The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-10-07

bu' IL you want 10 De Ialr why DO
YOU not give the amount of the Re-
publican campaign fund that year and
the sources Of 1t. 1 am willing to have
both funds published, are you? II
some Of those who contributed to our
fund of less than 100000 had a
pecuniary interest In the result of the
election. how will you explain the
enormous contributions to the Repub-
lican fund? II you will remember,
the Democratic platform candidly de-
clared the party's purpose. II the car
rying out Of that policy would have
been Of advantage to any one, the
whole public had knowledge and the
publication Of the contributions would
not have affected the result. Pub
licity as to campaign funds is not
needed to make known that which Is
disclosed by the platform, but to d.
rect attention to secret agreements,
expressed or implied, which would
otherwise be concealed from the pub
lie. You certainly pay more atten-
tion to the mote than to the beam,
when you find fault with our national
campaign fund in 1896 and ignore the
significance Of fund almost as large,
which, at your request, was collected
from few persons in 1904 and was
used In one State and was only q
small item In the fund collected that
year. But your letter presents a de-
fense Of your party's position and all
accusation against the voters which
emphasizes an issue already prom:-
nent. You are the first conspicuous
member Of your party to attempt an
explanation Of the party's opposition
to publicity before the election and
the admission which you make will
embarrass your party associates,
"Your position Is that the publica-
tion before election Of the contribu-
tions to your campaign fund would
furnish your political opponents an
opportunity to give a false impress
sion as to the fitness OF the candi-
dates. You cite as illustration the
contribution made to Gov. Hughes
campaign fund, the contributions
made by Mr.. Hartman and the con-
tributions which are now being col
lected for Mr.. Taft's campaign. You
charge in effect that the people are so
lacking in intelligence that they
might condemn as improper contribu-
tions which you declare to be proper.
II the voters differ from you on this
question are they necessarily ignorant
and wrong? Must the members OF
the party organization act as self-ap-
pointed guardians Of the people and
conceal from them what is going on,
lest the people be misled as to the pur-
pose and effect Of large contributions.
Is this your explanation Of the action
Of the Republican leaders in the ma
tional convention in voting down q
publicity plank? II you will pardon
the suggestion. believe that better
explanation can be found in Holy
Writ, for do we not read of men low
ing darkness rather than light. b..
cause their deeds are evil?
'"The reflection on the people in
volved In your charge that they would
misuse the knowledge which publicity
would give Is unworthy of one who
has been elevated to so high an Office
by the votes Of the people. and I ven,
ture the assertion that you cannot
procure from Mr.. Taft an endorsement
Of your defense. He Is now before the
people; he Is Offering himself as .
candidate for the presidency: he Care
not tell the people to whom he ap.
peals that they have not sense enough
to form a just and correct opinion as
to the purpose which leads parties in
terested In special legislation to make
big contributions. You fear that we
would misrepresent the motives of
those with the contributions to the Re-
publican campaign fund and cast an
unjust suspecion upon Republican can
didates, II the names and amounts
were made known before the election.
Your argument II sound, would pre-
vent publication after the election, for
why should an urtust suspicion be
cast upon officials after the election
any more than before? Does not the
secrecy before the election incrase this
suspicion? We are going to give you
an opportunity to misrepresent the
motives Of those who give to our cam
paign fund and to arouse all the
suspicion you can; we are go;rg to
prove to the people that we ora max