Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-01
COURTS CLASH OVER THE
CUSTODY OF HARRY THAW


funds should be made public before
election Mr.. Taft declared to be sim
|ply prediction sensationalism, and he
defended his support of the republican
contention that publication be made
after election ON the ground that it
was for the public good.
Il have always been in favor of
law" said Mr.. Taft, (which will re-
quire publicity of both contributions
and expenditures Immediately after
election. Mr.. Bryan seems to favor the
publication of contributions before the
election, but postpones the publication
of expenditures until after that time
Wants Expenses Printed.
Il confess that l see no reason why,
if contributions are to be published be-
also be published l think that the
character of expenditures is quite as
important as the character and source
Iof the contributions. | don't know of
any election law either in this coun-
TRY or any other which requires the
+, ditures before the election. The law
lof Nebraska on this subject only re-
lquires the publication of contributions
and expenditures after election. This
was the law which the democratic man.
ayers in 1904 in Nebraska so fiagrantly
violated by failing to return the re-
. ceipt of $1,000 from Thomas F. Ryan
The most drastic law in this country on
| the subject is that of the state of New
York, which also makes the time of
publication after the election.
To Prevent Bribery.
"The proper object of such law is
to prevent the use of money for brib-
cry and other improper purposes in
elections and to enable the law officers
of the government and the people to
determine whether the contributions
made were properly expended for legit-
innate purposes. The requirement that
the names and amounts of the persons
contributing should also be shown is
for the purpose of enabling the public
and the prosecuting officers of the gov
ernment to judge whether subsequent
official action has been improperly af-
Ifected in favor of the contributions by
the successful candidates.
Publicity After Election.
''This can all be accomplished by pub
llication after the election. The CHIEF
objection to the publication of contri
buttons before the election is that il
Il mo hos aarta;o fhaf-i, the haat f.f +l,s
controversy the motives of those whC
contribute to pay the legitimate ex
Ipenses of the campaign will be mis-
construed perverted and misrepresent
led. The candidates in whose behal
the contributions are made will be
charged in most unfair way as beins
completely under the control of those
who make the contributions.
Nothing could more forcibly sup
port this view than the illustration fur
lnished by the attacks now made OF
Mr.. Hughes in which he is charged
with being an agent and creature o
the trusts and financial institutions O
Wall street because among the con
tributors to the fund expended in legit
: innate ways during his election as gov
ernor were some wealthy men promi
nent in Wall street. There is no MAJ
in the country who has demonstrates
more completely his entire freedom
from corporate control than Governo
Hughes by his administration of stat
affairs, and yet for partisan purposes
and without the slightest evidence e1
cept the contributions, Mr.. Bryan re
fers to him as being completely unde
trust influence.