Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-07-14
A POLITICAL PARTY AFRAID.


lican party can be Judged by the &C
ton Of the convention, 1t has taken
counsel of Its fears.
In rejecting, by vote of GIT to 63-
nearly is to 1.-The plank providing
for the physical valuation Of railroads.
the Republican party admits that 1t Is
afraid of the truth. What objection
can there be to finding out What the
railroads are actually worth? II they
to know 1t; If they are not over
capitalized, the railroads them
selves ought to be glad to have
the fact announced So long as the
truth is concealed, there will be ex-
aggeration on both sales.--future who |
lean to the side of the railroads de- |
nying that there is over-capitalization, |
and those who demand rate reduction
insisting that the DISQUALIFICATION
is considerable. We ought to know
the truth But the Republican party |
shows by the action which the con-
vention took that it Is
Afraid of the Truth.
The timidity of the Republican lead
ers was even more emphasized in the |
vote of $50 to 94-9 to rejecting
the plank providing for publicity as to
campaign contributions and expendi.
lures. They are even afraid OF the
light, for publicity would throw light
upon politics. Elections are public
affairs and they ought to be conduct
ed in public way Secrecy as to
campaign methods and as to the In.
fluences which affect elections is In
defensible methods. II the demand
was for the publication of past con-
tributions and expenditures, the Re-
publican convention might have OF.
fered as an excuse that contributions
made and money expended without
expectation of publicity could not be
made public without some embarrass-
ment to those giving and receiving,
| but such an excuse can not be offered
for law applying to future contribu-
lions and disbursements. 1t is not
necessary that small contributions
shall be made public, and. to make
these public might subject the giver
to injustice if, for instance the giver
was an employee and opposed to his
employer. The same argument that
| is made in favor of the secret ballot
could be made in favor Of secrecy
as to small contributions, but this ar
gument will not apply to large con-
tributions. If man gives largely,
the public has right to know wheth-
er the gift measures a general inter-
est in the public, or is part of an inn
piled contract whereby return is
to be secured in legislation or in inn
munity. No corporation Of any kind
should be allowed to contribute to a
campaign fund.- for corporations are
not organized for political purposes,
and individual contributions above a
reasonable minimum should be open
to inspection in order that the voters
may be made acquainted with the in
fiuences which are at work in the
. campaign. Why did the Republican
convention turn down this plank by
such an overwhelming vote when the
president had asked for publicity leg.
islation and the Republican candidate
for president had put himself on
; record in favor of such legislation?
, And how fortunate it is that Mr..
} Taft's letter to Senator Burrows was
, brought to the attention of the pub.
, lie! If 1t had not appeared before
the convention, it would have been
, difficult to find after the convention.
J There can be but one explanation Of
} the action of the Republican conyeu.
; ton, namely, that it is the intention
, of those in charge of the Republican
party to secure campaign funds from
sources which they dare not disclose
They are
a Afraid Of the Light.
, But still more remarkable mani
festation of fear la to be found In
, the vote OF 1853 to 114-7 to by
which they turned down the PROPOSE
ton to elect United States senators
by direct vote of the people. What
does this mean? Simply that the Re
publican leaders distrust popular
: government. We elect our congress
man by the people; we elect our gov
l erncrs and state officers by the PEG
pie; we elect our president and vice
president by the people. II the
: electors have no discretion-and
: no elector would dare to vote
contrary to the sentiment Of
! those who elected him-why are the
) people denied the right to select sena
) tors by direct vote? There is one
: reason, and only one-the United
b States senate to-day is the bulwarl
of predatory wealth; favor-seekine
corporations have made it a deposi
tory of their power and they close
the door to reform. Every remedial
law must have the sanction of the
senate as we'll as the approval of the
house and the president. So long as
the exploiting interests can control
the senate, they can hold the people
l at bay, and this is why the Republic
can convention insolently thwarted the
, purpose of those Republicans who
sympathize with the desire of the PEG
pie in their demand for relief from
present conditions. Surely the rank
and file of the Republican party viii
express their Indignation at this open
and obvious distrust of the people
The Republican party has added to its
many sins this objectionable one, that
1t is
Afraid Of the People.
What an indictment the voters car
bring against the Republican party
this year!
) Afraid of the Truth
Afraid of the LiohtI