The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-30

tCOmthuUe0 rom rage Ohcst voters differ from you on this anes- ton, are they necessarily ignorant any wrong? Must the members of the party organization act as self-ap- pointed guardians of the people anu conceal from them what Is going on lest the people be misled as to the purpose and effect of large contribu- tions. Is this your explanation of the action of the Republican leaders in the national convention in voting down a publicity plank?
 If you will pardon the suggestion. l believe that better explanation can be found In Holy Writ for do we not read of men loving darkness rather than light. because their deeds are evil. You attempt to make personal question of it and ask whether any one will accuse such men as you, Gov ernor Hughes and MT. Taft of being influenced by contributions. That is not the question. If it is found that a party to a suit has given sum of money to one of the jurors. the court does not stop to inquire whether or not the Juror Is an incorruptible man or whether in accepting the money, he explicitly stated that 1t was accepted with the understanding that he was under no obligation to consider 1t in making up his verdict. The court would hold that the giving of money by an interested party or the receiv- ing of money was a contempt of court and an interference with the admin istration of justice.
 No Patriotic Motives.
 Public officials occupy much the same position as jurors. They are constantly called upon to decide ques- tions between the favor-seeking cor porations on the one hand and the people on the other. and there Is a very general impression that officials of these favor-seeking corporations do not put up large sums of money from purely patriotic motives.
 MT. Havemeyer testified before a Senate committee some years ago that the sugar trust made 1t business to contribute to campaign funds and that 1t was its custom to give to the party in power in the State. do not mean to say that MT. Hughes was influenced by the contributions made to him by the trust magnates whose names were given In the after-election report. l do not mean to say that you were in- fluenced by the contributions collected by MT. Hartman, neither do I mean to say that MT. Taft will be influenced by the contributions that are being made to his fund by the trust mag
 
 American people have a right to know what contributions are being made, that they may judge for themselves the motive of the givers and the obli- gation imposed upon those who re- ceive.
 'The reflection upon the people in- volved in your charge that they would misuse the knowledge which publicity would give, Is unworthy of one who hag .IA h l--l, by the votes of the people, and I ven- ture the assertion that you cannot procure from MT. Taft an endorsement of your defense. He is now before the people; he is offering himself as a can didate for the Presidency; he dare not tell the people to whom he appeals that they have not sense enough to form just opinion as to the purpose which leads parties interested in special legislation to make big contributions. You fear that we would misrepresent the motive of those who are contribut- ing to the Republican campaign fund and cast an unjust suspicion upon Re- publican candidates if the names and amounts were made known before the election.
 ROOseveIt's Argument.
 Your argument, if sound, would prevent publication after the election for why should an unjust suspicion be cast upon officials after the election any more than before. Does not the secrecy before the election increase this suspicion? We are going to give you an opportunity to misrepresent the motives of those who give to our campaign fund and to arouse all the suspicion you can; We are going to prove to the people that we are mak- ing fight for the whole people and not for those who have been enjoying priv ileges and favors at the hands of the government, and we expect that the honest sentiment of the country will rebuke the party whose convention re- fused to endorse any kind of publicity and whose candidates are not willing that the people should know until after the polls are closed what predatory interests have been active in support of the Republican party.
 With great respect, etc.
 Yours trluy,
 William J. Bryan"