New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-18
PARKER'S " | FOLD YOU So
T1lLK ON CAMPAIGN GIFT.
Says Railroads and Other Insurance
Companies Are Like n. Y. Life.

Esopus. n. Y, Sept. lex Chief Judge AL
ton B. Parker, last year the Democratic can
didat. for President of the United States, to-day
referred to the charges made by him in the
Presidential campaign last autumn that corpo-
ration funds were being used in aid Of the Re-
publican campaign. To correspondent of The
Associated Press who called at Rosemount, Mr.
Parker's home. and asked him if he had any
thing to say in relation to the statement of Vice
President George w Perkins. of the New-York
Life Insurance Company, made before the legis-
lative committee investigating the insurance
business. that President John A. Mccall of that
company had cause1 a contribution of about
$4,000 to be made last year to the Republican
national campaign fund, Mr., Parker said:
Yes I believe I ought to say. that there Is
political excitement to distract the public at
tention that the president of the New York Lie
was not the only such contributor Inc oHlceES
of other great life insurance companies, such as
the Equitable and the Mutual, also contributed
of the policyholders' funds for campaign pur-
poses last year. 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 counsel, backed by an honest
committee, will undoubtedly bring them out for
the public good.
Were there an investigation of railroad, manu-
featuring and other corporations, it would pe
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 orphans TO help secure
a partisan triumph.
| That their acts were unlawful and their pur-
| poses corrupt goes without saying. They m
tended to have the money used, as 1t was, IN
corrupting the electorate. Mr. Perkins makes
of the New-York Life is Democrat Ap-
| parently he would have the public assume that
| when Mr.. Mccall unlawfully and wrongfully
! contributed these funds-the companys snare
! probab bly, as member of the underwriting syn
dicate-ft was evidence of political virtue rather
| than misconduct
The truth about it is. and say 1t without feel
| ing but emphatieally. that men like Mccall
| have no political convictions that stand in the
way of their personal advantage. Such men
desire the triumph Of that party which VIII pet.
ter. serve their personal financial interests. ana
+! will for contributions past, present and nut
ure, continue to protect those interests ny
lenient legislation and by pretence at execution
| offences. That party they espouse in the board
| room and contribute to it of the moneys they
hold in trust and. occasionally, a little OF tneir
| own. The underlying principles Whlcn diVloe
! the great mass Of the people into parties nave
10 effect upon such men. Their one inquiry IS:
Will the party organization, in its hour OF tr1-
unph, 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
! Last year was not the first time Such contri-
| buttons had been made before in national, state
/ and municipal elections
/ The officers responsible for these raids upon
the treasures of corporations have received their
! reward in unfettered management of life in
surance corporations in unembarrassed RAIDS
upon the public through trusts condemned by
both common and statute law in refusal to pun
ish criminally the officers of railroad and other
corpora tions violating the laws, and in statutory
permission to manufacturing corporations TO
levy tribute on the people,
! There can be no hope of checking the unlaW-
full aggressonS of officers of great corporations
so long they may thus form a quasi partner
ship with the organization of the dominant po-
IiticaI party. For i'm the hour when the ad-
ministrative official seeks to punish the offender
he is reminded by the head of the organization
of the magnitude of the contributions OF the
corpora ion.
! There is however. something worse if pos
! sible than the escape of such offenders from
Justice 1t is the gradual decentralization or vot-
! ers and the dulliuG of the public conscience
/ caused by the efforts to make these vast sums
J of money procure the ballots they were intended
/ to procure corruptly and otherwise. How great
that denoral tion has already become is fair
/ u presented by Mr.. Steffens in his articles In
! McClures." contributed during the last few
/ months. Those articles ought TO be read and
/ Wondered by every good citizen
! II is not my purpose To claim that the Demo-
/ cratic party subjected TO the temptation which
has overcome the other party during the last
few years. would have acted differently Mere
part advantage should not be sought from the
disclosures made in this investigations But the
facts should be diligently sought that the peo-
pie may become so aroused that they will insist
I upor legislation making it a criminal offence for
officers to contribute corporate funds for pOliti
cal purposes and depriving the apparently sue
3 cessful candidates of their offices
/ Efforts in that direction have been making in
different States since November last. and partc-
uIarIv I'm this state Bat the Republican organ
/ defeat ed the bills. And the organization never
will consent until an aroused public sentiment
shall threaten legislators with political oblivion
who fail to enact effective laws upon the sub
ject
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