The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-25

in the interest of a party-no, of q | party dictator and his chosen politt- l cal heir.
 l Here party managers of high and oi l low degree are summoned and furtive- | ly slip In by night and by day to give reports to receive reproots and to take | instructions as to how to be more efTec- tive partisans. Thence secret emis- l saries are dispatched. passionate and undignihed denunciations and ardent appeals are cast to tthe four winds and party bulletins are daily, often twice daily, sent forth by the should be presi- dent of the whole people.
 Great political reforms usually come slowly and after much argument and agitation. But by rare exception and good fortune the greatest reform movement of our generation has come like a freshet and soon may be trium- phant Of course I refer to the pre- election publication of campaign re- ciepts and expenditures.
 By demanding large contributions from corporations party managers have commonly blackmailed them, and large corporations have often practically brtbed legislators and executive by giv- ing exorbitant sums as campaign con- tributlons. In each case favorable legislation or special protection was the understood consideration. In these sins the republicans have been ten- fold the greater offenders because of their greater opportunities.
 Compel prediction publication of campaign accounts and these practices will soon die out. Deprive politicians of such corrupt and corrupting funds and they will begin to preach tarin and great interstate corporations and trusts solely as problems In national economy and public welfare.
 "Only ignorant persons do not know that the zealous and effective champion of this reform Is MT. Bryan, and that the most conspicuous opponent of 1t In both practice and theory is President Roosevelt, who four years ago shame lessly Induced the collection of $260,- 900 In his own behalf and then brazen- ly prevaricated about it at critical moment just before the election.
 Naturally he insists 1t would not be safe to let the people know the amount or source or disposition of campaign funds until after the election, when the knowledge would be of no practi- cal value to them. Even horse thieves when they are safely mounted have no objections to the locking of stable doors"
 An explicit story has been printed in many of tho republican papers lately to the effect that while in congress in 1892 MT. Bryan made a speech In which he denounced the pension legislation then pending, declaring that pen slons were not an honest debt and de- scribing the government as being "held uo" The Congressional Record is open for all to see. but no one has yet been able to discover and identify this speech
 It was alleged to have been deliver ed in November, 1892 at which time congress was not in session. The story was originally accredited to Smith D.. Fry, a well known Washington corre- spondent. who did in fact send it to The Iowa State Register at Des Moines years ago MT. Fry now comes out with letter in which he declares that he was imposed upon by Washington politician whom he refers to as "Col. Dick Root"
 He says to me: 'I ascertained sub seuuently that Col. Root had lied tn me and that he knew he was lying when he misled me. Consequently wrote denial of the story and mall | ed 1t to The Register within two or three weeks of the day of It's publica- ton My denial was never published
 "I ceased to have affiliations with the | republican party when Commodore l Schley a veteran sailor of the union | was bounded and persecuted after hay | ing served his country even to offering | hls life again and again for her. | ceased to be a republican when Gen | Miles three times wounded under the
 stars and stripes, was publicly insult
 ed and sent from the army like a crimi'
 nal going to the guardhouse.
 T ceased to respect the republican party when it consented to the dishon'
 orable discharge of a whole battalion
 of the soldiers of the United States 1 WhAn they had done no wrong to anI