Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-18
CORPORATIONS IN POLITICS.
Important Measure Prohibiting Cam
paIEn Contributions.

Indianapolis News dnd. rep.).
The senate committee on privileges and
elections has reported a bill the effect Of
which. IL IT becomes a law. will be to
limit very greatly the influence of cor
porations in politics, and also the size of
campaign funds. The bill was introduced
more than two months ago by Senator
Tillman. But II has been much strength
ened, and is now before the senate in its
amended form. Under it no national bank,
and no corporations organized by authority
OF any act OF congress, will be allowed to
make any contributions whatever to party
campaign funds. The bill further makes
II unlawful for any corporation to contri-
butte at any election at which presidential
electors, representatives in congress or
candidates for a legislature, which is to
choose a United States senator. are to be
voted for. The penalty for a violation OF
the statute is a fine OF not more than 5000
on the corporation and one OF not more
than 81 900 on each officer and director
The bill is so good that 1t is hard to
believe that II can pass. For its effect
will practically be to get corporations
out Of politics. OF course. It does not
and can not. apply to mere local cleo
tions. 1t will still be possible for public
service corporations to buy elections and
corrupt city governments. But no corpor-
alton can contribute to the carrying OF
elections involving candidates for the presi-
dency the senate or the house OF repre-
sentatives. And no national hank or fed
eral corporation can help finance any cam
paign whatsoever. BY thus diminishing
the power and influence Of corporations
we shall increase and strengthen the power
and influence OF the people, which is what
we should all want. With an honest en-
forcement OF such a law as this we shall
see a great shrinksge in campaign funds.
and consequently more honest elections.
And men in once will be more courageous
and independent than they now are, for
there will be less temptation TO be sub
servient 10 the interests" which are now
so powerful in politics. with all senators
and representatives freed from all inan-
cial obligations 10 corporations, and with
the parties themselves thus emancipated,
the practical purchase Of legislation would
come TO an end. Thus We should get
more honest elections and a more honest
government
And the example set by the federal gov
eminent in enacting such a bill would be
weighty with several states. standard
would be established to which they would
feel they ought TO conform. People would
see that. n II were wrong to allow cor
porations to contribute TO the election Of
a president, II il quite as wrong TO allow
them 20 contribute to the election Of a
governor or mayor. And the hnal result
would be the elimination OF corporate in
nuence as far as Il is derived from cam
paign contributions made by them. II
neither party in this city, for instance,
could get one cent from the street car
| company, the gas company. the water COM
pany, or the railroads, there would be
many questions that We should not need
10 consider at all. We sincerely trust that
the amended Tillman bill may pass. II IL
encouraging that II should be favorably
reported by the committee All the pa
triotic influences in the country should now
| be enlisted in It's behalf.