 1t was in corrupting
the electorate Mr. Perkins makes the
point that Mr.. John A. Mccall, the
president of the New York Life, Is
Democrat. Apparently he would have
the public assume that when Mr. Nc
Call unlawfully and wrongfully con-
tributes these funds-the companys
share probably as a member OF the
underwriting syndicate-it was evil
dcnce of political virtue, rather than
misconduct.
"The truth about 1t Is, and I 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 in
terests and will-for contributions,
past, present and future-continue to
protect those interests by lenient leg
islation and by pretence at execution
of law which shall be tenderly blind to
all their offenses. That party they es-
pouse in the board room, and contri-
butte to II Of the moneys they hold In
trust. and occasionally a little Of their
own.
1T is not my purpose to claim that
the Democratic party, subjected to the
temptations which have overcome the
other party during the last few years
would have acted differently. Mere
party advantage should not be sought
from the disclosures made in this in
vestigation. But the facts should be
diligently sought, that the people may
become so aroused that they will In
sist upon legislation making 1t Grim
inal offense for officers to contribute
corporate funds for political purposes
and depriving the apparently success
full candidates of their offices.
Efforts in that direction have been
making in different states since No
vember last. and particularly in this
state But the Republican organiza-
ton would not consent to 1t. so the
legislature defeated the bills. And the
organization will never consent until
an aroused public sentiment shall
threaten legislators with political OBJ
livion who fail to enact effective laws
upon the subject"