Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-09
ELECTION LAW REFORM
PUBLICITY IN REGARD TO CAM
PAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS.

The following letter from Mr.. Perry Bel
mont to James Bronson Reynolds chairman
OF the committee on arrangements of the
National Civic Federation. under whose d.
rection a conference to discuss election law
reforms was held recently in New York,
was submitted to the conference:
My Dear Sir: regret extremely that /
am unable to attend the election law con-
ference of the Civic Federation, as / find 1t
necessary to remain In Washington to con-
tinue the effort TO obtain a hearing from
the House committee which has the pub
licity bill in charge 1t had been my inten-
ton to comply with your invitation to in
form you of the progress of the bill.
The movement had Its origin In the last
presidential campaign. The demand upon
Mr.. Cortelyou and Mr.. Taggart for infor-
nation upon the subject of contributions to
the national committee was very insistent
toward its close. That demand has been
re-echoed throughout the country until 1t
has become evident that before another
presidential campaign law will have been
enacted requiring publication of such con-
tributions and expenditures The Arm
strong investigation itself has been but one
of the important incidents growing out of
this agitation. Revelations in regard to In
surance companies and their contributions
to political campaigns. disclosures before
congressional committees of reprehensible
pecuniary transactions in regard to the
Panama canal, knowledge of similar SIMS
ter influences and considerations in connec-
ton with concessions in the Philippines and
Santo Domingo, have impressed upon the
American people the conviction that what
may be termed investments in campaign
funds for future benefits are constantly
growing larger and more threatening to the
honest administration of our domestic and
foreign policy.
Last September, during the insurance In
vestigation, when Mr.. Taggart had made
the announcement that Neither the demo-
cratic national committee nor any author
TODD $,tt yn1 nt> xyad
from Mr.. Mccall. the New York Life or
any other Insurance company a single dol
lars contribution to the campaign fund,
Mr.. Mccall himself declared in a public In
terview that he was in favor of a law pro-
hfbiting corporations from contributing and
compelling publicity Of contributions. He
had previously said to me- Mr.. Belmont. If
you knew what l was obliged to do, you
would feel sorry for me-. I have often
thought of those words since. and the cir
cumstances of his death invite general at
tention to the evils OF the system OF which
he Is regarded as a victim. Those. however,
who are mainly responsible and the hene-
flciaries of that system should not escape
their responsibility.
The movement for state and national
remedial legislation requiring publication
OF what are now secret political contribu-
lions and expenditures has been rapidly
increasing In strength and scope. National
and state organizations have been formed.
Organized labor. by resolutions and petit
ing. Bills have been introduced in Con-
gress and members of the Senate and
House of Representatives of both parties
are earnestly in favor OF a national pub
licity bill.
This movement is non-partisan. and the
friends of this measure believe that It will
continue non-partisan. The controlling
elements of the House of Representatives
are all-powerful in deciding. under the
rules, what bills shall be advanced re-
tarded. So far there has been no DISPOSE
ton to delay this measure, and it IS to be
hoped that there Will be none. 1t cannot
be supposed, however, that those who have
adopted what is known the 'stand-pat
policy would care to assist a movement
which would bring about radical changes
in the manner of collecting and spending
campaign moneys.
IF the publicity bill should meet obstruc-
lions its friends are now SO numerous and
the question is important to the people
of this country that loud protest would
be heard against any indirect methods to
bring about its defeat"