The Washington herald., 1907-04-17
URGE PUBLICITY BILL
Prominent Leaders Address
National Organization.
BRYAN MAKES SUGGESTIONS
Presidential Possibility Proposes TO
Have Two Statements of Campaign
Contributions Made-Deelares Only
Effective Remedy of Existing Evil
Is Law Compelling Publication.

New York, April 16.-Winiam J. Bryan,
speaking to-day at a meeting of the Ma
tionai Publicity Bill Organization, at the
Victoria Hotel, made a new suggestion
for the regulation OF campaign cOntribu-
tions and expenses
The organization is seeking to have a
bill passed by Congress compelling the
publication of a statement OF ali moneys
received and expended for campaign pur-
poses Mr. Bryan would go further. He
said that the manner in which contribu-
tiOns were spent was not so important as
knowledge OF the sources from which the
money came. and for that reason he
would Ike to see a law made requiring
campaign committees to publish before
election statements of contributions they
received.
Mr.. Bryan's proposal is to have one
statement issued on October and a second
ten days before election, and that il
should be made penal onense for an
individual or corporation TO contribute
funds after the second statement has been
issued.
Secret Promise Implied.
''rhe objection to campaign funds given
secretly and expended secretly" Mr.
Bryan said, sis that they imply a secret
promise to do something which the peo-
pie know nothing about Because corpo-
rattons and individuals want favors il has
become the custom to ask campaign
funds from them, and in return 10 pro-
tect them by passing or refusing certain
legislation. That is the situation for
which we seek a remedy. How are we
going to stop il? A law TO prohibit cor
porations from contributing is good, but
it doesn't so far enough. The only ef-
fective remedy is in a law which will
compel the publication of the names of
all large contributors.
And I would say also, that to my
mind, such a law would be sdl more ef-
fective if the lists were compelled TO be
published before election day. Then the
people viii be able 10 see where the cam
paign funds are coming from and who
are making the contributions. After cleo
tion there can, of course be a final state
ment showing the expenditures, but. in
my opinion, the matter Of the expendi-
lures is by no means so important as
knowing the sources of the contributions.
You can't spend money unless you get it.
and there is more evil in the sources Of
getting money than in the spending of il.
Make II Criminal ORense.
Il would make it criminal offense to
have such law as I have outlined vio-
lated Nothing but the criminal law
would suffice TO deal with the situation
don't believe in government by iniunc-
tiOn when it comes to restraining crime.
Such government should be no more used
against trust and labor than against horse
thieves, and no one ever thinks of getting
out an Injunction against a horse thief
to restrain him from stealing horses. ]
don't see why you should deal with trusts.
which conspire against the people, BY
means of injunction to restrain them
from doing something they ought not TO
do, and 1 think it is that very practice
which has made our laws so weak in
dealing with the corporations If we
make il a penal Onense. we will get honest
politics and stop the purchase of legisla-
tion from legislators, and stop the giving
Of tmmunities by public officers"
Belmont Advises Attention.
Perry Belmont. who presided, in intro
ducing Mr.. Bryan. intimated thar as Mr.
Bryan would be an influential factor in
the next Presidential campaign. his sup
port would be valuable in bringing about
the passage Of a publicity bill. Replying
10 this Mr. Bryan said:
7 am not prepared 10 say yet what part
j sail take in the next campaign, but
want TO lend whatever influence I may
have to the carrying out Of this policy of
political publicity"
Among those who made speeches urging
the need of the enactment of a publicity
bill were ex-senator William L Chandler.
Samuel Gompers, president of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor; Gov. Warheld,
Of MARYLAND and Cnmntrnller Metz