The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-17
WANT MORE LIGHT
ON CONTRIBUTIONS
National Publicity Organization
Would Like TO Know
Where Money Goes.
DECLARES ALL CAMPAIGN
BOOKS SHOULD BE OPEN
Bryan. Belmont and GOmperS
Among the Noted Men at
Tuesdays Session.

NEW YORK, April 16.-The adoption
,f an effective National publicity law,
which would require the publication or
the contributions 10 National and Con
rressiona committees, as well as the
expenditures of these committees, was
thc question discussed today at meet
inq of the National Publicity Law or
panization at the Victoria hotel, Perry
Belmont the president of the associa-
tion, was the chairman, and the guests
included William J. BRYAN and Samuel
Gompers. president of the American
Federation of Labor.
Many states were represented by the
members who were present Among
them wss former Senator William +,
Chandler of New Hampshire, Alexander
Troup, member Of the National Demo
cratic committee from Connecticut: w.
II. Martin, National Democratic com
mitteeman from Arkansas, George Fred
Williams and Josiah Quincy of Boston,
John Brisben Walker and Abraham
Straus of New York, and John W. Tom
linson Of Alabama.
Belmont Urges Union,
Mr. Belmont after pointing out that
the publicity law of the State Of New
York was brought about by the com
hned efforts of organized labor, Demo
Gratis and Republicans. and that this law
aheady had proved beneficial, urged
united effort 20 secure National law.
The bill before the last Congress com
peling n publication of contributions
and expenditures had been energetic&l!N
supported by the minority members OF
the committee having the measure IN
charge. but the bill eventually reported
was SO drastic that il was almost ila
possible of enactment. In Mr.. Bel
mont s opinion, the bill failed because
il intcrfered too much with States
tights, an interference which the Demo.
Belmont made an appeal for practical
law that would be in operation IN the
National elections of next wear.
William j. Bryan was introduced as
man who had given powerful aid to
the publicity movement. In a brief
talk Mr. BRYAN told what he thought
the National publicity law should be.
He said that all contributions above the
minimum should be made public before
the elections, both by the committee re-
ceiving them and by the person or cor
poration making them. Failure To COM
ply with this should be punished as n
penal offense The movement, he de-
clared. rests upon the principle that
politics should be honest: but he de-
clarcd there could be no honest politics
when any interest could purchase be-
fore election promise that certain
things shall be done after election, and
when this promise is concealed from the
voters. Mr.. BRYAN said the evil of cam
paign contributions was not confined to
any one party. and quoted evidence
given before Congressional committees
TO prove tins statement. Ten days in
advance Of the election, he said, sup
Elemental statement should be filed Civ
ing the contributions up TO that time,
and it should he made unlawful TO re-
celve any contributions after it was
TOO late TO publish them.
Gompers Arraigr,s Corporations.
Samuel Gompers, who spoke next.
said the corporations made their cam
paign contributions for specific pur~
poses and continuation Of that policy
meant continued corporation domination
Of the parties,
siderable excitement by a resolution of
fered by Alexander Troup of Connecti-
zut, which called upon the chairman and
secretaries Of the Republican and
Democratic committees of the last Ma
l1onal campaign TO make public all their
receipts and expenditures of the cam
paign, Mr.. Troup quoted from news
paper dispatch stating that President
Roosevelt wanted the campaign books
opened in the next campaign
think the public wants the books
of the last campaign opened" ex-
claimed Mr. Troup. who added that in
1904 the President Indignantly denied
that large sums of money had been CON