Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-10-11
ROOSEVELT Qu|BBLED
On Question of Political Contri-
buttons.
WHY THE SENATE PAssEDTHE BILL

Ii republican Party Helpless With
out a Large Campaign mn
Evidence of Good Faith Restitution
sho"id he Made of Funds FiIched
From Policy folders .of Life Insure
ancc Corporations,
When the United States senate PASS
ed the bill to prohibit political contri-
buttons from corporations it was evil
IDENTIFY considered necessary to give
some proof that the Republican mem
oers OF the senate We're not as black as
the had been painted. The Republican
senators must have taken keen delight
in putting this bill under the noses of
the president, Speaker Cannon and the
other Republican leaders, knowing that
they dare not allow the bill TO pass, for
tho campaign contributions from
the corporations there would be but
few Republican congressman elected
from The close and doubtful districts.
Inc senate plan worked to perfection,
for the bill was suppressed, the COM
mittee to which it was referred not
even considering it.
Senate kayner of Maryland charges
that the bill was suppressed by Presi.
dent Roosevelt and the speaker. He
says: The president and speaker of
the house of representatives are re-
sponsible for the suppression of this
legislation. 1t passed the senate, as l
recall 1t, unanimously. When it came
to the house it awaited, as usual, the
order and command of the president.
"The practical defeat of this measure
in congress means that the Democratic
party must face an enormous corrup-
ton fund in the future, as it has done
In the past, while its passage would
have signified to the country that the
elective franchise can no longer be
polluted except at the peril of law
and that the ballot is no longer for
sale"
Yet the president says, Il hope and
believe that the bill to prohibit political
contributions by corporations will
pass"
"This makes one think" says that
good Republican newspaper, the Provi-
dence Or. ~ Journal, "of the confidence
man who approached Sydney Smith on
the street, saying cordially as he held
out his hand, 'Ah, Mr.. Parsons, l be-
lieve?' Sir was the answer, if you
believe that you'll believe anything"
But the bill commended by the presi-
bill to pass, and a step in the right d.
rection might be taken by the presi-
dent himself. 1t would only require
some honesty, courage and common
sense" on his part, and that, he says,
controls him utterly, always and every
where. AS a starter, why should he
not compel the return of the $50, O0C
campaign contribution which was club
bed out of the New York Life Insur-
ance company's policy holders to help
elect him in 1904? Mr.. Perkins of the
insurance company testified that he
gave the money to Mr.. Bliss and iden-
tilted the very check for the amount
Mr.. Bliss says he got it and used it.
Why should not the president. if he
really means what he says. send this
money back to the policy holders. to
whom it belongs?
That is the question. Until restitu-
ton Is made of the large sums ilched
from the policy holders of the insur-
ance companies it is difficult to believe
that either the president or the other
Republican leaders are really in ear
nest in declining corporation subscrip-
tons. An interesting question is how
much money has been contributed by
corporations or their officials to the
congressional campaign committee this
year and has any part Of the insurance
funds remaining over from the last
election been transferred by the treas
urer of the Republican national com
mittee to the congressional committee?
The answer. duly sworn to. would be
Of great political interest.