Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-10-02
EXPLAINS IMPORTANCE
OF EARLY PUBLICATION
HE SAYS PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW
BEFORE ELECrIoN WHICH
PARTY PREDATORY INTER-
INTERESTS ARE SUPPORTING
LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE
BEEN USED TO MORTGAGE Of
FlCIALS.

Lincoln. Neb.. Oct. a.---Declaring
that every d!sinterested voter knows
that large contributions have been
made and used to- secure morta ges
on officials, VIM. j. Bryan last night
issued at Fairview a statement crit
losing the adoption OF VIM. III. Taft
MS Republican opponent FOR pres
iuent, of President Roosevelt's an
nounced view On the subj,ct OF
the publicity OF campaign con.ribu-
tons.
Following is the compl sts text ol
Nh. Bryan's statement:
am surprised to find tha. MIR.
TART indorses the pr sident's view
on the subject OF publicity as To
campaign contributions, but s.noe
He holds these views. / am glad tha.
he makes them known now. We
now hayo publicity before election
as to his opinion even II he does
not bel.sve In publicity OF contrl-
buttons until after the election. He
falls to zee the difference between
the publication of contributions be-
Iore election and the publication OF
tlfItdOn.
The publication or expenditures
Is Nrequtred 70 show whether cor
rupt methods have been employed
In the election, and as the eXpen-
d.tures continu up to the close OF
the polls. IL would be imp, ssible
TO make a complete publication un-
III after the election. The publlca-
ton OF contributions should be
made before election; but the main
reason for the publication Of con-
tributions before election Is to show
the public the sources from which
the contributions came I'm order
ina: the publ!c may know which
party predatory interests are sup
porting. Every one who 6nows hu.
man nature knows that the element
OF gratitude must always be con
sidored in human AFFAIRS.
Every disinterested voter knows
that the largo contributions have
been used to secure mortgages up.
on officials. The publication OF
con-ribtuoins throws great deal
more light upon the influence al
work In politics than the publica-
tion OF expenditures, for the pub.
Ecation Of cJntribut t.om shows %
whom the party is indebted, and &C
whom repayment Is likely 10
made, while the publication OF ex-
pendi-ures shows what has been
paid out, and disbursements do not
create obligations that effect the
course OF the administration.
MIR. Taft says that The proper
object OF a publicity law is to pre-
vent the use OF money for bribery
and other improper purposes in
elections and To enable the law Oh
flcers of the government and the
public to determine whether the
contributions made were properly
expended for legitimate proposes
and he adds. The requirements that
the names and amounts OF the per
CONS contributing should also be
shown is for the purpose OF ena-
bling the public and the prosecuting
officers OF the government 20 judge
whether subsequent official action
has been improperly affected in IA
yor OF the contributors by the sue
cessful candidate
This he says can oil be ac-
complished by publicat on after
election. He then proceeds TO In
dorse the position taken by Pre8i-
dent Roosevelt. declaring that The
chief objection TO the publication o.
contributions before election Is thai
IL makes certain that i'm the heat Of
the controversy, the mot.Ye of those
vino contribute TO pay the Iegti-
mate expenses 0f the campaign will
be misunderstood, perverted and
Inisrepresented.'
THE candidate. also he insists
in whose behalf the contributions
are made will be charged n the
most unfair way as being complete
ly under the control or those who
make the cOntribu ions
Here he makes the same charge
that tho president does the astOund-
ing charge that the voters are So
liable 10 be misled. that the NHOwl-
edge must be kept from them.
insist that e is an insult TO the in
telligence Of the voters and II doe
little credit to Mr. Taft's opinion
or the mon 20 whom no .s making
MS appeal. Pres dent Roosevelt
may have made his statement
and on the impulse Of
.he moment, but Mr. Taft brings
the same against the voter with de-
liberation and after he has read q
criticism OF the pres dents views.
1T g. fair 60 chargc iherefrOm
that Mr.. Taft Is either expecting to
receive contrlbut ons VIII ch would
arouse just suspicion among the in
.elligent people. or contributions
which II known, would arouse an
unjust susp.c.o among people too
ignorant to form a correct iud g
ment This is an evasion which ne
can neither rctract nor excuse. u
can only be explained by a con
sctousness thai Republican cam
raien methods will not bear the
light. and that It would be danger