Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-09-06
REAL REFORM WANTED
Honest Political Management 3
Crying Need.
LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE FREELY

sary Funds, While the Republicans
Are Well Provided-No Fair E1ec-
tion Can he Had With the Money
All on One Side.
There is q vast field before the politi-
clan of the future that is able enough
and honest enough to bring about real
reform in elections and honesty instead
Of notorious corruption in political man
agement. 1t is pleasant to record that
beginning III 1904 the Democratic party
has had no campaign funds for other
than legitimate purposes, not ever
enough to compete in the lavish distri-
button of literature, much less to be
able to pay a corps Of speakers like
the Republicans have. The Democrats
have had to rely upon volunteers pay
ing their own expenses. This poverty
advantage Of releasing the party from
the bands of trimmers and grafters and
repeaters that hang on the skirts of cor
ruptionists, ever looking for cash and
loot. It has had the good effect Of
drawing honest men, formerly Republic
ans, to act with it.
The public at the last national cleo
tion was deceived into believing, by
the denial Of President Roosevelt of
the charge made by Judge Parker that
the Republican committee had received
large contributions from corporations,
that corruption had been abolished
from the Republican campaign.
1t is notorious, from the evidence pro-
duced at the investigation of the life
Insurance scandals, that enormous sums
had been contributed by those corpora
lions, although Mr.. Roosevelt denied it.
Nor has there been restitution of those
tainted funds to the real owners, the
policy holders, whose widows and or.
phans may oon suffer for lack of it.
A similar attempt is again being
made by the Republicans in the pres.
ent campaign for congress to impress
the public with the belief that no con
tributions from tainted sources are
being received This is emphasized
by calling on the rank and file of
the party for dollar subscriptions. It
is safe to say the amount received
from dollar subscriptions is not enough
to pay rent and clerk hire, let alone the
enormous cost of printing the cam
ments and speeches that will be
gratuitously distributed.
Where does all the money come
from if not from tariff beneficiaries OF
corporations?
When the Republicans refused tc
pass the Tillman bill to punish the
giver and receiver Of tainted funds
they virtually acknowledged they could
not get along without such money. II
Is therefore up to them to prove that
the source of their funds is above re
proach by publishing a sworn state
ment of receipts and from whom il
they expect popular belief that cor
ruption has been 'banished.
It would be pleasant to record the
fact that the Republican committee
like the Democratic committee, has no.
sufficient funds to meet necessary ex
penses, so that politics would be on &
fairer footing. 1t would also be still
more pleasant to record that fund.
from sources that expect In return
legislative or executive favors haG
been refused on ethical grounds and
real and lasting reform was being at
tempted. The personnel of the man
ayers of the Republican campaign
does not offer much hope for improve
ment. 1t is the same old gang at thu
same old game, with no visible sign Of
repentance.